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Toyota is believed to be working on a new small electric car with China’s BYD – and prototypes have hit the road, with concept car-inspired styling.
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Toyota’s new small electric car – believed to be developed with Chinese giant BYD – has been spied testing in China, ahead of its rumoured launch in that market later this year.
Sized slightly larger than the best-selling Corolla, the new model is due to be launched exclusively in China in late 2022, likely with BZ1, BZ2, BZ3 or BZ4 badging – in line with Toyota’s Beyond Zero (BZ) electric car sub-brand.
The latest spy photos out of China confirm the car will draw significant influences from the BZ SDN electric car concept revealed late last year (second image above), with the BZ range’s signature headlight design, expansive ‘glasshouse’, sloping roofline and flush door handles.
Inside, spy photos show a minimalist dashboard home to a slim instrument panel mounted far ahead of the driver – fulfilling the role of a head-up display and traditional gauge cluster – and a three-spoke steering wheel akin to the BZ4X electric SUV.
Sitting in the centre of the interior is a large, Ford Mustang Mach-E-style touchscreen, with a row of touch controls and a rotary gear selector placed below.
As reported late last year, the new Toyota electric car is rumoured to be developed in partnership with Chinese brand BYD, using the electric vehicle giant’s ultra-slim, durable ‘Blade’ battery technology.
Reuters reports BYD’s Blade batteries made the Toyota ‘Corolla’ EV possible, as their thickness – about 10cm, or 5-10cm thinner than a normal lithium-ion pack – allowed them to sit under the vehicle’s floor without compromising passenger space (or increasing the vehicle’s height).
Prices may start in China from as low as 200,000 Chinese yuan ($AU42,400) – over 30 per cent cheaper than a base Tesla Model 3, which costs ¥290,988 ($AU61,650) before incentives in China, or $63,900 plus on-road costs in Australia.
The Corolla-sized 2023 Toyota BZ electric sedan was previously due to be revealed at the Beijing motor show in April 2022, ahead of a Chinese market launch in late 2022 – though it’s unclear if this is on track, given the motor show was cancelled.
Either way, the vehicle is expected to be built in China, exclusively for the Chinese market, where sedans remain popular.
Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines as a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.
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