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Smooth and quiet, quiet and smooth.
Those are the first things you notice when you start driving the all-new Toyota BZ4X- Limited Edition all-wheel-drive SUV.
And then you realize the hushed and effortless drive is because this aggressively styled, mid-sized sport utility is all-electric.
No loud gasoline motor, noisy starts or accelerations.
So, what you're getting is a bold statement of an SUV with all the green and environmental friendliness of an all-electric vehicle.
"This is Toyota's first full-electric vehicle," said Kelowna Toyota product adviser Wendell Gillis.
"Toyota took a lot of time in development so it would get it right the first time out."
Kelowna Toyota has its first demonstration model of the BZ4X on site so you can drop by the dealership at the corner of Highway 97 and Carey Road and give it a test drive.
That's where NowMedia Group picked up the demo to zip up the Highway and onto Leathead Road to Ben Lee Park and give it a spin on residential streets.
Kelowna Toyota is now getting a steady stream of BZ4Xs delivered to the dealership, so they are readily available for people who want to purchase a contemporary, no-emission SUV.
Toyota was industry-leading with the Prius, the plug-in electric hybrid car that's been around for years.
The Prius can travel shorter distances on an electric charge, but has to switch over to gas for longer distances.
Thus, the BZ4X is Toyota's first all-electric, plug-in vehicle.
The SUV takes about six hours to fully charge at a regular, level 2 charge, or under an hour at a high-speed, level 3 charger.
A full charge on the all-wheel-drive model will take you 367 kilometres, on a front-wheel-drive model 407 kilometres.
The distance often used to measure an electric vehicle's range is the 390 kilometres from Kelowna to Vancouver.
So, you can make it all the way on a full charge in the front-wheel-drive, but would have to stop along the way for some more juice for the all-wheel-drive.
The BZ4X costs $48,000 to $65,000 depending on whether you get front or all-wheel drive and which of four trim models you choose.
You can take up to $9,000 off that price with $5,000 in federal government rebate and up to $4,000 in provincial government rebate, which are being offered to entice people to make an electric vehicle their next ride.
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