Toyota BZ3 electrical sedan faucets BYD battery tech—just for China

Toyota has launched a second electrical automotive, but it surely’s not coming to the US.

The Toyota BZ3 sedan was developed for the Chinese language market beneath a three way partnership between Toyota and Chinese language automaker BYD, and might be produced and bought by way of Toyota’s older three way partnership with Chinese language agency FAW.

The BZ3 is predicated on the identical e-TNGA platform utilized by the Toyota BZ4X crossover lately launched within the U.S. That platform was co-developed with Subaru, and in addition underpins that automaker’s Solterra electrical crossover.

Borrowing some styling components from the BZ4X, the BZ3 is 1.4 inches longer than the crossover at 186.0 inches, with a 1.1-inch wheelbase stretch to 113.3 inches. At 72.2 inches, the BZ3 is 1.0 inch narrower than the BZ4X, and its 58.0-inch peak is a whopping 11.0 inches decrease than the crossover.

Toyota additionally claims a formidable 0.21 coefficient of drag, which places the BZ3 close to the Lucid Air, Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan, and Tesla Mannequin S, all at 0.20 to 0.21.

Whereas it is based mostly on the e-TNGA platform, the BZ3 makes use of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells from BYD. Toyota did not record the pack dimension, however quoted a 372-mile vary estimate, based mostly on China’s CLTC testing cycle.

BYD has lengthy specialised in LFP chemistry, boasting of elevated security with its newest Blade battery. The corporate would not promote passenger vehicles within the U.S., however has marketed buses right here, and is presently coming into the European market—with Tesla utilizing BYD cells in some automobiles from its new German manufacturing unit.

Toyota’s three way partnership with FAW dates again to 2000, and was fashioned at a time when the Chinese language authorities required overseas automakers to companion with native companies to promote vehicles within the nation. FAW was additionally an investor in EV startup Byton.

The BZ3 will possible stay a China-only mannequin, and whereas Toyota is predicted to launch different EVs within the U.S., the cadence of these launches is doubtful. In response to a current report, Toyota is reportedly pausing some future EVs because it reevaluates some engineering decisions—probably together with the e-TNGA platform.