New Toyota electric mid-size SUV to be unveiled at April’s Shanghai Motor Show

March 16, 2021March 20, 2021 Iain Curry 1940 Views bz, Toyota, toyota bz, Toyota electric

Toyota will unveil a preview of its new mid-size battery electric SUV at the 2021 Shanghai Motor Show.

We can expect first images and details of the new model, the first to be based on the company’s new e-TNGA EV platform, to emerge on the show’s first media day on April 19.

A teaser image of the vehicle shrouded in a blanket is basic to say the least, but at least the tell-tale bulges of side mirrors suggests what we’ll see in Shanghai will be very close to a production model.

The vehicle is expected to be about Toyota RAV4-sized, so would be slightly larger than – but would prove interesting alternatives – to the likes of the Kia Niro EV, Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and VW ID.4.

The silhouette of Toyota's new battery electric SUV that will be part of the BZ family — The silhouette of Toyota’s new battery electric SUV that will be part of the BZ family

Toyota may dominate the hybrid market, but has been criticised for dragging its feet when it comes to full electric vehicles. This new model is set to change that as the SUV will be the first of a substantial portfolio of EVs to be sold under the BZ sub-brand.

The reveal news was announced on Toyota’s European media site, strongly hinting Europe would be first to receive the new BZ SUV. Should the right-hand-drive UK be included in launch plans, that would increase the likelihood of the vehicle arriving on Australian shores.

Toyota has already trademarked BZ (Beyond Zero) names in Australia, from BZ1 to BZ5 and BZ1X to BZ5X. All are expected to be part of Toyota’s forthcoming electric car family.

Toyota has previously stated It will launch 10 BEVs in the 2020s, and is aiming for one million zero-emission vehicle sales, including BEVs and fuel cells, by 2025.

Iain Curry

A motoring writer and photographer for two decades, Iain started in print magazines in London as editor of Performance BMW and features writer for BMW Car, GT Porsche and 4Drive magazines. His love of motor sport and high performance petrol cars was rudely interrupted in 2011 when he was one of the first journalists to drive BMW's 1 Series ActiveE EV, and has been testing hybrids, PHEVs and EVs for Australian newspapers ever since. Based near Noosa in Queensland, his weekly newspaper articles cover new vehicle reviews and consumer advice, while his photography is regularly seen on the pages of glossy magazines.