zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Buying
/
Meet the bZ3, Toyota's Answer to the Tesla Model 3
Meet the bZ3, Toyota's Answer to the Tesla Model 3-October 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:09:21

The Toyota bZ SDN concept, which previewed the new bZ3 sedan.

Toyota’s second fully-electric bZ model may not be coming to the United States quite yet, but photos surfaced by the Chinese Ministry of Industry have provided us with a good idea of what the Japanese automaker’s answer to the will look like.

What you see above is the Toyota bZ SDN concept that . Although we didn’t know it at the time, it was basically a preview of the Toyota bZ3 sedan that emerged last week, by way of . In China, the bZ3 will be built by BYD, which supplies the batteries and electric motors atop Toyota’s own eTNGA floorplan. This is similar to how the bZ4X crossover is manufactured in the country, in cooperation with GAC.

The Toyota bZ SDN concept, which previewed the new bZ3 sedan.

The bZ3 will reportedly be offered with either 183 or 244 horsepower, in both cases sent to the rear wheels from a battery pack of unknown capacity. No, that doesn’t sound rapid compared to the Model 3, which starts with 279 hp and only goes up from there. But then, the isn’t about acceleration either, and outside the GR lineup, that’s never really been Toyota’s M.O.

The exterior of the bZ3, which you can peek at , is basically a production-intent version of the bZ SDN, and that was a decent looking sedan. I’ll go on record and say I like Toyota’s approach to geometric surfacing, and the short rear deck reminds me of the , albeit obviously not as elegant. Still, I think it cleans up.

The big question of course is whether Toyota will ever bring a car like this Stateside. We just don’t know quite yet, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Visually, the bZ3 shares many cues with the , but the Crown isn’t battery-electric, so there’s a hole in Toyota’s lineup for a compact electric sedan that the bZ3 would fill. If the automaker attempts to, you can expect the BYD running gear to be replaced with Toyota’s own for Western examples. Hopefully, the won’t rub off on this smaller EV.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Buying
At $5,900, Is This 1984 Nissan 720 4X4 A Solid Deal?
At $5,900, Is This 1984 Nissan 720 4X4 A Solid Deal?
According to its seller, today’s Nissan 4X4 shows “pride of ownership.” Let’s see if it would take swallowing one’s pride to pay its asking price. Opinions were split on how well the design of yesterday’s has held up over the years. Some of you commented that the design still...
Oct 30, 2024
Which One Of You Suckers Is Going To Pay Over $32,000 For A 25-Year-Old Toyota 4Runner
Which One Of You Suckers Is Going To Pay Over $32,000 For A 25-Year-Old Toyota 4Runner
The (and Tacoma) have a death grip on used values. It’s been this way for years. Go ahead, go try and buy any TRD trim that’s a couple of years old; it’ll cost you as much as a new one — not that you could buy a new one...
Oct 30, 2024
At $950, Would You Go All-In On This 1984 Plymouth Colt GTS Turbo Project?
At $950, Would You Go All-In On This 1984 Plymouth Colt GTS Turbo Project?
One of the calling cards of today’s Plymouth Colt is its “Twin Stick” overdrive gear change, which gives the car eight speeds going forward and two in reverse. Let’s see if this project car has anything else to offer. Just as Goldilocks discovered when appropriating Papa Bear’s lifestyle and...
Oct 30, 2024
At $8,600, Would You Go Topless In This 1994 Cadillac Eldorado?
At $8,600, Would You Go Topless In This 1994 Cadillac Eldorado?
The seller of today’s Caddy claims they should be selling it at auction but says who’s got time for that? Let’s see if we have the time for this custom convertible at its non-auction price. Many of you agreed that the $950 asked for yesterday’s was “chump change.” Even...
Oct 30, 2024
At $18,500, Would You Lean Toward Buying This 2022 Ford Mustang?
At $18,500, Would You Lean Toward Buying This 2022 Ford Mustang?
Today’s Mustang is being sold by a towing yard, which means it’s probably a lien sale. Let’s see if this clean title convertible is priced to put a new buyer on the hook. The general consensus on last Friday’s was that it would be the perfect car for someone...
Oct 30, 2024
Someone Willingly Paid $16,000 For A Maserati Ghibli On Cars & Bids. Don’t Make The Same Mistake
Someone Willingly Paid $16,000 For A Maserati Ghibli On Cars & Bids. Don’t Make The Same Mistake
Let’s cut right to the chase: buying a is not a good idea unless you have deep enough pockets for the upkeep. For those not in the know, they’re sirens. They draw you in with their premium Italian image and sweet songs of and then go in for the...
Oct 30, 2024
Copyright 2023-2024 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved