Toyota restarts bZ4x EV production after fixing dangerous wheel defect
Toyota is finally back on track with the production of the bZ4x, its first electric vehicle. Reuters reports that the company has restarted manufacturing of the electric crossover after fixing a flaw that could see the wheels come loose during hard braking or sharp turns. The company also said it fixed a previously unannounced flaw with improperly installed airbags that could fail or cause injury.
The automaker said it fixed the wheel issue by replacing the hub bolts and making sure the new parts were properly tightened. There was no mention of when sales would resume in the United States, although Japanese customers could rent the bZ4x again (their only option to drive the car) from October 26. Subaru also hasn't said how it will approach U.S. sales of its equivalent model, the Solterra, though it didn't reach U.S. buyers before the defect surfaced.
The fix's short-term financial damage was relatively limited. Toyota has recalled just 2,700 vehicles worldwide, most of them in Europe. Even buybacks and credits would be modest for a company that sold nearly 28,000 Camrys in the United States alone last month. Only 232 copies of bZ4x were sold in the United States this year.
The biggest concern is the effect on Toyota's reputation. The company has long been accused of being slow to adopt electric vehicles and expects them to account for just a third of annual sales by 2030, when many rivals expect more. The recall only worsened the situation by taking the recently launched machine off the market for more than three months. Toyota has yet to prove it can make a capable EV, and the wheel defect certainly didn't help.
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Toyota is finally back on track with the production of the bZ4x, its first electric vehicle. Reuters reports that the company has restarted manufacturing of the electric crossover after fixing a flaw that could see the wheels come loose during hard braking or sharp turns. The company also said it fixed a previously unannounced flaw with improperly installed airbags that could fail or cause injury.
The automaker said it fixed the wheel issue by replacing the hub bolts and making sure the new parts were properly tightened. There was no mention of when sales would resume in the United States, although Japanese customers could rent the bZ4x again (their only option to drive the car) from October 26. Subaru also hasn't said how it will approach U.S. sales of its equivalent model, the Solterra, though it didn't reach U.S. buyers before the defect surfaced.
The fix's short-term financial damage was relatively limited. Toyota has recalled just 2,700 vehicles worldwide, most of them in Europe. Even buybacks and credits would be modest for a company that sold nearly 28,000 Camrys in the United States alone last month. Only 232 copies of bZ4x were sold in the United States this year.
The biggest concern is the effect on Toyota's reputation. The company has long been accused of being slow to adopt electric vehicles and expects them to account for just a third of annual sales by 2030, when many rivals expect more. The recall only worsened the situation by taking the recently launched machine off the market for more than three months. Toyota has yet to prove it can make a capable EV, and the wheel defect certainly didn't help.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices correct at time of publication.
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