Watching Temperature.  When it comes to consumption of energy, there's a big role temperature plays.  That's also true for energy transfer, with regard to charging speed.  Warmer translates to faster.  Too hot accelerates aging though.  A close-up look at Toyota's design, its easy to see the heat avoidance & removal was a priority.  That has a negative impact for winter driving, as we have heard about to the point of ad nauseam.  It's intriguing how no one has addressed the opposite yet, how well Toyota's approach will handle warm climates.  Want to bet those who had been complaining will go silent when the tables turn, pretending that tradeoff to protect the battery-pack from getting to hot will shine as an important benefit as we see the change from winter to summer?  Even here in Minnesota, the cold season does not last forever.  Keep in mind, excessive cold does not have an impact on longevity but excessive heat does.  That's why a few of us new bZ4X owners are stirring discussion related to watching temperature.  I was so disappointed any of the supposed online experts were not.  We would get commentary after commentary all making battery references to "cold" & "conditioning" without actually using a gauge.  They'd just talk about it anecdotally.  Ugh.  Needless to say, the wait is almost over for me.  Thank goodness.  In the meantime, here's what I shared with a friend today who tried warming his bZ4X battery-pack for faster charging without any means of measuring its temperature:  That (forced conditioning using yo-yo) wouldn't be enough, especially since Toyota is rather aggressive with cooling.  Other BEV just naturally run hotter, which ironically is less refined.  Actually seeing battery-temperature is key.  It will be like I did long ago with Prius.  Watching coolant-temperature informed us about electric-only operation.  I'll be connected to ODB-II monitoring that data as soon as I get my 4X... which hopefully will be next week.

Charging MPH.  Stating the rate of charge in terms of miles-per-hour is another approach to try.  Sometimes, your audience just needs advice in language they are more familiar with.  Since posts about wanting to purchase a level-2 charger come up on a very regular basis, it was worth giving that some attention.  My basic reply of "roughly 200 miles in 8 hours" is useful when considering overnight results, but isn't that helpful if you are only plugging in for an hour.  That ends up becoming a really big deal when the potential upgrade includes a dryer outlet.  For those in the south (warm enough that their garage temperature doesn't drop below freezing in the winter), having a 240-volt outlet already available can be handy.  The catch is, source of electricity isn't powerful enough to supply maximum charging speed.  Some people don't realize that.  In fact, it would be very easy to assume all the power they need is just a matter of figuring out what to purchase that will plug into that unfamiliar outlet.  Discovering you can purchase a splitter to share electricity between your car & dryer is empowering.  That leaves those with experience in a position of guidance.  Trick is, you have to avoid becoming a source of confusion or intimidation.  That means keeping the message simple & concise.  Hopefully, this attempt was successful:  Here's a different way of exploring capacity expectations.  To get the most from your Solterra, you'd need a 40-amp line.  That will allow roughly 7.2 kW for sustained from level-2 charging... or 7.2 kilowatts per hour... which at 3 mi/kWh gives you roughly 21 mph.  Cutting that by 25% capacity from just re-using the dryer plug gives you around 16 mph.

Senseless Compares.  When you draw attention to how reputable sources point out that WLTP estimates are quite unrealistic, that they should not be considered a real-world expectation and highlight how EPA better reflects influence of temperature & speed, the response is to completely ignore that logic.  I got this as a response to that: "With my Model 3, at 20 celsius and constant speed, I can get WLTP.  Toyota is at least 20% more inefficient than any electric car."  Some just plain don't care.  There is a group of Tesla owners who have become exactly like the Volt owners I fought with in the past.  Battle after battle, they simply didn't care.  They were driving a "vastly superior" vehicle, period.  Those compares of the past were just as senseless as those now.  All that matters to them is a single priority.  Balance was meaningless.  In their mind, everyone should see what they see.  Ugh.  That was the downfall of Volt.  From the very start, that very narrow targeting was a major problem... and only got worse over time.  My mantra of "know your audience" came about for that very reason.  I was well aware that Prius wasn't for everyone.  That's why post after post, I would draw attention to the Camry and RAV4 hybrids.  It wasn't until RAV4 Prime came along that they finally saw the corner they had backed themselves into... something others saw years earlier.  The same is true for Model 3.  That highly specialized design isn't for everyone.  It's the same reason bZ4X isn't for everyone either.  Only thing is, many of us already see the other choices coming.  bZ3 is profoundly different from bZ4X and a far better comparison to Model 3... which is why antagonists carefully avoid that comparison.  I don't bother.   I stick to brief replies to those who have no interest in being constructive:  Comparing a sedan to a high ground-clearance SUV makes no sense.

Don't Listen, attacks.  They continue: "The BZ4X is honestly the most pitiful attempt at an EV SUV from any of the mass market players..."  Now having source material to provide a substantial rebuttal, I wonder how antagonists will react.  This is much like attacks of the past.  When Toyota had a rollout starting in the winter, countless foes would fight based solely upon numbers emerging from cold-weather driving.  Those results would then be used to portray a perspective of poor efficiency.  That reality of efficiency dramatically increasing it the spring is completely ignored.  Come summer, antagonists do everything possible to change the subject.  This is why Toyota attempted to deliver bZ4X quickly, last spring, to avoid that mess.  The recall derailed those plans.  Looking at Toyota's design, emphasis on battery cooling is obvious.  That inherently makes it challenges to retain warmth in the winter.  But tradeoffs are a normal part of business.  Know your audience.  Dissipation is heat is more important for the vast majority of uses.  So, that's what Toyota focused on... but not exclusively.  For bZ4X, the ability to perform well in winter driving wasn't ignored.  Fewer miles delivers class-leading traction... as these most recent tests clearly confirm.  I was absolutely delighted to point that out too... to those who don't want to listen:  Try telling that to Elbil24, who just winter tested 4X, MY, XC40, ID4.  In both categories, Acceleration & Braking, they declared 4X the best.  Enthusiasts have gone on and on about winter-range & charging-speed, but it is really hard now to turn a blind-eye to attributes that ordinary consumers will actually care more about.  If all you're doing is driving around town, it is what those tests reveal that matters.  I'm quite intrigued how some are going to attempt to somehow spin this as a negative.  It is ironic that the very source they had milked in the past to support their narrative will now turn them into hypocrites if they don't carefully choose their next words.  This goes to show everyone how hype from early-adopters usually doesn't translate well to what mainstream shoppers actually care about.  We have seen this play out the same way many times in the past already. Don't listen to the hype.

Don't Listen, revenge.  That publication which stir controversy for bZ4X, drawing attention to Toyota's choice for minimal battery warming and emphasis on longevity, turned the table.  So many used them as a means of attack, source material for spinning a "behind" narrative.  Now, that same publication provided the opposite.  bZ4X was placed against what is looked upon as 3 major competitors.  Toyota of Norway is now proudly promoting that outcome.  bZ4X beat them in both categories.  Since that publication ("elbil24") is behind a paywall, this is how that topic was introduced:  The best electric car on ice and snow.  Four electric car favorites in a test on ice and snow: Talk about revenge!  Tesla Model Y, Volvo XC40, VW ID.4 and Toyota BZ4X have been driven in our winter test on ice and snow.  And the winner turned out to be the best in terms of both passability and braking.

Offended A Little.  We got some feedback from that disenchanted new bZ4X owner unwilling to share any information about himself: "I beg to disagree with you and that in 2023 I am justified in expecting more from Toyota.  And I am offended a little by you snarky comments.  I am not a "supposed owner".  I have and had 2 Leafs, i3, Model s, Audi etron, id4, Ford Lightning, bx4x and next week am picking up the BMW ix."  Already having owned that many BEV screams enthusiast, especially when no other information is shared.  My guess is he was taking advantage of tax-credits and resale-value, bouncing from one vehicle due to the unique opportunity available to do so.  That would explain such a fundamental absence of detail.  It was all about the experience, which is far from anything mainstream consumers can relate to.  Pointing out why there was no benefit-of-doubt offered was the next step to dealing with someone who starting such an abrasive discussion expecting no one to question why:  Think about how many naysayers & antagonists we have already dealt with.  When someone comes in claiming years of experience, but not sharing any background and choosing to be anonymous, the stage was set.  As for expecting perfection from Toyota upon initial rollout, that was unrealistic.  What is realistic is getting constructive feedback.  You want to know more about your purchase, get an ODB-II reader and I'll walk you through how to use it and what to look for.

Constructive Advice.  It's all about getting ahead of the wave of upcoming misconceptions.  Knowing that Toyota's offering will reach consumers even less familiar with EV operation than most, efforts to spread constructive advice are priceless.  The most obvious need is to get new owners to focus on efficiency rather than range.  The question of "how far can you go" doesn't really mean much unless you are on a road trip.  Even then, knowing range potential doesn't inform you of what you'll actually get on that particular trip.  Being aware of efficiency and using that information does.  Unfortunately, just like with hybrids, people tend to have no idea what that means.  We saw it endlessly in the past.  MPG was just a number on the window-sticker and owners would shocked... left in total dismay... to discover that wasn't what they actually got in their own real-world driving.  The same is true for mi/kWh.  We have already seen many, many examples of that for bZ4X in terms of winter efficiency.  What summer efficiency brings is the complete opposite... which will also be a shocker.  Anywho, you have to start somewhere.  This is how I addressed the topic today:  As you get more familiar with owning a BEV, you'll end up watching kWh instead of miles.  That quantity of electricity consumed will inform you of battery-health and expenses at DC fast-chargers.  Ultimately, focus will shift to the mi/kWh value.  That is what's used for planning trips, since entering your own personal observed efficiency is vital for a mapping app to accurately plot your driving route.  But for ordinary daily use, just plug in every night to take advantage of off-peak electricity discounts and don't be concerned about estimated distance.

Stop Complaining.  VW is much more similar to Toyota than many want to acknowledge.  Talking with an owner recently, I got some real-world data.  Like online reports of the past, drop in efficiency is similar.  But attacking Toyota is what stirs enthusiasts.  VW is in no position to fight.  Dieselgate forced the automaker to comply.  And having so much smaller of an influence in the United States, it isn't an effective target.  Attacking VW simply won't achieve as much, since sales in the United States are so much less than Toyota.  There are still complaints though; however, VW owner reports usually fall on deaf ears.  This one captured my attention today: "I might have to stop complaining about slow charging speed of the ID4 in cold weather.  I charged next to a Toyota BZ4X today.  It took nearly an hour to get from 43% to 85%, and the charger estimated it needed another *three hours* to get to 100%."  Since use of  DC fast-chargers in an inefficient manner will become a common theme over the next few years, this was a good opportunity to attempt to get constructive feedback.  I doubt that will happen.  I tried anyway:  Charging speed drops dramatically as level approaches 80%.  That's why the well experienced owners recommend stopping DCFC use at about 65%.

Setting Expectations.  This was the simple, easy to relate to, setting of expectations we have been waiting for: "In Iceland, 160 miles when it is cold, expect more in the summer."  Comments like that are exactly what stirred interest for Prius.  They were real, coming from actual owners.  Toyota knows how powerful owner endorsements are and how distracting enthusiasts comments & review can be.  It's a waiting game, getting beyond media stir to finally reach actual purchases.  There's hype & disappointment mixed it with true satisfaction.  Wading through that mess is normal for a rollout.  Having that background, for a realistic outlook, is great.  There's so many of these blog entries to now refer back to, sighting examples of the same thing in the past.  That recognition is reassuring.  We start with the basics... ordinary seasonal changes, as I shared in reply:  I routinely see only 18 miles with my Prius Prime during Winter, here in Minnesota.  During Summer, range climbs to 30 miles without any effort.  It's a normal fluctuation I have witnessed since my first vehicle with a battery-pack... way back in late 2000.  That seasonal increase is how you know Spring has arrived.  With my 4X, delivery will be interestingly time.  The expectation is roughly 2 weeks from now... exactly when the last of the long-term snow here has melted away.  We'll still have cold & snow, but it won't last.  So, I will only get a brief taste of reduced range before the effects of warmer weather become obvious.

Here We Go, Again.  This post started a flurry of comments: "So, don't know if ya'll agree, but with Chevy coming out with this slick looking Equinox EV for 37k CAD starting price, I personally think that this will be a REAL game changer, even though that word is thrown around so loosely."  Ugh.  That's is so familiar.  We know nothing of actual size or ability.  For that matter, how many of that base configuration will actually be offered?  This is the Toyota situation with a twist of not actually meeting what the hype stirred.  At least with bZ4X, there was an implicit hope of being competitive.  That type of anticipation was misplaced, since other automakers aren't competing in that category.  Nonetheless, there wasn't the "game changer" mentality we are getting from GM.  Heck, the "Spring 2023" rollout has already been changed to "Spring 2024" and no one wants to acknowledge that missed milestone... one promise already not delivered.  Ugh.  Needless to say, I jumped into that discussion head first with:  Here we go, again.  That label of "game changer" was used in the past to describe another presumed industry-leading effort from GM to reach mainstream consumers.  We got years of hype, ambiguous press-releases providing a sense to come of need fulfillment for the masses.  It was really a continuation of their "over promise, under deliver" mistake enthusiasts turned a blind-eye toward.  Rather than just rollout a true status-quo change, GM set expectations too high and they enabled the narrative.  As much as we all want this, history should inform us of what to look for based on previous failed efforts.  This has many red flags.  Be careful.

Precipitous Drop.  That anonymous poster was back.  His sour experience from having unexpectedly saw a rapid drop in range while driving, then running out of electricity getting stranded, is understandable for a newbie.  He claims to have owned several EVs in the past though, but hasn't revealed any type of proof to support such a stance.  The prior post was clearly a need to vent and this a follow-up to express discomfort in terms of both having a public profile and range anxiety.  That provided me with a great opportunity to stir curiosity... a great means of turning around a sour experience.  We'll see how effective this was:  Ever think that precipitous drop you saw was calibration for the new battery?  Being a supposed owner of several EVs, we could expect you to do what other experienced owners do... connect to OBD-II for more data.  That was an especially common practice for early Nissan Leaf owners.  With that, you could see what is really happening. In your case, it would be about watching SOC.  That state-of-charge level tells the real story, not a range estimate. If cell-chemistry for the AWD model really is LFP, there is an initial period where measuring % is a challenge.  In fact, that could be why Toyota held off initially, not displaying battery-percentage right away as they do with their PHEV.  An incorrect indication of 100% would not become apparent until % drop to low.  You could have been witnessing a calibration taking place.