bZ Compact SUV Concept Could Be Toyota's Second EV

• Toyota revealed its bZ Compact SUV Concept during the LA Auto Show, the second battery-electric vehicle in what promises to be 30 of them by 2030.

• The concept is smaller than the current bZ4X crossover and likely will be called the bZ3X if it goes into production.

• No powertrain information was given, aside from the fact that it will be all-electric.

Okay, so Toyota is a little behind the rest of the developed world when it comes to production electric vehicles, with a grand total of one—the bZ4X crossover. But it just revealed what could be its next electric vehicle, and the automaker has laid out a plan to offer 30 electric vehicles of all shapes and sizes by 2030. So things are promising.

Toyota’s leisurely pace up until now with EVs may have been due to its success with hybrid-electric vehicles, a segment it dominated for 25 years starting with the first, groundbreaking Prius. In fact, just seconds before it introduced the bZ Compact SUV Concept at this week's LA Auto Show, it debuted the new Prius and Prius Prime hybrids.

Then there’s Toyota’s refusal to give up on hydrogen as a fuel. For years it has been plugging hydrogen fuel cells and, indeed still offers the Mirai, now in its second generation, despite the rest of the world’s seeming acceptance of battery-electric cars as the way of the future.

But enough electro-whining! Toyota's electric future was laid out almost exactly 11 months ago in a big announcement by company President Akio Toyoda. That future includes everything from pickup trucks and sports cars to super cars and cute little electric vans. But the biggest seller, everyone knows, is the crossover. Hence the launch last year of the bZ4X electric vehicle and the introduction last night of this new concept, which, if it goes into production, will likely be called the bZ3X (bZ stands for Beyond Zero).