Toyota stops wheels falling off its new electric Toyota bZ4X

Toyota has restarted production of the new electric Bz4X after it was halted following an issue which could make the wheels fall off.

Toyota has been big on electrification for longer than any other car maker, but the electrification focus, for both Toyota and Lexus models, has been almost exclusively on hybrid models.

Toyota had plans more than a decade ago for an electric RAV4, but that came to little, and more recently has stuffed an EV powertrain in the Lexus UX.

But that all changed last year when Toyota rolled out 15 new electric models – well, concepts as a peek of what was to come – and followed that up with the launch of the Toyota bZ4X which went on sale in the UK just before Christmas.

But although the bZ4X went on sale, in the end, it was pulled before any buyers – at least in the UK – had taken delivery, because it seemed the wheels were likely to fall off. Literally.

The problem was caused by hub bolts that could loosen even after just a few miles, so Toyota halted production, stopped deliveries and advised the handful of owners who took delivery not to drive.

But that’s now been fixed – as has an issue with airbags – and production has now restarted, the 2,700 bZ4X already built can now be delivered, as can the 2700 almost identical Subaru Solterras.

Not the most auspicious start for Toyota’s new EV push, but at least it’s sorted.