Toyota has ditched the complex bZ4X name for its first all-electric model and announced the 2026 Toyota bZ. It has a longer driving range and a NACS charging inlet.

Market launch of the new bZ is scheduled for the second half of the year. Pricing will be announced closer to launch. The outgoing 2025 bZ4X starts at $37,070 (plus a $1,395 mandatory destination fee).

314 Miles of Range

The 2026 Toyota bZ, based on the e-TNGA platform, will have a slightly higher battery capacity of 74.7 kWh (similar to the upgraded 2026 Subaru Solterra), compared to 71.4 kWh or 72.8 kWh previously. For the very first time, there will also be a smaller battery version — 57.7 kWh.

Toyota estimates that the EPA driving range will increase by about 25%, reaching 314 miles in one of the trims. That’s a substantial increase, especially compared to the 3.3-kWh (4.6%) increase in the battery capacity.

This suggests that the Japanese manufacturer has significantly improved the efficiency of the car. One of the main reasons might be the new energy-efficient eAxles with silicon carbide semiconductors. By the way, the power output of the powertrain also increased by about 50% to 252 kW.

The longest driving range of 314 miles belongs to the front-wheel drive (FWD) version with 18-inch wheels (XLE FWD Plus). The other trims with the same 74.7-kWh battery will have 278-299 miles of range. That’s some 56-63 miles more than in the 2025 Toyota bZ4X. Meanwhile, the entry-level version with a 57.7-kWh battery can go 236 miles.

The manufacturer estimated range of the 2026 Toyota bZ. (Source: State Of Charge)

NACS Charging Inlet

The 2026 Toyota bZ is the first Toyota EV with the NACS (SAE J3400) charging inlet for AC and DC charging scenarios, instead of the CCS1 used on the bZ4X. The Japanese company announced in 2023 that the switch from CCS1 to NACS will happen in 2025, so it seems that everything is going as planned.

Additionally, Toyota moved the location of the charging port from the front-left to the front-right (passenger side). We are not sure whether this will be more convenient on a daily basis. Toyota probably moved the location for easier Supercharging, since thousands of V3 dispensers have short cables.

The DC fast-charging specs appear to be very similar to the previous one. Toyota says that charging from 10% to 80% state-of-charge will take about 30 minutes under ideal conditions. Very likely, peak charging will occur around 150 kW.

A very positive change is the increase in onboard charger power from 7.6 kW to 11 kW. The car will come with a dual-voltage (120/240 V) charging cable. Another good thing is that the bZ will have Plug & Charge capability.

The 2026 Toyota bZ. (Source: Toyota)

Among the changes, Toyota also mentions a new battery pre-conditioning function, activated ahead of DC fast charging:

“A new battery pre-conditioning function is also equipped on all models. This system is designed to bring the battery to an optimal temperature for DC fast charging, which can enable faster charging in colder climates. This function can be activated manually or automatically by setting the navigation system destination to a fast-charging station.”

“The Toyota bZ also has a battery thermal management system, which includes a water-to-water heat exchanger and heating adjustment valve to increase battery temperature, to help optimize DC charging speeds in cold weather.”

Exterior and Interior

Updates to the Toyota bZ do not stop at the battery, powertrain, and charging. Toyota has restyled the exterior of the car, including “front-end design changes to fascia and lighting, with newly available color-matched overfenders for a sleeker look”.

Inside, there is a new instrument panel design with a larger 14-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen and customizable ambient lighting. By the way, the bZ adds steering wheel mounted paddle shifters to activate and adjust regenerative braking.

Check more in Toyota’s presentation: