Toyota has announced the global withdrawal of its new bZ4X crossover. The reason for the removal is the loose screws that connect the wheels of the bZ4X to the body of the vehicle, which could cause a detachment. Toyota issued the following statement in a Japanese recall notice:
“The bucket screw may loosen due to repeated sharp turns and sudden braking. Therefore, if you continue driving in this state, abnormal noise will be generated and, in the worst case, the tires may fall.”
Toyota has advised all bZ4X owners to stop using the vehicle immediately. There are currently about 2,700 bZ4X units on the market according to data obtained by The Financial Times. 2,200 are found in Europe, 280 in North America, 110 in Japan and 60 in the rest of Asia.
It is unknown if the twin of the bZ4X, the Subaru Solterra that shares chassis, has the same problem. However, it will not go on sale until late summer, so any potential issues should be resolved.
The bZ4X is Toyota’s first mass-market electric vehicle. The hydrogen-powered Mirai can only be purchased in Japan, California and some European countries. Earlier all-electric Toyotas, such as the RAV4 EV, were only available in a handful of markets.
The bZ4X aims to compete on the more basic side of the electric crossover segment. Starting at $ 42,000 (or $ 34,500 after the FTC), the bZ4X is aimed directly at the Volkswagen ID.4 and the Nissan Ariya. While far from fast, the bZ4X offers good range (up to 252 EPA miles) and plenty of storage space.
Toyota wants to sell 3.5 million electric vehicles worldwide by 2030. The firm also wants to have 30 electric deals this year, many of which were previously seen in conceptual form a few months ago. However, unlike most other manufacturers, Toyota has not committed to being an all-electric brand at any time. The brand still strongly believes in the combustion engine and has formed an alliance with Subaru, Mazda, Kawasaki and Yamaha to help research and develop ICE engines.