Toyota BZ3 Is A Chinese-Market Tesla Model 3 Rival With A 373-Mile Range

Toyota is taking the fight to Tesla with the bZ3, a Chinese-built rival to the Tesla Model 3 tipped to cost just $28,000. But sadly for Toyota fans in the rest of the world it looks like it won’t be leaving China.

A low-rise brother to the bZ4X, the bZ3 was co-developed with China’s BYD and will be sold through the FAW Toyota network. The angular styling bears a strong family resemblance to the bZ4X’s, and both cars rely on Toyota’s e-TNGA architecture. But the the sedan is fitted with BYD’s slimline lithium-ion batteries allowing a much lower roofline.

Toyota hasn’t revealed the size of the battery pack, whether different-sized batteries will be available, or how much power the bZ3 makes, but it does say the sedan will be capable of over 373 miles (600 km) on a single charge. Theres also no mention of charging speeds, but one interesting piece of information is Toyota’s claim that the battery will still have a 90 percent capacity after 10 years. Anyone know if these BYD guys do smartphones?

Dimensionally, the bZ3 comes up predictably close to its Tesla rival, but is fractionally larger in every metric. It measures 186-in (4,725 mm) from bumper to bumper, stands 58-in (1,475 mm) tall and rides on a 113.4-in (2,880 mm) wheelbase. And while the 0.218 Cd factor doesn’t set any world records, it’s still impressively slippery, and surely contributes to that 373-mile range capability. The bZ4X SUV is far less slippery, at Cd 0.29.

The two bZs are also separated by their approach to interior design. Both feature digital instrument displays mounted far off under the windshield that the driver views by looking over, rather than through the steering wheel. But the sedan gets a large portrait touchscreen on its console instead of the landscape console touchscreen fitted to the bZ4X SUV.

Toyota says the EV has been designed specifically for the Chinese market and makes no mention of North American or international sales. To be fair, neither does it rule the possibility out, but even if Toyota had originally been considering U.S. sales, recent changes to the tax credit system probably nixed those plans. Only North American-built cars qualify for EV credits, meaning it would be hard for the bZ3 to compete on price with the Tesla Model 3 in the U.S.

In China, however, the bZ3 is expected to massively undercut its Tesla rival. Reuters recently reported that the Toyota would sell for roughly ¥200,000, which equates to just $28,000, comfortably less than the ¥279,000 ($38,665) Chinese EV buyers need to spend to get into the cheapest Model 3.