The list of cars you can't fully take ownership

The first-ever Toyota electric crossover, the bZ4X, has arrived but the bad news is, you can't own it. You'll have to lease it to drive it for a month, which is kind of a bummer decision Toyota made. Following the launch of the bZ4X, it's time to take a trip down memory lane with the list of cars you can't fully take ownership of, which is a headache for speedo boys.

2023 Toyota bZ4X

GM EV1 - Launched in 1996, the GM EV1 is the first mass-produced and purpose-designed electric vehicle that was made after a widespread reception from the 1990 Impact Concept. It features a three-phase alternating current induction motor with an IGBT power inverter that produces 102kW of power and 149Nm of torque. The EV1 was available for lease only in Los Angeles, California, and Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. However, the leasing programs have been expanded to San Francisco, Sacramento, and parts of the US state of Georgia. Production ended in 1999 and most of the vehicles have been returned to the company with most being crushed and others becoming non-working museum displays. The controversial discontinuation of the EV1 became the turning point of the documentary movie "Who Killed the Electric Car?"

Honda FCX - Launched in the autumn of 2002, the FCX is a three-door compact hatchback that uses a fuel cell powertrain that produces 60kW of power and 272Nm of torque. The FC STACK, meanwhile, uses an improved version of its fuel cell powertrain that produces 20kW more. It was available for lease only and throughout its three-year lifespan, it was leased by 5 or 6 customers from Japan.

Honda FCX Clarity - Launched in 2008 and available for lease only, the FCX Clarity is the production version of the 2006 FCX Clarity Concept and it's a stylish four-door saloon that features a newly developed fuel cell electric drivetrain that produces 100kW of power and 256Nm of torque.

Honda Clarity Fuel Cell - Launched in 2016, the Clarity Fuel Cell takes place after the FCX Clarity left off. Although slightly larger than its FCX Clarity predecessor, the Clarity Fuel Cell is powered by a solid polymer-type fuel cell stack mated to a 130kw electric motor. It was available for lease only in its first year and then after that, it went on sale to the general Japanese public until it was discontinued at the end of September 2021.

Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid - Based on the Honda Accord Hybrid CR6, the plug-in hybrid variant uses the same 2.0L i-MMD powertrain as its normal hybrid counterpart but with the addition of the 124kw electric motor capable of 70.4km/L of PHEV fuel consumption and 29km/L of hybrid fuel consumption. Unlike its hybrid counterpart, the Accord Plug-in Hybrid is available for lease only until it was discontinued in 2016 with only 238 units produced. No one knows what happened to these cars.

Chevrolet Captiva Sport - The Chevrolet Captiva Sport is a rebadged Opel Antara that replaced the Saturn Vue following General Motors' decision to ax the Saturn brand for good. Unlike its Saturn Vue equivalent, the Captiva Sport is only available as a rental car, but good thing General Motors didn't take it back like what they did to the EV1 as they're sold as used cars in good condition. Production of the Captiva Sport ended in 2015 and the Chevrolet Trax took its place.

Kia Ray EV - The Ray EV is the electrified version of the Kia Ray compact minivan that, unlike its petrol-powered equivalent, is not sold to the Korean public as it is available only for rental or car-sharing purposes. Its electric powertrain gave the Ray EV a mileage of up to 139km in city driving mode and 91km on public roads, making it restricted for city driving purposes. It is the first mass-produced electric vehicle made in South Korea and the only light electric vehicle released in South Korea. It was discontinued in 2019.

Toyota C+pod - Launched at the end of 2020, the C+pod is a two-seater electric compact car that focuses mainly on mobility. It has a permanent magnet electric motor that powers its rear wheels and it's good for 150km in one full charge based on WLTC mode standards it will take about 5 hours to fully charge via a 200V electrical outlet. It was available only for corporate users, LGUs, and other organizations in its first year and it was expanded to the general public a year later for lease only.

Toyota bZ4X - The recently-launched Toyota bZ4X is the production version of its namesake 2021 concept car unveiled at the 2021 Shanghai Motor Show. It is available for lease only via KINTO starting at 107,800 Yen per month. With the exterior design nearly drawing inspiration from its namesake concept as well as its minimalist interior design fit for five people, the bZ4X has two configurations with the FF variant good for 559km (512km) while the 4WD variant is good for 540km (487km) in one full charge, based on WLTC mode standards. In addition, the bZ4X is packed with safety features such as Pre-Crash Safety, Blind Spot Monitor, and Toyota Teammate Advanced Park.

...and these are the list of cars you can't fully take ownership of. It's a shame you can't own it to drive it. Boo.