Toyota only sells one of this type of car in South Africa

If you want an electric car and would prefer to stick with South Africa’s most popular brand, your only option is the Toyota bZ4X.

The bZ4X made its local debut in May 2026, years after the Japanese carmaker first indicated that we would get our hands on it.

Legacy carmakers like Toyota, Volkswagen, Ford, and Hyundai have been reluctant to introduce their electric vehicles (EVs) in our market, even as the segment has rapidly grown in popularity in recent years.

This growth has been almost entirely driven by Chinese manufacturers like BYD, Geely, GWM, and Dongfeng, who were the first to introduce mass-market EVs in South Africa.

Prior to the introduction of affordable models like the BYD Dolphin Surf and Geely E2, the “cheapest” EV you could find in showrooms was like the Volvo EX30, which cost R775,900 at launch back in 2024.

Nowadays, the barrier to entry for EV ownership has dropped to just R339,900 for a Geely E2. For reference, an entry-level VW Polo now goes for R373,800.

The introduction of these models has led to a surge in interest for EVs, with the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) reporting a 268% increase in sales between 2025 and 2026.

This interest has also been accelerated by the massive fuel price increases brought on by the war in the Middle East this year, with motorists seeking alternatives to avoid paying over R27 per litre for petrol.

What Toyota’s first electric car brings to the table

Toyota’s first EV is not competing in the entry-level space, which is exclusively held by Chinese brands and likely will be for some time.

The bZ4X actually shares a platform with the Lexus RZ, so it is, unsurprisingly, a premium SUV that commands a price tag of between R1,182,800 and R1,317,700.

Motorists have the option of the base model or a Touring derivative with more power and a larger boot, similar to an estate car.

The standard model features two electric motors (one over each axle), giving it an all-wheel-drive setup and an output of 255kW and 438Nm.

This lets it accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in just 5.1 seconds, making it faster than many hot hatchbacks. It also has a maximum speed of 160km/h.

Powering all of this is a 73.1kWh battery, which provides a range of 450km. Owners can use a 150kW DC charger to recharge the battery from 0 to 80% in 29 minutes.

The Touring, meanwhile, has a higher output of 334kW and 537Nm, which cuts down the 0-100km/h time to 4.3 seconds while raising the top speed to 180km/h.

It also has a slightly bigger 74.69kWh battery, which affords a range of up to 487km.