Compliance Claims.  On one of the new bZ4X forums, someone asked by "compliance" means.  They have heard the term... which I know is basically only ever used for rhetoric... but have no means of confirming a definition.  Keeping people confused in the key, which oddly one of the admins there is doing.  He keeps posted defamatory content.  It's quite bizarre.  Today, it was: "Toyota did something similar with BZ4X, handing the design and implementation off to Subaru and a Chinese company, among others."  I responded by pointing out and asking:  That simply isn't true.  bZ4X is completely a Toyota platform, with AWD expertise provided by Subaru (who is 20% owned by Toyota).  The only Chinese involvement is the CATL supplied cells for the AWD model in North America.  The platform is e-TNGA, which is a variant of TNGA specifically for electric drives, is entirely a Toyota development.  Think about how much motor, inverter, controller and software technology Toyota has already been producing for their plug-in hybrids.  What would have been handed off?

Hybrid Knowledge.  This next stage in electrification spread reaches an audience who had no understanding whatsoever with hybrids.  Anything with an engine was of no interest, so no thought whatsoever was devoted to learning about them.  As far as they are aware, a plug-in hybrid is just a hybrid with a plug.  That is way I get so many comments like this: "The heating/cooling system of an electric car is much more complex than in a hybrid."  Fortunately, I have an extensive collect showing that absence of knowledge is a very big problem.  Heck, it's proof we are dealing with blatant propaganda.  Some claims made are so obviously false, it's clear those making them are clueless.  Whether or not they are foe or friend is the question.  What that really a mistaken assumption on their part or were they intentionally spreading false information.  An easy way to not even have to deal with it is to refer them to a video.  So, I do:  Prius Prime is an EV with a gas-engine backup, not a hybrid.  It has a heat-pump and all-electric driving.  Results from driving it are exactly like BEV driving, as my own detailed video captures clearly illustrate... Prius Prime - Commute Home at Freezing

False & Misleading Data.  Unfortunately, there wasn't much in a positive regard to say about that topic today:  Sadly, it will only get worse.  Antagonists have exploited cold-weather efficiency in the past.  They do their review when efficiency is worst and pass it off as that being representative of a year-round expectation.  Rolling out bZ4X at the start of the warm season would have proactively addressed that issue.  The recall caused an unfortunate timing issue.  Luckily there will be existing Toyota plug-in owners in colder climates, like myself, who will be able to help deal with that predicament.  But as we have seen from those exploiting this article, it's going to be an uphill battle.

No Video.  It's quite strange for someone to refer to a video, but there not actually be a video.  Supposedly, there is one somewhere.  But it wasn't anywhere in any of the discussions... which is vital, since there are so many videos.  How in the world are we supposed to know which one?  People do that with results too.  They mention them as if what they are referencing is crystal clear.  With so many different stats & specs, following data is a challenge... especially when measurement systems vary so much.  Fortunately, you can tell fairly quick who's being constructive and who's just wasting your time.  In this case, it was well worth making sure we figured out references together.  This was my part of that exchange progress:  Thanks, but that's just an article with a translation issue, not a video.  Looking at the display image showing efficiency, we see 19.3 kWh/100km as the summary.  That's 3.3 mi/kWh, very similar to the 3.4 mi/kWh I just got this morning, which a much more aerodynamic vehicle.  The issue is conversion of "mil" assumed as mile.  It actually represent 10 km.  That means anyone translating from Norwegian not recognizing its meaning has been spreading false information.

Suspicious.  There is an article from Norway circulating that claims an efficiency from a recent drive where the outside temperature was 8°C (46°F) and the cabin temperature was set at 20°C (68°F) that impact to efficiency was devastating, with blame being put on the heating system.  That simply makes no sense.  Living in Minnesota, which has a similar climate, I know and have many detailed videos showing why.  Here's what I ended up posting to a "The cooling/heating system of these cars are also surprisingly ineffective..." comment:  Owning a Toyota EV with heat-pump for 5 winters already, something doesn't add up.  I just went for a drive, electric-only with my Prius Prime.  Temperature is -1°C outside. I set temperature to 20°C for the inside.  My 5.7 mile trip with 2 stops showed a 20% impact for cabin-warming.  The result was 3.4 mi/kWh.  Claims of much greater impact simply don't add up.  With so many attacks on Toyota recently, some of which have been exposed as outright lies, there's good reason to be suspicious.

Error Acknowledgement.  Their test was revealed to be flawed, since they didn't actually drive until propulsion could not continue.  0% on the display is not fully depleted as they assumed.  For bZ4x, driving until the vehicle can no longer move wasn't attempted.  Why?  Not having done that was both an unacceptable inconsistency and suspicious.  We finally got an indirect acknowledge of their error: "We will get an answer on how much "buffer" there is in the battery after there is zero percent left."  Nothing else was stated.  My guess is they know they are in trouble for such a mistake to have viral, gaining unwanted attention as a result.  It's a blemish on their credibility.  Oops!  Of course, no amount of apologizing can undo the damage.  People have already taken advantage of using them as a third-party confirmation giving reason to hate Toyota.  Consequences of online errors can be a very big problem.  That is exactly why I jump on problems right away, giving the impression of a demand rather than a request.  Detail is needed quickly.  Being terse at times is worth it.  Absence of detail is good reason to question results.  People make mistakes.  Something clearly didn't add up.  It wasn't Toyota attempting to lie about range after all.  The measurement process was incorrect.

11-10-2022

Translation Issue.  He supposedly made a mistake.  He got caught trying to exploit it though.  His response was: "We are working on it."  I posted a comment in reply on that same discussion thread:  This is the same guy that published a money-making video about Toyota having no clue how to fix the wheels *AFTER* details of the recall fix had been spreading across the internet.  Before that, he was spreading lies about bZ4X really being a BYD produced vehicle.  He knows anti-Toyota content generates a lot of views.  This is why detail matters.  That "mi/kWh" value tells the real story.  Turns out, the Norwegian word "mil" represents 10 km.  The test delivered 19 kWh/100 km.  That converts to 3.3 mi/kWh... which is a decent efficiency... quite the opposite of what's being claimed.

Real-World Data.  Deliveries have resumed.  A few of those who had almost become disenchanted are already finding themselves in a position of motivator.  Unknowingly empowered, they have a great deal of contribution opportunity.  That's useful under normal circumstances.  But in times of disarray and an emergence of sentiment against Toyota, it is a surprise predicament... for them.  I saw this all coming.  It's easy to recognize the pattern.  Toyota represents a resistance to change, since its focus is raising the bar for the masses... which is dull & boring for enthusiasts, who thrive on pushing limits.  Know your audience.  Those fundamental differences means there will never be acceptance.  A bottom-up approach will never been preferred or even desirable, period.  If it is not top-down, it is considered a failure.  To address this, I direct focus away from the nonsense by sharing as much real-world data as possible.  Let the numbers speak for themselves.  This is how new owners come into play.  They can supply that data now, prior to me taking delivery.  That enablement is very fulfilling to them.  They feel a great deal of pride being able to contribute.  I greatly appreciate their contribution.  This is how I provided motivation for that today:  That's what we need to counter the anti-Toyota propaganda ramping.  This is the same nonsense I've dealt with in the past with previous rollouts.  Having enough real-world data eventually shuts them up.

Claiming Terrible.  We're running into the problem of vague, again.  The assessment is being made without any perspective, just: "It doesn't change the consumption and range.  It's terrible."  The reason for such blatant absence of objectivity is typically motivate by hate.  For some, status is assessed by the number of those seemingly worse off than your preference.  That means in their world, there is no concept of diminishing returns or a true ceiling.  Better is always better, period.  Ugh.  That "more" mindset is crimpling, a barrier to progress.  Faster & Farther is not always better.  Some will never learn that lesson.  It is why I push for specifics.  That saying of "devil is in the detail" is great wisdom.  For example, notice how everyone is avoiding the discussion of Tennessee produced ID.4 vehicles?  No one wants to bring up range.  Think about how far a 62 kWh range battery-pack will take you.  If Toyota's bZ4X buffer is indeed quite generous, being 89% for the FWD model (63.4 kWh) and 90% for the AWD model (65.5 kWh) here, both usable capacities are still larger than VW's total capacity.  Supposedly, Toyota's is DOA (dead on arrival), far too little range to be acceptable in this market.  If that is true, then the ID.4 is too.  Saying point out any detail or specification would be hypocritical.  This is why they remain silent.  I keep pushing... knowing eventually some antagonist will accidently slip and make a hypocritical mistake:  Be specific please.  For this category/class of vehicle, what is "terrible" and what is "good"?  Think the complaints of vague related to charging speed & curve.

Empty Tank History.  It's complicated and nearly impossible to actually search for.  Most people will be blissfully unaware there is even a history.  They assume Toyota is starting fresh, without any experience to guide certain decisions.  That couldn't be further from the truth.  I know.  I was there.  I documented those very experiences in great deal.  It is really easy to for to look them up as a result.  That detail is preserved.  So, I know what to watch for when something seemingly new comes along.  clues like this: "In both cases, the battery had been driven empty (0 km remaining range), and was set straight for charging."  I know for a fact that Toyota retains quite a bit of range as a buffer, even when the "fill soon" warning turns into an "empty" indicator.  Toyota learned that owners will keep driving anyway, that 0 miles remaining on the display will be ignored by some.  That's why this secondary confirmation in the same article confirms the problem: "To make a long drive very short, we finally rolled into the charger with 0 kilometers of remaining range, which we just have to assume is also 0 percent, as the percentage display does not exist in the car."  That assumption is incorrect.  I attempted to point that out too:  For those familiar with Toyota's hybrid history, they are well aware of the problems caused by people driving well past low-tank warnings, ignoring them and continuing until gas was gone then depleting the battery-pack entirely.  That was blatant abuse Toyota simply couldn't understand. Why would owners intentionally do that?  Since those days of long ago, we have learned how much of a buffer Toyota programs into their system.  The fact that neither test was driven until the bZ4X could actually drive any further invalidates the test.  Odds are quite good ZERO on the display is no where near 0% remaining in the battery.

Background.  They is an admin on a Facebook form for bZ4X doing a lot of chest-pounding.  His claim is that Toyota simply doesn't care and their effort is weak at best.  It is bizarre how much propaganda he posts.  My guess is that ego is his motivation.  Kind of like a troll, he thrives on attention.  Several times now he has flaunted his credentials.  It's quite annoying to have to look through all that to find actual content relevant to the topic of discussion.  Needless to say, he continues to taunt.  It has become a kill-of-the-hill activity.  I can see this going downhill quickly, a complete loss of constructive exchange.  However, I will entertain it once.  The direct provoke finally go me to reply: "So, ya, I've done my part.  How about you?"  He thinks his purchase of a plug-in vehicle from Toyota (one of the second-generation RAV4 converts) entitles him to be better than everyone else.  Sound familiar?  That is much like the other admin who got booted off a forum.  It was all about showing how he was better than everyone else and not actually doing anything positive anymore.  Anyone, it is a familiar pattern and a clear red-flag warning.  I humored him anyway, sharing my background in brief:  I've been supporting electrification since 1998 and have been plugging in for over a decade.  The more important part are the events our EV owners group holds.  That's how I get a lot of the ordinary consumer perspective not being seen in this discussion.  This next stage is very different.  Infrastructure and usage should not be treated in the manner we are acquainted.  Know your audience.

Eyes Shut.  When someone tells you to open your eyes, but clearly isn't doing that themselves, what do you do?  We're seeing that a lot now.  Toyota's minimal BEV presence and Tesla's BEV dominance sets up a narrative for that type of blindness... for those who choose to judge based on simple anecdotal observation.  Reality is, we are watching Tesla struggle with Innovator's Dilemma.  If you aren't aware of that stage of niche market aging though, it won't be easy to see.  Focusing on the supposed competition is a common distraction.  Toyota doesn't have a dependence on specialty buyers and high profit.  Their audience seeks a low-margin, ordinary vehicle.  Look no further than the new Corolla Cross for perspective.  There's nothing exciting about it.  The driver experience is nearly identical to Corolla... something the enthusiast world labels as dull & boring... exactly what that audience seeks.  Think about what Tesla owners were seeking when they shelled out big bucks for their purchase.  It's all about priorities.  Enthusiasts don't see what mainstream consumers look for.  You can only point that out so many times before they get angry at you, claiming you are really working for Toyota or a fanboy.  They don't want to see that.  Nonetheless, I keep pointing out what they keep their eyes shut to:  Eyes are not wide open in that assessment though.  Toyota had been selling BEV elsewhere for years and has a rock-solid EV-drive reliability reputation, 6 years strong now from the second-generation PHEV system.  Don't forget about the 20 Million hybrids either, each using a large traction motor.  There the issue of audience too.  Tesla has yet to sell anything affordable.  Tesla buyers are not widely representative of the entire consumer base, quite unlike Toyota.

Range Controversy.  Took a few days off to spend some time in New York City.  Wow!  Talking about getting a different perspective, despite being the same country.  What a difference.  Interesting thing though, the new bike lanes are extremely popular.  Electric bikes & scooters take full advantage of the opportunity.  You can travel a lot further & faster that way... all short distances.  So regardless of range, you're always covered.  Who actually cares about range?  It's the enthusiasts... and whoa... have they ever stirred up some controversy while I was offline doing not helping out.  Claims are that Toyota lied about range.  Huh?  Apparently, there was a test drive conducted in Europe to measure accuracy of the WLTP range estimate there.  It's more generous than EPA here and identifies an even greater swing in seasonal results.  Antagonists don't care though.  They treat the numbers as if they are a guarantee without regard to temperature.  Categories of "Cold" and "Mild" aren't clearly reported.  That means when a test is conducted at 8°C (46°F), it isn't mild no matter what they assert.  Yet, that temperature and use of heater supposedly don't matter.  Ugh.  I can't imagine the nonsense this will stir in the next few days.

Why?  This was an interesting curiosity I stumbled across: "Why do so many people in cold climates want EVs when the super cold weather drains their battery?"  It seems a reasonable thing to ask, but absence of any perspective was a disappointment.  Notice how vague that actually is?  How many?  How cold?  How much?  Winter only lasts a few months and the extremes can be counted on your hands.  Most of the time, I'm able to run the heat-pump just fine.  Even with such a small battery-pack, the effort to take advantage of electricity well worth it.  In other words, taking a few seconds to plug in when I get home has become a rewarding routine.  It's an example of how to respond to vague with more vague.  As much as I thrive on detail; sometimes, it simply isn't necessary.  When called upon, I'll gladly provide it.  In this case, I didn't need to for an answer:  Why?  Cold weather means running a gas-engine in the worst way, for extended amounts of time, stuck in traffic creating black ice (ice formed from exhaust moisture).  Electricity is by far the better choice; it's still cleaner and more efficient.  5 winters in Minnesota driving a PHEV with full EV (including heat-pump) made the answer to your question very simple and the move to BEV a no-brainer.