Say goodbye to "bZ4X" and other confusing alphanumerics. Toyota is changing its naming strategy as future cars get EV counterparts.
Before long, purchasing an electric Toyota won’t require solving equations involving b, Z, or X anymore.
At its annual Kenshiki Forum event in Brussels last week, Toyota officials announced a plan to walk away from its confusing and often-criticized naming scheme for electric cars, which has yielded models with names like bZ4X , bZ3 and bZ3X Instead, new electric vehicles will be christened using names from "Toyota’s existing and well-known model lines," according to officials.
"Andrea Carlucci, who leads marketing and product development for Toyota Motor Europe, stated, 'This strategy will be extended since every future electric vehicle we introduce will naturally form an essential component of our Toyota range,'" he explained.
While no Toyota officials at the event would confirm exactly what new models would arrive with this new naming system, they indicated a desire to lean on the company's existing brand equity, not unlike the two generations of RAV4 EVs .
2026 Toyota bZ4X Live Images
However, Carlucci suggested how things could progress with the introduction of two new and forthcoming electric vehicle models. One of them is the Urban Cruiser , which is currently a compact electric crossover available in Europe under a nameplate that has been sporadically used over the past twenty years and references the renowned Land Cruiser marque. The second one is the new C-HR+, a mid-size crossover. that shares the name with a hybrid variant However, it is entirely different from the original vehicle.
Masaya Uchiyama, who serves as the chief engineer of the bZ4X, stated InsideEVs that this choice was a step towards integrating all-electric vehicles into everyday use.
We chose 'bZ4X' as the name because it felt fresh. Uchiyama said. " Currently, BEVs (battery electric vehicles) are growing in popularity and becoming more commonplace. Previously, they appealed mainly to innovators and early adopters. However, today, these vehicles are geared towards the ‘early majority.’ We believe it’s time to establish a common or recognizable name for BEVs since this type of vehicle is no longer considered specialized.
Uchiyama is accurate regarding this aspect. Electric vehicles constituted approximately one out of every ten new car purchases in the United States during 2024, setting a record high. In Europe, however, the figures are more impressive, exceeding those in the U.S. approximately 15% of newly sold cars are electric In January within the European Union, those figures rise considerably based on which EU country you consider; for instance, in Belgium, electric vehicles (EVs) account for almost 30% of the new car market , while in Norway—where the bZ4X has consistently topped the sales charts—as electric vehicles (EVs) are essentially 90% of newly sold cars .
Toyota has been traditionally hesitant about fully committing to electric cars And rather than focusing solely on this strategy, it has adopted a "multi-pathway" approach to provide various kinds of vehicles. However, with the ongoing expansion of the electric vehicle market, particularly in Europe, the global leader in automobile manufacturing plans to enhance its presence in this area. By the close of 2026, Toyota aims to introduce an additional trio of fully electric car models; one might be a pickup truck, and another could potentially be a manufactured version of The Land Cruiser Se concept .
Land Cruiser Se Concept
Automakers frequently face challenges when deciding how to name their upcoming electric vehicles (EVs) as these become increasingly popular, potentially replacing gasoline-powered models across various lineup ranges. Some companies choose distinct monikers for their EVs like the Kia EV3 or Hyundai Ioniq 5; others hesitate to let go of established branding and familiar identification. For instance, Audi has been hesitant to fully depart from its traditional naming conventions. lately discarded a complex plan In this scenario, electric vehicles (EVs) would include models such as the A4 and Q6 with even numbers, whereas gasoline-powered cars would be assigned odd numbers.
On Toyota's part, it's improbable that many individuals will lament the absence of the " Beyond Zero 4 Crossover especially since this modern electric RAV4 is virtually unchanged except for its power source. Introducing electric variants of the Sienna, Tacoma, and Corolla could make these models even more appealing, encouraging current fans to switch from gas-powered vehicles.
Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
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