Toyota continues exploring the ways in which its all-electric transports portfolio may be developed. At the impending SEMA show in Las Vegas, the company will be exhibiting around two dozen cars, including this wild bZ4X known as the bZ Time Attack. Aside from a body kit, the SUV has much more muscle than its “civilian” counterpart.
True to its name, the Time Attack is built to set new records on shorter racetracks. To that end, it commands two e-motors said to be identical in design to their mass-market counterparts, but tuned to deliver over 406 PS (400 hp / 299 kW). That sounds like a solid improvement over the stock 338 PS (333 hp / 249 kW). Unfortunately, we currently don’t have any acceleration times or battery numbers to go by.
At the same time, Toyota drops the ground clearance by all of 150 mm (6 inches) and widens the track by the same amount. Tein springs and coilovers help with the cornering, new brakes are suitable for circuit racing, and new 19-inch wheels should help with the power delivery to the ground, the company claims. An internal roll cage isn’t just there for safety – it also improves the rigidity of the SUV’s body.
Rounding things off is a bold aero kit that includes special bumpers, a rear diffuser and a towering rear wing. The interior makes do with OMP seats and multi-point safety harnesses, while the rest stays stock.
Toyota emphasizes that the bZ Time Attack is more than just a show car – it’s a test platform for studying the viability of electric powertrains in motorsport applications. If found viable enough, we may see a future version of this car competing in the same EV racing series that the likes of Ford and Honda have been attending for several years now.
