2024 Toyota bZ4X Loses Base Model, Improves Cold-Weather Charging
Toyota’s bZ4X electric crossover is losing its base L model for its second year on the market, the one that used to carry a low MSRP of $44,990 in order to qualify for a $5,000 EV rebate from the Canadian government.
Now that the federal program has increased its price limit to $55,000 for cars and $60,000 for larger vehicles, there’s no need for it. Besides, production already focused heavily on the more expensive models.
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So, for 2024, the cheapest bZ4X in the lineup is the LE FWD starting at $50,050, a tiny increase of $60 from 2023. The same hike applies to the XLE AWD, which now costs $55,050. With the Technology Package, you’re looking at $62,640, down $110 from last year.
Are there any changes to features and amenities? No. However, technical upgrades to the 2024 Toyota bZ4X will result in slightly faster DC charging in cold weather.
Enhancements have indeed been made to the battery thermal system, including the addition of a water-to-water heat exchanger and heating adjustment valve to increase battery temperature. Toyota failed to say how much charging times are cut, mind you.
At this point, we need to remind you about a specific issue. As Toyota clarified in a May 2022 statement: “For the bZ4X AWD model, charging may slow down more than other models in weather conditions below zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) and may not be possible when the temperature drops to around -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit) and below.” The automaker has yet to specify whether that’s still the case following the new enhancements.
Meanwhile, the fully digital multi-information display now provides owners with additional charging information such as the state of charge percentage (finally!), estimated time to 80-percent charge and estimated vehicle range. Too bad that the steering wheel blocks some of that information, depending on how high you set it. Owners of 2023 bZ4X models may visit any Toyota dealership for a software update to add this capability to their vehicle.
Remember, the bZ4X offers a maximum NRC-estimated range of 406 km in LE FWD trim (201 hp) and 367 km in XLE AWD trim (215 hp).
