Latest news with #NorthAmericanChargingStandard
Digital Trends
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Digital Trends
Toyota unveils 2026 bZ: A smarter, longer-range electric SUV
Toyota is back in the electric SUV game with the 2026 bZ, a major refresh of its bZ4X that finally delivers on two of the biggest demands from EV drivers: more range and faster charging. The headline news is the improved driving range. Toyota now estimates up to 314 miles on a single charge for the front-wheel-drive model with the larger 74.7-kWh battery—about 60 miles more than the outgoing bZ4X. All-wheel-drive variants also get a boost, with up to 288 miles of range depending on trim. Recommended Videos Charging speeds haven't increased in terms of raw kilowatts (still capped at 150 kW for DC fast charging), but Toyota has significantly improved how long peak speeds are sustained. With preconditioning enabled—especially helpful in colder weather—the new bZ can charge from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Also new: Plug and Charge support for automatic payment at compatible stations and full adoption of the North American Charging Standard (NACS), meaning access to Tesla Superchargers will be standard by 2026. Under the hood, or rather the floor, Toyota has swapped in higher-performance silicon carbide components to improve efficiency and power delivery. The AWD version now produces up to 338 horsepower and sprints from 0–60 mph in a brisk 4.9 seconds. Toyota didn't stop at just the powertrain. The exterior has been cleaned up, with body-colored wheel arches replacing the black cladding, and a sleeker front fascia. Inside, a larger 14-inch touchscreen now houses climate controls, giving the dash a more refined and less cluttered appearance. There's also more usable storage thanks to a redesigned center console. With the 2026 bZ, Toyota seems to be responding directly to critiques of the bZ4X. It's faster, more efficient, and more driver-friendly—finally bringing Toyota's EV efforts up to speed.
14-05-2025
- Automotive
Toyota to Market New EV in N. America in 2026
News from Japan Economy May 14, 2025 21:13 (JST) New York, May 14 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday that it will release the new C-HR electric SUV in North America in 2026. The company's third electric vehicle model for the market will have a maximum range of 290 miles, or 467 kilometers, per charge. It will have wide access to charging spots using Tesla Inc.'s North American Charging Standard. The new C-HR, styled like a coupe, will offer powerful driving. An EV version of the C-HR is marketed in Europe as the C-HR+ from March. In North America, Toyota used to sell gasoline engine models. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Engadget
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Engadget
Toyota hopes for a smoother start with its redesigned bZ all-electric SUV
In an increasingly competitive EV landscape, Toyota hopes its newly redesigned and renamed Toyota bZ can stand out. As brands from Subaru to Volkswagen continue to expand all-electric offerings, Toyota is placing its bets on a single EV model for the American market. The change in name may be partly in hopes of distancing the new model in consumers' minds from the original bZ4X, which began stateside sales in 2022, only to be met with recalls and buybacks . Toyota, for its part, states in a press release that the branding change is just 'simplifying the name for customers.' Toyota is hoping for a fresh start and has brought several key improvements to the table. The new bZ will have an estimated range of 314 miles, up from just 252 in the previous model. There is also a significant horsepower boost for all-wheel drive models, reaching 338 hp, and a modest 20-hp boost for front-wheel drive models, measuring in at 221 hp. This model will come equipped with the now-standardized North American Charging Standard (NACS) outlet, first developed by Tesla. This brings fast-charging capability to the new bZ, which Toyota says will allow it to charge from 10 percent to 80 percent in about 30 minutes. Toyota has also brought a number of other improved creature comforts and new features to this second-gen model including an updated X‑MODE system with Grip‑Control for improved off‑road traction. The bZ's price at launch is set to be somewhere between $37,000 and $42,000, depending on the trim and configuration. This positions the model to compete with other smaller all-electric SUVs like the Tesla Model Y . Toyota expects the new bZ to begin arriving at Toyota dealerships in the back half of 2025.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Report: Slate Auto Unveils Sub-$20,000 EV Truck Backed by Bezos, Targets Low-Cost Market
Slate Auto, a new U.S. electric vehicle startup backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has unveiled its first truck a bare-bones, affordable EV aimed at buyers priced out of today's tech-heavy models, according to TechCrunch. The truck, expected to cost under $20,000 after federal tax credits, skips common features like power windows and infotainment screens. Instead, it offers manual windows, no paint job, and a focus on customization. Slate plans to start deliveries by the end of 2026. The base model runs on a 52.7-kilowatt-hour battery, delivering about 150 miles of range. An optional larger battery will push the range closer to 240 miles. A single 150-kilowatt motor powers the rear wheels, and the truck charges through the North American Charging Standard, originally developed by Tesla (TSLA, Financials). Buyers will be able to pick from more than 100 accessories to personalize the truck, from wraps and racks to removable panels that convert it from a pickup to a five-seater SUV. Slate won't offer traditional paint jobs, a move the company said cuts factory costs and avoids heavy regulations around paint facilities. The vehicle, nicknamed the "Blank Slate," comes with standard federal safety features like airbags, a backup camera, and automatic emergency braking. To help with upgrades, Slate plans to offer DIY installation videos through a content hub called Slate University. Slate Auto, which has raised over $111 million from investors including Guggenheim Partners CEO Mark Walter, is setting up production in Indiana. It employs nearly 400 people and continues to expand its workforce. While other EV startups like Rivian Automotive (RIVN, Financials) and Lucid Group (LCID, Financials) struggle with high production costs, Slate is betting that simplicity and a lower price will win over American buyers. TechCrunch reported that company executives said their goal is to make electric vehicles "affordable and desirable" without overloading them with technology. This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Bezos-backed Slate Auto debuts analog EV pickup truck that is decidedly anti-Tesla
A new American electric vehicle startup called Slate Auto has made its debut, and it's about as anti-Tesla as it gets. It's affordable, deeply customizable, and very analog. It has manual windows and it doesn't come with a main infotainment screen. Heck, it isn't even painted. It can also transform from a two-seater pickup to a five-seater SUV. The three-year-old startup revealed its vehicle during an event Thursday night in Long Beach, California, and promised the first trucks would be available to customers for under $20,000 with the federal EV tax credit by the end of 2026. The event comes just a few weeks since TechCrunch revealed details of Slate Auto's plans to enter the U.S. EV market, build its trucks in Indiana, and that the enterprise is financially backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The auto industry "has been so focused on autonomy and technology in the vehicle, it's driven prices to a place that most Americans simply can't afford," chief commercial officer Jeremy Snyder said during the event, which Inside EVs live streamed. "But we're here to change that." "We are building the affordable vehicle that has long been promised but never been delivered," CEO Chris Barman added. Slate isn't saying exactly how much its truck will cost -- multiple sources have told TechCrunch over the last few weeks the company has gone back and forth on the number. And so much can change between now and a late 2026 release date. The company is saying it will start under $20,000 after the federal tax credit (providing that still exists next year). Interested buyers can place a $50 refundable reservation on the company's website. The base version of Slate's truck will squeeze 150 miles out of a 52.7kWh battery pack, which will power a single 150kW motor on the rear axle. For folks who get a little spooked at that number, Slate is offering a larger battery pack that it says will have about 240 miles of range. It will charge using a North American Charging Standard port, the standard Tesla established that almost all major automakers now use. The truck comes with 17-inch wheels and a five-foot bed, and has a projected 1,400 pound payload capacity with a 1,000 pound towing capacity. Since it's an EV, there's no engine up front. In its place there's a front trunk (or frunk) with 7 cubic feet of storage space, which happens to have a drain in case the owner wants to fill it with ice for that tailgate party. That towing capacity is lower than a more capable Ford F-150, and is even less than the smaller Ford Maverick, which can tow around 1,500 pounds. Speaking of the Ford Maverick, Slate's truck is smaller. The Slate EV has a wheelbase of 108.9 inches, and an overall length of 174.6 inches. The Maverick has a 121.1-inch wheelbase and overall length of 199.7 inches Everything else about the base version of the truck is awfully spare -- and that's the point. Slate is really maximizing the idea of a base model, and setting customers up for paying to customize the EV to their liking. Slate is deeply committed to the idea of customization, which sets it apart from any other EV startup (or traditional automaker). The company said Thursday it will launch with more than 100 different accessories that buyers can use to personalize the truck to their liking. If that's overwhelming, Slate has curated a number of different "starter packs" that interested buyers can choose from. The truck doesn't even come painted. Slate is instead playing up the idea of wrapping its vehicles, something executives said they will sell in kits. Buyers can either have Slate do that work for them, or put the wraps on themselves. This not only adds to the idea of a buyer being able to personalize their vehicle, but it also cuts out a huge cost center for the company. It means Slate won't need a paint shop at its factory, allowing it to spend less to get to market, while also avoiding one of the most heavily regulated parts of vehicle manufacturing. Slate is telling customers that they can name the car whatever they want, offering the ability to purchase an embossed wrap for the tailgate. Otherwise, the truck is just referred to as the "Blank Slate." As TechCrunch previously reported, the customization piece is central to how the company hopes to make up margin on what is otherwise a relatively dirt-cheap vehicle. But it's also part of the friendly pitch Slate is making to customers. Barman said Thursday that people can "make the Blank Slate yours at the time of purchase, or as your needs and finances change over time." It's billing the add-ons as "easy DIY" that "non-gearheads" can tackle, and says it will launch a suite of how-to resources under the billing of Slate University. "Buy your accessories, get them delivered fast, and install them yourself with the easy how-to videos in Slate U, our content hub," the website reads. "Don't want to go the DIY route? A Slate authorized partner can come and do it for you." The early library of customizations on Slate's website range from functional to cosmetic. Buyers can add infotainment screens, speakers, roof racks, light covers, and much more. The most significant are the options that let buyers "transform" the truck into roomier SUV form factors. But these aren't permanent decisions. Slate says people will be able to change their vehicle into, and back from, an SUV if they like -- "no mechanics certification required." All that said, Slate's truck comes standard with some federally mandated safety features such as automatic emergency braking, airbags, and a backup camera. The road to making a successful American automotive startup is littered with failures. In the last few years, Canoo, Fisker, and Lordstown Motors have all filed for bankruptcy. And that's just to name a few. Those companies that are still around, like Rivian and Lucid Motors, are hemorrhaging money in an attempt to get high-volume, more affordable models to market. Slate is a total inversion of that approach. It's going after a low-cost EV first and foremost, and hopes to make that business viable by supplementing it with money from this deep customization play. But, much like Rivian and Lucid Motors, it also has deep-pocketed backers. It raised has raised more than $111 million so far (the exact figure is still not public). And, aside from Bezos, has taken money from Mark Walter, Guggenheim Partners CEO and controlling owner of the LA Dodgers, as TechCrunch reported this month. The company has hired nearly 400 employees in service of accomplishing all of its ambitious goals, and is currently trying to hire more. Slate arguably could not have picked a more volatile time to make its debut, but it's also focused on domestic manufacturing, and may be insulated from some of the turmoil facing other startups and established automakers. "We believe vehicles should be affordable and desirable," Barman said Thursday, adding that Slate's truck "is a vehicle people are actually going to love and be proud to own."
