Toyota bZ3 goes on sale in China starting from $27,400

Co-developed with the help from BYD, Toyota bZ3 is finally available for order in China. The first unit of the electric sedan started leaving the FAW-Toyota New Energy Plant near Tianjin. While Toyota is responsible for manufacturing of the bZ3, complete drivetrain with the battery is supplied by BYD.

The 4.7 meter long Toyota bZ3 starts at $27,400 for the 135 kW (184 hp) version with 49.92 kWh battery pack. The range for this model is quoted at 517 km. The more expensive 180 kW (245 hp) comes with the larger 65.28 kWh battery and it has a range of 616 km and starts from $31,800. The range rating comes from CLTC and both versions have the same torque output of 303 Nm.

While the exterior of bZ3 loosely follows the design language we have seen on its bZ4X sibling, the interior is completely different. Starting with the double-flat bottom and top steering wheel and the vertical 12.3-inch central screen, the center console sits much higher than usual and is separate from the armrest. The driver’s instrument cluster sits far away under the windshield which is a design feature we start seeing more often.

First 5,000 customers who place the order between now and the end of May and pay $290 deposit, will get a $725 discount. Interestingly, existing FAW-Toyota customers get a loyalty discount of $1,160 when replacing their old car with the new Toyota bZ3. On top of that, the early adopters are getting free servicing for 10 years or 200,000 km and a free home charging point.

Toyota bZ3 is nearly identical in size to Tesla Model 3, the wheelbase is nearly identical and Toyota is only 3 cm longer than the Model 3. While the top version bZ3 matches the battery capacity of the entry level Model 3, the performance is incomparable. With Model 3 starting from $33,900 it makes the bZ3 much cheaper option and Toyota hopes this will translate to paying customers.

Last year sales were disappointing for the company, they fell for the first time in 5 years while other manufacturers were claiming record sales. Toyota had to reduce the price of the bZ4X by more than $4,000 to keep the customers interested. While the company is well regarded all over the world, in China many customers wonder why buy a car with BYD components when they can buy a complete car from BYD?

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