It has become de rigueur for automakers to offer up some sort of free charging offer with their new electric vehicles. Toyota is the latest to get added to the list with today’s announcement that buyers of the upcoming bZ4X all-electric CUV will get one year of complimentary charging through EVgo, which Toyota calls the nation’s largest public fast charging network.
To claim the free charging, bZ4X buyers or lessees will need to use the Toyota app on a mobile device, which can also be used to find the charging station locations. Once the free year is up, bZ4X drivers can continue to use EVgo stations by paying local rates. These differ from state to state, but generally cost between 25 and 40 cents, depending on which membership tier you choose.
The 2023 bZ4X is expected to arrive in Toyota dealerships in the U.S. in mid-2022. The EV uses a battery pack with just over 71 kWh (the exact number depends on if we’re talking about the front-wheel or all-wheel drive version) to get an expected range of 250 miles. As with other fast-charging EVs, the bZ4X will refill about 80 percent of its full state of charge on a DC fast charger, something Toyota said can be done within one hour.
EVGo has more than 800 charging stations in the U.S. today in just 35 states, mostly concentrated on the coasts and upper Midwest. Still, the company says that over 130 million people here live within 10 miles of an EVgo fast charger. Since 2019, EVgo has used only 100 percent renewable energy by buying Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) for each kWh used to charge an EV from an accredited REC supplier. EVgo plans to have approximately 16,000 fast charging stalls installed in the U.S. by 2027. Other automakers who have partnered with EVgo include BMW, Chevy and Nissan. You can find a complete list of which EVs come with what kinds of free charging incentives here.
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Source: www.autoblog.com