A new all-electric Toyota model made its first appearance at the Guangzhou Auto Show this week. The Toyota bZ7 concept is a sleek electric sedan that will likely use BYD batteries and motors in China.
Meet the new Toyota bZ7 EV concept
Like most legacy automakers, Toyota is battling to stay afloat in China as domestic players like BYD continue to gain the upper hand.
Although Toyota only sells one all-electric vehicle, the bZ4X SUV, globally, the company is doubling down in China with a growing range of EVs.
On Wednesday, Toyota unveiled its latest model, the bZ7, which is expected to go on sale next year in China.
Toyota’s updated design theme is evident in the sleek, extended silhouette. With slim LED headlights and a light bar across the front, the bZ7 inherits some design elements revealed in the updated Prius models.
The electric sedan closely resembles the Comfortable Space Concept shown at the 2023 Guangzhou Auto Show. According to CarNewsChina, Toyota’s Chinese joint venture, GAC Toyota, will produce the new EV.
GAC Toyota currently sells the bZ4X (Bozhi 4X) and bZ3X. Toyota’s other JV partner in China, FAW Toyota, offers the bZ3 and BZ4X. After introducing it at the Guangzhou Auto Show, FAW will launch the bZ3C in the next few months.
With the bZ3 sedan using both BYD Blade batteries and electric motors, Toyota’s bZ7 is expected to follow suit.
The bZ3 is available in two different BYD Blade battery sizes (49.9 kWh or 65.3 kWh) for up to 382 miles (616 km) of CLTC range. The base Elite Pro model starts at around $24,000 (169,800 RMB) and has up to 321 miles (517 km) of CLTC range.
Top comment by Ben
In the 90s proton used to sell rebadged Mitsubishis, then later built their own cars but still got the engines from Mitsubishi. Nobody took them seriously. Today they’re owned by geely.
With battery and motors from BYD, what’s Toyota’s competence here? The styling? The electronics? Massage seats? They were technology leaders 10 years ago. What a tragedy.
Toyota’s new electric sedan will rival top-selling models in China, such as the BYD Han and Xiaomi SU7.
Japan’s Nissan also unveiled a new EV sedan, the N7, at the Guangzhou Auto Show. The new EV is the first next-gen Nissan model as it looks to regain relevance. It will launch early next year.
Nissan claims the N7 will “redefine the new benchmark for China’s mainstream family pure electric sedans.” Toyota may have something to say about that with its new bZ7 also rolling out in 2025.
Source: Dongchedi, CarNewsChina
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