Toyota has unveiled the first vehicle in its BZ (Beyond Zero) line, and it will be the centerpiece of the line.

Toyota filed a trademark application for the BZ line with the European Union Intellectual Property Office on April 6 and is poised to launch a crossover and sedan later this year. Within the Beyond Zero product family, the naming convention will be alphanumeric characters based on BZ and a corresponding number. Trademarks include BZ1, BZ2, BZ2X, BZ3, BZ4, BZ4X, and BZ5.

The brand has been very tight-lipped about the solid-state battery, which was supposed to debut at the postponed Tokyo Olympics last summer. Solid-state batteries operate more efficiently in cold weather, have a longer range, and charge faster. This is a sigh of relief for the EV market, which is facing major battery supply constraints.

Toyota Motor Corp. president Akio Toyoda has expressed concern about the burden and potential disaster of all-electricity.

"The more EVs we make, the worse our carbon footprint will be," Toyoda told the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association last year. When politicians say, 'Let's eliminate all gasoline-using cars,' do they understand this?"

Despite Toyota's concerns, the brand has no intention of stepping away from competition in the EV market; the BZ line confirms its commitment to zero emissions and will certainly help Toyota in its challenge to achieve a 40% vehicle electrification rate. Competition is fierce, and the BZ crossover will be compared to Tesla's Model Y, Ford's Mustang Mach-E, and Volkswagen's new ID.4. With advances in battery technology, the changing political climate related to the environment, and the growing demand for shiny new machines, Toyota would be wise to hedge its bets here and go for the swing.