While we were still in awe with the bZ4X, Toyota’s first-ever all-electric vehicle, the Japanese carmaker surprised everyone with the second model in the same all-electric bZ series. Named Toyota bZ3, this all-electric vehicle is a sedan, unlike the SUV that the bZ4X is. The new Toyota bZ3 is currently specific only for the Chinese car market and is co-developed by Toyota, BYD Company Ltd, and FAW Toyota. The sales of the new Toyota bZ3 will be taken care of by the FAW-Toyota dealer network throughout China.
Given the dimensions and stance of the Toyota bZ3, it is safe to say that this new all-electric car can be titled as an all-electric alter-ego of the Toyota Camry, one of the most reliable sedans of the present era. The bZ3 measures 186.2 inches long, 72.4 inches wide, and 58.3 inches tall while having a wheelbase of 113.4 inches. For reference, the Toyota Camry is 192.7 inches long, 72.4 inches wide, and 56.9 inches tall while having a wheelbase of 111.2 inches. While these dimensions make the new Toyota bZ3 smaller than the Camry, however, its wheelbase is only shorter than that of the Toyota Century, the most premium, full-size sedan in Toyota’s lineup.
The Cutting-Edge Design And High-Tech Cabin Of The Toyota bZ3
Toyota impressed many with the all-new striking design language it debuted for the bZ series of all-electric vehicles with the bZ4X. Even the new bZ3 follows the same new-age hammerhead shark-like radical design, evident in its details like aggressive-looking front fascia and cuts and creases all around. Toyota is claiming an extremely low drag coefficient of 0.218, which has been possible with some of its design elements like air guides and air curtains in the corners of the bumper, flat door handles, and aluminum wheels with an aerodynamic design.
The cabin of the Toyota bZ3 also is a window to the future, with prominent highlights like a clean design for the dashboard, a large portrait-styled touchscreen display, flat upper and lower edges of the steering wheel, and a compact full-TFT instrument console placed ahead on the dashboard. However, the highlight which looks the fanciest of them all is the tray-type console below the central touchscreen, at the center of which sits the drive controller knob. The centrally-placed screen controls air conditioning, audio system, and trunk release while being compatible with voice commands.
The Toyota bZ3 Is A Product Of The Efforts Of Three Companies
Given that China is the world’s largest market for electric vehicles, Toyota needed much more than usual efforts for a mass-market EV. For the bZ3, Toyota joined hands with BYD and FAW Toyota. While the association with BYD helped develop the bZ3 as a product, the bond with FAW Toyota will be instrumental in driving the sales of bZ3 in China.
Toyota has only mentioned that the blade batteries of the bZ3 have come from BYD, the Chinese carmaker which has become a pioneer in blade batteries. Even the TZ200-XS022, the single electric motor powering the Toyota bZ3, has been sourced from BYD’s electric powertrain division, Fudi Power. However, the platform on which the Toyota bZ3 is based on the very popular e-TNGA, which debuted with the bZ4X all-electric SUV.
The Toyota bZ3 Claiming High Benchmarks For Japanese All-Electrified Vehicles
While Toyota hasn’t disclosed much about the outputs of the electric motor and battery of the bZ3, the official documents of the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) revealed a few key details about those numbers. As per MIIT, the final power output of the electric motor powering the rear wheels of the Toyota bZ3 should be anywhere between 181 hp to 241 hp, with an expected top speed of 93.2 mph. The bZ3 is also speculated to weigh around 4,883 lbs.
Featuring BYD’s award-winning lithium-ion LFP (lithium iron phosphate) blade battery technology, the Toyota bZ3 is claiming a maximum possible range of over 375 miles. Even if it returns an actual driving range of 312-315 miles, we believe that it is an effort well-executed. For the bZ3, Toyota has developed a bunch of new systems for monitoring the safety and cooling of batteries. Toyota also claims that its battery will retain 90 percent of its capacity even after a decade of its usage.
Toyota Claims A New-Age Fun-To-Drive Element In The bZ3
The new-age Toyota vehicles based on the e-TNGA architecture claim to offer a wholesome driving experience over the conventional vehicles we are used to seeing from Toyota. The new bZ3 steps in this new tradition started with the bZ4X SUV while featuring a low center of gravity and lowered sedan-like stance.
In addition to the traditional design virtues and stance of a sedan, the Toyota bZ3 also offers an optimal driving position for reducing fatigue while driving long distances. With a flat floor in the cabin, expect the bZ3 to give a spacious and comfortable experience inside.