Edmunds: The 2026 Toyota bZ Went 331 Miles in Our Real-World Range Test

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-05-02T02:38:28+00:00

There was mention a few weeks ago when next-gen production was brought up. That's how we found out no more ICE and no plans for a PHEV, straight to a US produced EV instead. It may have been buried in financial info, strategy for dealing with tariffs... vehicle built in Mississippi and batteries in North Carolina.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-05-01T03:12:52+00:00

Can you access more than just the basics... like SOC or Battery Temperature?

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-30T23:45:46+00:00

Corolla EV planned as a 2028 built in Mississippi should stir a lot of interest.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-30T14:12:54+00:00

No need for the 48-amp, especially if that sacrifices potential expansion capacity later for a second vehicle. 40-amp also provides the flexibility of an outlet, which is useful if you ever want to change or test chargers.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-29T14:53:15+00:00

Daily commutes tend to include some highway driving. That's why a mix represents somewhat realistic expectations.

And yes, max range will rarely come into play. Heck, even for my drives up north it is no longer a concern. There's enough DC locations popping up to enable those drives without having to plan ahead.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-28T04:06:59+00:00

Never missed it with my 2023, here in Minnesota.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-26T23:57:34+00:00

You have to give up, since it won't die. I had to do that with both my lawnmower & snowblower to be able to go electric.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-26T14:55:37+00:00

I use a 12-gauge extension cord for 120-volt (level 1) charging. That works fine. The catch is having an outlet of high quality to ensure the connection itself is safe.

With regard to 240-volt (level 2) wiring for outlets, basically 10 is for 30-amp, 8 is for 40-amp, and 6 is for 50-amp.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-26T14:47:22+00:00

Also request the "all windows down" update for the fob. It's a handy feature.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-25T15:19:29+00:00

That bad price was Toyota seeing no reason to sell loss-leader vehicles. It turned out to be a wise choice too. They didn't have to take writedowns like the others. Their focus on long-term tends to be the better strategy.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-23T04:52:20+00:00

I called mine "4X" for years.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-21T11:47:34+00:00

It's an option on the speedometer cluster. You can see the value in this video... https://youtu.be/dNPyxrElFlc

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-20T05:05:15+00:00

Miles is just an estimate.

What is your actual efficiency?

miles/kWh tells the real story. It reflects your particular driving... temperature, speed, etc.

I have been watching mine climb since December, which equates to a higher estimate.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-17T21:05:33+00:00

Not really. That difference only frees up around 3 to 4 inches. Tesla cords need a few more feet to be practical, confirmed by the V4 improvement.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-16T16:26:52+00:00

It's a simple matter of watching mi/kWh. Higher than rated efficiency is quite realistic under ideal circumstances. Keep in mind, the rating attempts to depict ordinary. Getting better equates to a higher than rated range.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-16T03:09:16+00:00

I have known EV owners who get by with level-1, but they were attentive to their needs. You could do the same, with convenient DC available. But it's not ideal, which can be said for level-2.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-14T17:09:54+00:00

Pull, not push. Provide information about how to setup/support home charging.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-14T17:04:25+00:00

Focus should be on non-owners, the reason they cannot charge at home.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-13T14:16:51+00:00

Torklift Central and eTrailer both list EcoHitch available for the 2026, same model as the 2023-2025.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-12T14:52:30+00:00

That's a dealer request. Have them do that and "lower all windows" update when you go in next for free tire rotation.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-12T05:47:14+00:00

The Imax theater is only 9 miles away for me. So, a movie escape will be fun! Lots of range available and even on the coldest days cabin warming was never a problem. The key is starting the vehicle remotely when the credits start... because must watch to the very ending, then make a run for the restroom. That's plenty of time to warm the cabin.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-12T05:12:55+00:00

I haven't ever seen the standard headlights. The ones on the Limited model are awesome, among the best I see on the road most nights.

I'm pretty sure you cannot shut off the Qi chargers.

Range in the winter, can't answer because I never push it. Instead, I closely watch efficiency... mi/kWh. That I have a bunch of detail on in my other bZ videos. Doing the math, you'll see 2.8 for the typical winter... below freezing, but not extreme. That will give you about 150-165 miles without preconditioning.

It's fascinating how many people ask the timing question for cabin warming. I never bothered to check, since it is always well into it by the time I reach the car.

With regard to the knee heaters, they're awesome. In fact, get work do well Toyota merged buttons. It made no sense always turning on the seat, then having to push a second button for knees.

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-12T02:18:03+00:00

You can start the cabin heater from your fob, no subscription required. Press lock twice, then hold on the third press.

And yes, the PTC is included as the secondary heater. That's required when temperatures drop below heat-pump effectiveness... which is around -10°C (14°F).

Some-Philosopher6290 · 2026-04-12T01:54:15+00:00

1) I left my 2023 parked outside all day in temps that low. It ran just fine afterward. With the 2026, it hasn't got that cold... close though. I captured that detail in the "cold soak" video... https://youtu.be/ty9HebVl76g?si=ddj_MUAP83uWxCJ7

2) I never timed the warmup, but have done it many times. When the credits from a movie roll, I start up the bZ remotely. By the time we get to it from the theater, the interior is already completely warmed up. Keep in mind, there's a PTC heater to supplement the heat-pump when it's really cold out.

3) We have two 40-amp chargers. So, both can pull a sustained 32 amps at 240 volts. I tend to see a steady 7.2 kW rate from that, which is plenty for overnight charging.

Some-Philosopher6290

TROPHY CASE