In an ambitious move to strengthen Toyota’s commitment to a carbon neutral future, the Japanese automaker has launched its first battery electric vehicle, or BEV, the 2023 BZ4X SUV.
It joins 18 other electrified vehicles in the Toyota family, which includes plug-in hybrids, or PHEVs, self-charging hybrids, and fuel cell vehicles. Last year, those electrified vehicles accounted for 28 per cent of Toyota Canada’s total sales volume – that’s up 75.9 per cent compared to 2020.
“It is possible to be a successful niche player in transportation by supplying a single type of powertrain or a limited range of models, but it is impossible to meet the diverse needs of the Canadian market, let alone the world, without offering a broad range of choices,” said Stephen Beatty, vice president and corporate secretary of Toyota Canada. “Unless you are able to offer a broad range of different types of vehicles and a number of different solutions for reducing the carbon footprint of those vehicles, you are effectively turning your back to the needs of some Canadians.”
Beatty believes Toyota has an “edge over the competition” because they’ve worked to ensure Canadians have an offering in every segment, making them “the last full-line automaker in the industry.”