Today, Toyota will restart production of its first mainstream electric car. This time, the company says, the wheels won’t fall off.
Toyota Chief Technology Officer Masahiko Maeda says sales will restart soon but hasn’t offered a specific date.
An Embarrassing Recall
The 2023 Toyota bZ4X isn’t technically Toyota’s first electric vehicle (EV). The automaker has twice offered an all-electric version of its RAV4 SUV for sale in California.
But the bZ4X is meant to kick off a new lineup of Toyota “Beyond Zero” electric cars. A compact SUV with up to 252 miles of range, it carried a starting price of around $42,000 for the brief window it was on sale in spring.
Toyota was forced to stop sales and recall the few cars it had sold shortly after revealing the car due to an embarrassing problem – testers reported that the wheels could fall off in ordinary driving.
Just over 400 models had reached the U.S. at the time, with most still on dealer lots. Toyota offered the few buyers a choice – sell the bZ4X back to the company, or accept a loaner car and a $5,000 rebate while it worked on a solution.
A Problem of Torque
Now, the company says, it has an explanation and a solution for the bizarre problem. Trade publication Automotive News explains, “The defect stemmed from not accounting for the high torque exerted on the wheels by the car’s all-electric drivetrain.” EVs make all of their torque available instantly rather than building it as they accelerate like gas-powered cars do.
Toyota engineers hadn’t properly accounted for that in their design. Now, AN says, “the fix involves adding a washer to the hub bolts and improving friction of the wheel surface.”
Maeda adds, “We will respond firmly to regain trust in the safety of Toyota vehicles.”
A Subaru Twin
A few questions remain. We’ve reached out to Toyota to ask what the news means for the few owners waiting to return their loaner and get their bZ4X back.
In addition, the bZ4X is part of a joint project with Subaru. That company sells a nearly identical vehicle, the 2023 Solterra, built in the same factory. Subaru didn’t have to recall the Solterra because it hadn’t sold the first one before Toyota discovered the problem. We have contacted Subaru to ask if Toyota’s announcement means we can expect Solterra sales this year.
