Toyota is desperately trying to shake its history of lobbying for climate-denying politicians and resisting electric vehicles, to convince investors that it’s now all-in on EVs. In a new social media post, the Japanese carmaker has revealed that a blue badge on the back of its next electric crossover will show that it values “the happiness of people living on earth.”
Toyota’s latest teaser video shows the rear end of the bZ compact SUV, as a nod to its upcoming electric SUV. Identified by its license plate, the bZ Compact SUV concept was first unveiled in November 2022. As the camera zooms in on its “BEV” badge, we can also see that it is joined by a blue circle badge that was first seen on the Prius.
The badge is then singled out, and around it images of clean water, children running through fields, forests with beams of light, and other feel-good imagery can be seen. In the post accompanying the teaser, the brand writes “This badge from the Prius conveys the message that we value the happiness of people living on earth and want to pass it on to the next generation.”
Read: Toyota bZ Compact SUV Concept Brings Eye-Catching Styling To Europe
For its part, the bZ Compact SUV concept debuted as a “nod to the near future” and it is rumored that the production version will be called the bZ3X. One of several bZ models Toyota is planning in the coming years, the concept is a little larger than the Corolla Cross and a little smaller than the RAV4.
The upcoming electric SUV is aggressively styled by the Toyota ED2 center in France and bears some similarities to the C-HR Prologue that was designed at the same studio. Inside, it gets a curved infotainment screen and a cabin filled with plant-based or recycled materials.
So far, the automaker has not revealed any details about what will power the production version of the bZ Compact SUV, but the bZ4X gets up to 214 hp (160 kW / 217 PS) and up to 252 miles (406 km) per the EPA.
However, in China, Toyota revealed the bZ3 sedan, which is based on the same platform as the bZ4X. Its smaller stature (and the more generous Chinese test cycle) mean that it gets more than 373 miles (600 km) of estimated range. Meanwhile, the automaker is planning a next-generation battery technology that promises to offer up to 500 miles (805 km) of range by 2026.
Just the next in a series of new electric vehicles Toyota is planning to unveil by 2026, the company hopes to sell millions of EVs per year by that point.