Toyota bZ Large SUV front three quarter

First U.S.-built Toyota electric car confirmed as a three-row SUV

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  • Will be positioned above the Toyota bZ4X, which is imported from Japan
  • Will feature locally made batteries and likely be eligible for federal tax credits
  • The future Kia EV9, Hyundai Ioniq 7 & Ford's 3-row EV SUV are the potential competitors
  • Expected to be unveiled in late 2024 and touch dealers in 2025

As, Yoichi Miyazaki, Executive Vice President, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), announced on April 7, 2023, the first series production EV the company plans to manufacture in the United States will be a three-row SUV.

Widely expected to evolve from the Toyota bZ Large SUV concept, the new Toyota electric SUV will enter production in 2025, and you can look forward to buying it from your local dealership the same year. Here’s everything we know about the future electric SUV which could take on the ‘Toyota bZ6X’ or the ‘Toyota bZ7X’ branding.

Contents hide
1. Design
2. Interior
3. Specifications
4. Manufacturing
5. Debut & Price

Design

Toyota bZ Large SUV digital rendering
The three-row Toyota electric SUV should be the production avatar of the Toyota bZ Large SUV concept (pictured). Image Source: Toyota Motor Corporation

The new Toyota electric SUV will likely feature a hammerhead shark-like design front-end and look very similar to the bZ4X when seen head-on. On the sides, it may not feature black wheel arch moldings, which would give it a cleaner look. Flush door handles, sleek glass panels, simplistic door panels, large wheels, and slim tail lamp extensions could be among other visual highlights of the profile. Sitting lower than a comparable ICE model, the electric three-row SUV should look more dynamic.

Interior

Inside, we think the three-row Toyota electric SUV will offer comfortable seating for up to seven people. TMC could provide an option to swap out the middle-row bench with two individual seats for customers prioritizing comfort over practicality. It may not leave out anything better for a potential Lexus equivalent (as it does in the case of Grand Highlander & TX), since customers would already be shelling out a premium over a normal Toyota.

Toyota e-TNGA Subaru EV platform
The three-row Toyota electric SUV will be based on the e-TNGA platform that already underpins the bZ4X. Image Source: Toyota Motor Corporation

Specifications

TMC hasn’t shared what kind of range it is aiming for in the three-row electric SUV, but we doubt it’ll do better than the Kia EV9’s targeted 300 miles. There’s no word on the performance or any other specification either. In addition to the Kia EV9, this model will rival the Hyundai Ioniq 7, which is arriving in 2024.

Manufacturing

TMC’s first U.S.-assembled EV will be heavily localized, which we hope ensures it qualifies for the Clean Vehicle Credit program and allows buyers to get federal tax credits up to USD 7,500. The company plans to manufacture the new Toyota electric SUV at its factory in Georgetown, Kentucky. It will use batteries assembled at its dedicated plant in Liberty, North Carolina, where battery production is scheduled to commence the same year (2025). The battery plant will have two production lines for EV batteries.

Debut & Price

The three-row Toyota electric SUV designed and engineered primarily for the U.S. will likely debut as early as late 2024, before going on sale the following year. We’re expecting it to be priced at around USD 55,000.

We’ll keep updating this article as and when more information emerges, so stay tuned!

Featured Image Source: Toyota Motor Corporation/Noriaki Mitsuhashi/N-RAK PHOTO AGENCY

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