Toyota and Suzuki join forces for the 2025 bZ electric baby SUV

The automotive world often throws us some unexpected collaborations. The latest scoop? The Japanese giants, Toyota and Suzuki, might be joining hands to create an electric 'baby' SUV for the 2025 market. This isn't a pair of dance partners making their debut, as the two companies already share a history of mutual vehicle rebadging and technological exchanges. They’ve undertaken joint ventures available in diverse markets from Europe to Southeast Asia, and even in South Africa and India.

The baby SUV is predicted to be the production version of Toyota’s bZ Small Crossover Concept, unveiled last year. This potential collaboration comes amidst Toyota's recent amplification of its EV agenda. What adds fuel to this flame is the recent USPTO trademark registration from Toyota. The company applied for the name “FT-3e” to be registered on September 29.

Toyota is keen on leveraging the success of compact EVs on its home turf. But don’t be mistaken, this car isn’t designed just for sushi and sakura lovers. The intention is to launch it on a global scale, with Europe being a significant target. And why Suzuki, you ask? They’re maestros in crafting compact vehicles.

For those who've been out of the automotive loop, the bZ Small Crossover made waves in December 2021. Toyota and Lexus had presented 15 concepts, and our little bZ was among the stars. It wasn’t just a figment of imagination; there was a tangible, full-size prototype, albeit with blacked-out windows. A little secretiveness, perhaps? This tiny dynamo was flagged as the newest, and smallest, member of Toyota's electric bZ (which stands for 'beyond zero') family.

During its grand reveal, Toyota played its cards close to its chest. They hinted at the bZ Small Crossover being primarily tailored for European and Japanese consumers. Specifics? Sparse. What Toyota did let slip is that the vehicle is built on the eTNGA architecture and aims for a power consumption of 125 Wh/km. If you're pondering its size, think of it as the middle child between the Toyota Aygo X and the Toyota Yaris Cross. That’s a rough estimate, of course, as the exact size is still under wraps.

Interestingly enough, 2025 is also when the production version of the Suzuki eVX is expected to hit the market. However, in a classic case of "size does matter," the Suzuki model will presumably be larger, with the concept hinting at a length of 169.3 inches. There's a silver lining for Suzuki, though. This collaboration might bestow upon them their own EV rendition, crafted not just for their homeland, but for the world stage. With competition looming in the form of the Hyundai Casper-based EV and the VW ID.1 slated for 2026, the game is afoot.

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