May have reached 200k

Pretty good guess. $46,220 for the base. Funny all the car websites predicted the twins would start under $40k.

2023 Subaru Solterra Is More Expensive Than the Toyota bZ4X

 

Perhaps 2023 will be a redesign and they are stopping the 2022 production?

 

Maybe they don't like building cars that traditionally require huge rebates to move.

 

I can’t say I’ve seen a rebate in 3 years

heck the Mirage a $9999 MSRP car sells for $18,000 these days

 

Do they still make the Dodge Colt/Mitsubishi Mirage? Cool.

 

Me, and a bunch of others on this forum got $4500 - $6000+ off PPs last year. Sure, those discounts are gone for now, but I have to believe some of this factored into Toyota's longer range plans. I think they'd rather sell Rav4 Primes.

 

Of course! Bigger cars equal bigger profits. That's why smaller car sales have been going away in the US - in favor of pickups & Suv's.
.

 

Today was the deadline for Toyota to post a notice with IRS to have reached 200,000 US plug-in sales. Nothing is in the news. Perhaps, the full tax credit is extending to September 30, 2022.

 

Sales as of the end of Q1, i.e. March 31, are what matter. If they made 200k by that date, then the full credit would end June 30, and reduced phase-out credits would start July 1.

If the 200k-th sale was any later than that, even April 1st, then full credits last at least until September 30.

 

Note that if the sales by March 31 reached 200,000, IRS requires Toyota to file a notice with them by April 30. If such a notice were filed, I would expect it to be in the news. I didn't see it. I am thinking that we will have the full credit until September 20, 2022, but we'll see in a few weeks.

 

I'm hoping that it will last the additional quarter, to give more chance of finding a RAV4 Prime, but am not counting on it.

Even if Toyota is somewhat tardy in meeting legal reporting obligations, I'd think the IRS would have some ability to catch up the process to the legal schedule, preventing a "free" quarter.

 

Subaru Solterra doesn't use the better quality Panasonic battery developed with Toyota that the 2 wheel drive Toyota will use. Don't know why they did that to the more expensive 4wd version.

 

Yeah, maybe a supply issue. They did not have enough Pana batteries to go around for both Toyota and Subaru? Since Toyota knew Subaru is not making the FWD version, they may have decided to use a CATL battery for AWD versions... maybe?

I have a Solterra order with our local Subie dealer, but more and more I think about it, even with a full tax credit, $45K is way too much for the commuter car that I can't take on a long trip. Comes August, I will likely take it on a test drive and cancel the order when it ships here. Someone else on the waiting list will be happy.

 

Toyota underestimated the demand for the Rav4 Prime, and had a lack of batteries for it. If they have realized their error with the bZ4X/Solterra, they are competing with other car companies for a limited supply of EV batteries. Some of those competitors secured their orders years ago.

Then with these EVs looking like they are mainly compliance cars for China, they likely had to have sourced for things locally.

 

Toyota press release on BZ4X:

Five Things to Know About the All-Electric Toyota bZ4X - Toyota USA Newsroom

Look at the fine print for #2:
"DC charging may not work on AWD bz4x when the temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit."

Really, it won't DC charge when below freezing? That's a big design flaw.

 

It's more likely Toyota being real conservative with a new battery supplier, and/or not really wanting to use that supplier.

 

That's being discussed elsewhere. Basically, it's just CYA language. Charging would be paused if the pack is too cold, making you wait until warming is complete.

 

With years of recharging experience under their belt, Tesla shows how it can use its own electricity to prevent the coldest temperatures from affecting both usable capacity as well as charge.



It’s noticeable on its display. All manufacturers buy each others automobiles so they can see how others are doing it. Certainly Toyota would learn from Tesla via reverse engineering as well as from their own independent engineering studies. It's inconceivable new Toyota electrics won't be able to charge in freezing temps.