The Toyota bZ — formerly known as the bZ4X — is Toyota’s fully electric crossover. With the 2025 update, the “4X” name is gone in North America, and several important upgrades have arrived, including much faster home charging capability. So the question is: Do you need a Level 2 home charger, or can you get by with the standard charging equipment?
Level 1 charging (standard)
Every Toyota bZ comes with a Level 1 charging cable that plugs into a standard 120-volt household outlet. This works anywhere you have a regular plug, but it’s slow — very slow. A full charge from empty can take more than 50 hours. That means if you regularly drive the bZ’s range and deplete the battery, you’ll be waiting days to recharge.
For drivers with extremely light daily use, where you might only need to top up a few percent each night, Level 1 can work. But for most owners, it’s not practical for day-to-day life.
Level 2 charging (240 volts)
This is where things get interesting. Early bZ4X models had a 7.6 kW onboard charger, which meant a full recharge at home in about 9.5 to 11 hours. That was already a big improvement over Level 1.
For 2025 and newer bZ models, Toyota upgraded to an 11 kW onboard charger. With a capable Level 2 home unit, you can now fully recharge in under 8 hours. That makes overnight charging easy, even if you arrive home with the battery nearly empty.
Level 2 also makes midday charging much more useful. Plug in for just a couple of hours in the afternoon, and you can recover a substantial amount of range for evening plans.
DC fast charging
While this article focuses on home charging, it’s worth noting that the bZ supports DC fast charging at up to 150 kW. The 2025 update improved the charging curve, so a 10% to 80% recharge now takes about 30 minutes under ideal conditions — faster than the previous model’s 60-minute time.
Final thoughts
For the Toyota bZ, Level 2 charging is the sweet spot for most owners. The faster onboard charger in the 2025 model makes it even more worthwhile, ensuring you can keep the battery topped up without planning your life around charging.
If your daily driving is minimal and you don’t mind extremely slow charging times, Level 1 can suffice. But for convenience, flexibility, and future-proofing — especially if you ever upgrade to another EV — installing a Level 2 home charger is the way to go.
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