Toyota’s New bZ4X Is Now Japan’s Longest-Range EV — But That’s Not Saying Much
Toyota is finally showing signs of catching up in the EV race. The newly updated bZ4X has just launched in Japan, bringing a significant jump in range, charging speed, and overall refinement. With up to 746 km of WLTC range, it officially becomes Japan’s longest-range domestic EV.
That sounds impressive — and it is — but it also needs some context.
Toyota’s bZ4X
A Long-Overdue Update
Toyota’s first global BEV, the bZ4X, arrived in 2022 with decent specs on paper but never quite made an impact. Early versions suffered from limited range, slow charging, and a high price tag compared to rivals like the Nissan Ariya.
This refresh changes that. Toyota claims a 25 percent improvement in driving range, faster 150 kW DC fast charging, and a 10 – 80 percent recharge time of just 28 minutes thanks to new battery preconditioning technology. The design has been lightly reworked inside and out, with new features and a slightly more premium feel overall.
Two trims are available in Japan — the G and Z grades — starting at around ¥4.8 million. The top-end Z model starts from ¥5.5 million and can be ordered as front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, depending on preference.
Toyota’s bZ4X Interior
The Global Picture
The Japanese-market bZ4X isn’t the only one getting a boost. Toyota introduced the same upgrades in Europe earlier this year, where the long-range model now claims 573 km WLTP. In the United States, the car will drop the “4X” and simply be called the Toyota bZ. There, it offers up to 314 miles (505 km) of EPA-estimated range and will ship with a built-in NACS charge port, giving drivers direct access to Tesla’s vast Supercharger network.
That’s a big deal for the U.S. market — and highlights a key difference with Japan.
CHAdeMO - Japan’s Standard Charging Port
Japan Still Runs on CHAdeMO
While the American version goes all-in on NACS, the Japanese bZ4X almost certainly sticks with CHAdeMO, Japan’s long-running DC-charging standard. Toyota hasn’t confirmed the connector type publicly yet, but given Japan’s current infrastructure, switching to NACS anytime soon would be unlikely.
That means while Toyota has improved its charging speed, Japanese owners will still rely on the existing CHAdeMO network — which, despite being widespread, rarely exceeds 90–120 kW in real-world stations. Only a handful of sites nationwide currently support 150 kW or higher.
In other words, faster charging capability is great on paper, but the infrastructure still needs to catch up before most drivers can take full advantage.
“Longest-Range Domestic EV” — But Compared to What?
Electrek correctly pointed out that winning this title in Japan isn’t exactly a high bar. Domestic BEV options remain extremely limited — especially from major brands like Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Mazda.
Nissan’s Ariya B9 offers up to 610 km (WLTC), while Honda’s upcoming 0 Series EVs are still months away. Toyota’s new 746 km figure puts it at the top of the domestic chart, but the competition field is small.
Still, it’s a clear signal of intent. Toyota’s recent EV sales in Japan have been weak — reportedly just 18 units sold in one recent month — so this update is part of a much larger push. The company is betting big on a full lineup of BEVs, HEVs, PHEVs, and FCEVs over the next few years.
The Bigger Picture
Toyota’s refresh doesn’t just boost the bZ4X — it helps reset public perception. The carmaker that once led the world with hybrids is finally making visible progress in battery EVs.
At around ¥4.8 million, the bZ4X now undercuts many imports while offering more range than any other Japan-built EV. The new charging and thermal-management systems show Toyota is learning fast from early missteps.
That said, range figures based on WLTC are always optimistic, especially under Japan’s mild-weather test cycle. Real-world driving will likely see closer to 550–600 km, depending on conditions.
EV Man Japan’s Take
Toyota’s updated bZ4X is a big improvement and a welcome sign that Japan’s largest automaker is finally taking EVs seriously. But calling it the “longest-range domestic EV” highlights how small Japan’s pure-EV landscape still is.
For Japanese buyers, the improvements are meaningful: more range, faster charging, and lower pricing. But for road-trippers and EV enthusiasts, the CHAdeMO limitation remains a hurdle — at least until Japan’s infrastructure evolves or Toyota aligns its domestic lineup with global charging standards.
For now, it’s progress — real, measurable progress — and that’s something Toyota desperately needed.
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