Toyota bZ7 debuts in China with Huawei smart tech

GAC-Toyota took the stage at the 2025 Auto Guangzhou event to unveil its new bZ7 electric sedan.

The bZ7 is the second major model built primarily by the company's engineering team in China. Many industry watchers expected a more traditional approach, but the bZ7 throws caution to the wind, embracing key technical alliances that reshape the GAC-Toyota name.

The model uses a lot of technology from Huawei. The bZ7 is the very first GAC-Toyota model to integrate Huawei's HarmonyOS cockpit system. Stepping inside, the driver faces a large central control screen that serves as the command center for the entire operating system.

Inside, we have plenty of advanced features such as facial recognition, a head-up display that projects key information onto the windshield, and a multi-speaker audio system. The technological partnership continues in the powertrain department, with the bZ7 using Huawei's powerful DriveONE electric drive system. It seems the days of GAC-Toyota relying solely on its own components are over - when it comes to high-tech electric cars, collaboration is the new strategy.

The new Toyota bZ7 also brings a bold, imposing look to the road. It adopts the unified family design language that started with the bZ4X, featuring a sharp, futuristic face. The front uses a split-headlight design, where the main lights sit neatly integrated with the air ducts on either side. An exaggerated front bumper looks aggressive, but it actually serves the important purpose of cutting down on drag.

From the side, the large sedan's long profile stands out, boosted by a sharp, three-dimensional waistline. It features new semi-hidden door handles and large, dynamic wheels. The dimensions confirm its mid-to-large status, measuring 16.83 ft in length, 6.43 ft in width, and 4.9 ft in height. A long wheelbase, stretching 9.91 ft, promises a spacious and comfortable ride for everyone inside.

Look at the back, and the bZ7 shows off a sleek, fastback shape, much like a stylish coupe. The panoramic glass roof sweeps down and merges seamlessly with the rear window. This design also creates a large rear quarter window for better visibility and a sense of space. The tail is finished with through-type taillights and a sporty spoiler placed above them.

Like the front, the rear bumper includes air ducts on both sides, keeping the focus on performance and aerodynamics. Adding to its high-tech credentials, a LiDAR unit, which is key for advanced driving features, sits on the roof, giving the sedan a clear view of the world around it.

The Huawei DriveONE electric drive system delivers 207 kW, which translates to 278 horsepower. This is enough to allow the sedan to reach a top speed of 112 mph. For energy storage, GAC-Toyota relies on durable LFP batteries supplied by CALB.

The automaker gives consumers two primary choices for battery capacity. The first option is a 71.35 kWh pack, which offers a pure electric range of 373 miles under the CLTC testing standard. The second, larger option is an 88.13 kWh battery pack, offering up to 441 miles of range.

The Chinese Toyota bZ7 is ready to handle the future of driving thanks to its advanced assistance systems - we can only wish Toyota offered this tech outside of China. The car uses Momenta's driver-assistance technology which provides high-level assisted driving capabilities, designed to work on both crowded urban roads and wide-open highways.

This focus on intelligent driving systems, combined with the new platform and major tech partners, confirms that the bZ7 is GAC-Toyota's full-throttle push into the next generation of smart electric cars. The company expects the bZ7 to hit the market later this year.

Via