BYD-powered Toyota models debut in Shanghai

Wednesday, 19 April 2023

The Toyota Prius has been updated with new looks, new powertrains, more tech, and we won't get it.

Toyota has been active in Shanghai, with two new bZ electric SUVs breaking cover along with the bZ3 electric sedan.

At the moment, they’re for the Chinese market only, which is a shame because they look pretty damn awesome.

The bZ Sport Crossover Concept and bZ FlexSpace Concept both preview to-be production models for China, launching as part of Toyota’s EV target of generating 1.5 million EV sales per year by 2026. Ten new all-electric models will launch by 2026, including a ute, while two of those will be China-only models.

Toyota hasn’t offered much in the way of specifications but we know that they have been jointly developed with Toyota’s Chinese manufacturing partners.

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The minimal, youthful interior of the Sport Crossover concept.

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This handsome thing is the Toyota bZ3, a China-only electric sedan.

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The bZ3's interior is production-ready, hence the steering wheel controls.

The Sport Crossover is a coupe-SUV with distinctive bZ design cues and aspects aimed at Generation Z buyers. Its cabin is minimalistic, with a square steering wheel, red mesh seats, yellow strips in the doors and dash, and a large, curved infotainment screen. Over-the-air update functionality will be included to add systems after purchase, like driver assistance and automatic parking.

Toyota is building the model with BYD Toyota EV Technology (a joint venture between BYD and Toyota), FAW Toyota Motor, and Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing China (TMEC).

Meanwhile, the FlexSpace targets a slightly older audience with a more upright, traditional SUV body shape, boasting a “large cabin space [and] ease of use”. It features a similar cabin to the Sport Crossover but gets a different, velour-like trim on the doors and dash, flat front seats (not sure about the comfort levels there), and a sliding centre console.

It will be built by GAC, Toyota’s other manufacturing partner, which is based in Guangzhou near Hong Kong, without using BYD know-how.

What is benefiting from the BYD partnership is the bZ3, a Tesla Model 3-sized sedan based on the e-TNGA platform but using BYD’s lithium iron phosphate battery.

The BYD batteries available include a 49.9kWh unit and a 65.3kWh. As for power, there will be two rear-mounted single-motor options, a 135kW/303Nm entry model and a 183kW/303Nm higher-output version.Perhaps a dual-motor version further down the line is on the cards?

The 49.9 kWh battery pack can charge at rates of 70kW, while the larger 65.3 kWh supports a maximum DC charging speed of 90kW. Range for each pack is 517km and 616km respectively, but these are CLTC figures. WLTP range estimates will likely come in lower.

Toyota claims a low drag coefficient value of 0.218Cd thanks to its sleek design with flat door handles, a wind-resistant rear bumper and aluminium wheels. For comparison, the Model 3’s drag rating is 0.23Cd.

Inside is a more familiar interior compared to the two concepts, with a two-spoke steering wheel housing plenty of controls, a tall vertical touchscreen and a digital driver’s display mounted near the windshield.

Pre-sales for the bZ3 started last month, with over 5000 already logged. As mentioned, all three of these EVs are currently only for the Chinese market, but there’s always a chance they emerge in international markets later on.