If you’re tempted to buy an all-electric vehicle because the idea of saving all of the money you would spend on gas seems really appealing, Toyota has just sweetened the pot a little more. The automaker teamed up with EVgo, America’s largest public EV fast charging network, to offer one year of unlimited complimentary charging to owners of the upcoming bZ4X SUV, ensuring that your initial ownership costs are next to zero.
The bZ4X, which launches later this year, is the first all-electric Toyota SUV. Drivers will be able to benefit from the free charging incentive via the Toyota App on a compatible smart device. According to the automaker, the new b74X will be able to go 250 miles on a single charge and will be available with optional solar panels that can extend range by another 1,000 miles per year. However, it hasn’t said how quickly it will charge at fast-charging stations or other, slower charging points.
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The EVgo charging network currently supports millions of Americans in major urban centers. The company says over 130 million people in the U.S. live within just 10 miles of an EVgo fast charger and that number is set to go up substantially over the next few years. Thanks to a partnership with GM involving more than 3,000 new charging stalls across 52 markets, the network will effectively triple by 2025.
Toyota’s willingness to guide customers toward fast charging stations says a lot about its confidence in its batteries. Last year, it claimed the b74X’s battery capacity would degrade by only 10 percent over the first 10 years, which would be an impressive feat. Other manufacturers have discouraged customers from using fast charging as it could accelerate degradation. This could help Toyota EVs hold their value better than their competitors — just as its non-EV models already do.
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.