Toyota launches bZ3X in China

Toyota and GAC have begun selling the bZ3X in China. The electric SUV is available at prices starting at 109,800 yuan, which is equivalent to around 14,000 euros. More than 10,000 orders for the bZ3X were placed in the first hour.

GAC Toyota’s web server apparently crashed due to too many visitors, CN EV Post reports. The high level of interest is probably due to the price, as the bZ3X is Toyota’s first electric model in the 100,000 yuan class and thus also the cheapest electric Toyota in China to date. The bZ3X has relatively modern features and a driving assistance system from Momenta. With this system, GAC Toyota wants to enable ‘Navigate on Autopilot’ without having to rely on high-resolution maps – just with the sensors on board.

The electric SUV is offered in a total of seven variants. Five of them, ranging in price from 109,800 to 159,800 yuan (13,980 to 20,350 euros), do not have lidar. However, two variants have the precise laser sensors on board and are available for 149,800 and 159,800 yuan (19,075 and 20,350 euros) – i.e. at the upper end of the range, but not more expensive than the versions without lidar. CN EV Post concludes that the bZ3X is intended to “break traditional perceptions that Japanese EVs are expensive and unintelligent.” It is not known whether Toyota set the price so low for marketing reasons and whether the bZ3X is profitable at all.

The vehicle is based on the GAC Aion Architecture Electric Platform (AEP) 3.0 and thus closely related to the GAC Aion V model, which GAC plans to bring to Europe in about a year and which we were already able to test drive.

As reported, the bZ3X is powered by an electric motor from Guangzhou Nidec Auto Drive System, a subsidiary of Japanese drive specialist Nidec. It offers an output of 150 kW and is powered by a 50 kWh LFP battery pack in the basic 430 Air+ version. According to the CLTC cycle, this gives the SUV a range of 430 kilometres. Given their names, the two other equipment variants will likely achieve CLTC ranges of 520 kilometres and 620 kilometres, respectively. The battery should take 24 minutes to charge from 30 to 80 per cent at the fast charger.

The GAC-Toyota bZ3X measures 4.60 metres in length, 1.88 metres in width and 1.65 metres in height. The wheelbase is 2.77 metres. The car runs on either 18-inch or 19-inch rims. The kerb weight is stated as 1,690 kg.

In terms of size and price, the bZ3X is positioned slightly below the well-known bZ4X, which Toyota sells in China starting at 179,800 yuan. However, there is no reliable data on how successful this model has been in China – at least it has not been included in the well-known sales rankings of the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). With the initial interest in the bZ3X, this could soon change for GAC Toyota.

cnevpost.com