Interested in Toyota’s first serious electric vehicle? These are ballpark figures how long it takes to charge.
website: pressroom.toyota.com
Disclaimer: Please consult a professional electrician or the qualified equivalent before attempting any of these charging setups. I am not responsible for any charging incompatibilities or related damage referencing this blog if issues arise.
If you’re ready to dip your toes in the all-electric car world, aren’t quite ready for a Tesla, and, instead, prefer the familiarity and brand recognition of a Toyota, you’re in luck because 2023+ Toyota bZ4Xs are probably already at your local Toyota dealership.
Embed from Getty ImagesbZ4Xs start out at around $42,000, come in FWD or AWD, are dimensionally slightly larger than their RAV4, and come with only one battery size depending on what drivetrain you choose.
- FWD- 71.4 kWh
- AWD- 72.8 kWh
With EPA estimated ranges between 222 miles (Limited AWD) – 252 miles (XLE FWD) these bZ4Xs have more than enough range for your day-to-day errands, your daily commute, and the occasional weekend trip.
Equipped to handle from Level 1 (wall plug) to Level 3 DC fast charging, these bZ4Xs will charge with whatever charging situation you have or want to upgrade to.
So, how long does charging take, anyway?
Here’s how long charging takes, from the slowest Level 1 charging from a wall-plug to the super-fast Level 3 charging at a public charging station
What are the battery specs for the Toyota bZ4X?
Here’s everything you need to know about the bZ4X’s battery pack, most notably Toyota’s equipped the bZ4X with a 6.6 kW on-board charger for Level 1 and Level 2 AC charging capabilities.
To make it easy, we’re going to use 72 kWh as the total battery capacity for FWD and AWD bZ4Xs.
How long does it take to charge a bZ4X using a regular 120V wall plug (Level 1 charging?)
Regular wall outlets output 120 volts at 15 amps. The EV onboard computer will typically limit you to 12 amps (or 80 percent of the wall plug capacity) when charging your bZ4X over several hours.
Your bZ4X will draw 1.4 kW.
At that rate you’re charging your bZ4X at 5 miles of range per hour.
An overnight charge (8 hours) would add around 40 miles of range.
From empty, it would take you 52 hours to charge your bZ4X to full.
As you can see, while it’s possible to charge from a regular wall plug, it takes a long time.
For some bZ4X owners, this charging rate is perfectly acceptable, no fancy dryer plug or Level 2 charging needed.
How long does it take to charge a bZ4X using a regular 240V dryer plug (Level 2 charging?)
A popular option to increase charging speeds is either using the charging cable Toyota provides you connected to your dryer outlet through an adapter or using a specific Level 2 charger and connecting that to your dryer outlet.
People using this option often use what’s called a Dryer Buddy or a splitter so you’re not unplugging and plugging in your dryer cord.
Charging off the dryer plug is faster than charging from a regular wall plug but not as fast as charging from a dedicated Level 2 charger.
Level 2 charging using your stock Toyota charging cable.
If you plan to use your Toyota charging cable, if it’s anything like the RAV4 Prime charging cable, it technically can accept 240V but is limited to only 12 amps.
To make this happen you need a dryer outlet plug to a T-Blade for 6-15 receptacles.
Then, you’d need a 6-15P to 5-15R US plug adapter.
Something like this linked here and this linked here should suffice.
Note, you should only plug in 240-volt appliances, like your bZ4X, to this plug setup. Plugging in regular 120 volt appliances into this setup is dangerous!
Dryer outlets can output 30 amps but are limited to outputting 24 amps continuous.
Using your stock Toyota charging cable with the correct adapters, your bZ4X will draw 2.88 kw.
At that rate you’re charging your bZ4X at 10 miles of range per hour.
An overnight charge would add around 80 miles of range.
From empty, it would take you 26 hours to charge your bZ4X to full.
Level 2 charging using a portable Level 2 charger
Most dryer plugs as mentioned, are rated at 30 amps which means you should only be drawing 24 amps.
When shopping for a Level 2 240V plug in EV charger like the one below, make sure you’re buying one that doesn’t draw more than 24 amps.
Using your 16-amp Level 2 charger, your bZ4X will draw 3.84 kw.
At that rate you’re charging your bZ4X at 13.44 miles of range per hour.
An overnight charge would add around 107 miles of range.
From empty, it would take you 18.75 hours to charge your bZ4X to full.
How long does it take to charge a bZ4X using a dedicated Level 2 home charging unit (electrician installed.)
Using a dedicated Level 2 home charging unit like this one from ChargePoint increases the available charging amps.
While these level 2 Home Chargers can deliver up to 50 amps, most drivers will use 32 or 40 amps.
Using your 32-amp Level 2 charger, your bZ4X will draw the maximum 6.6 kw
At that rate you’re charging your bZ4X at 23 miles of range per hour.
An overnight charge would add around 184 miles of range.
From empty, it would take you about 10 hours to charge your bZ4X to full.
How long does it take to charge a bZ4X using a Level 3 DC Fast Charging?
According to Toyota, the maximum inputs for DC Charging are,
- 150 kW (FWD)
- 100 kW (AWD)
The above is how much your bZ4X can draw under ideal conditions.
Just like your smartphone, your bZ4X will draw this maximum current between a 20%-80% battery capacity, will start out fast and taper off as your battery pack approaches 80 percent charge, charging even slower up to full.
Since most Electrify America stations can deliver up to 350 kw, fast charging your bZ4X should be no problem.
Embed from Getty ImagesAt this extremely fast rate, you’re charging your bZ4X at speeds between 8-9 miles of range added every minute.
Your charging times will vary but, from near empty, expect your bZ4x to charge up to 80% in as little as 30-45 minutes.
It may take more than an hour to charge up to 100 percent.
As with all Level 3 chargers, your experience may vary.
