- The GAC-Toyota bZ3X Knight Edition is bathed in black with matching badges.
- GAC-Toyota will sell the electric SUV in 520 Pro and 520 Pro Lidar guises.
- Both versions use the same 58 kWh battery pack and a 201 hp electric motor.
Chinese buyers now have a special version of the popular GAC-Toyota bZ3X at their disposal, and it’s yet another model that the US sadly misses out on. Known as the Knight Edition, it may have a name that leaves a little to be desired, but it offers a stealthy appeal and remains remarkably affordable.
The differences between the Knight Edition and the standard bZ3X aren’t all that significant, but it could suit those who like their cars to be blacked out. In addition to sporting a black paint scheme, the Knight Edition features black badges at the front and rear and sits on a set of unique 18-inch wheels with black-and-silver aero covers.
Read: Toyota’s Cheapest EV Ever Costs $15,000, Gets 10,000 Orders In 60 Minutes
Two versions will be offered – the standard 520 Pro Knight Edition and the 520 Pro Lidar Knight Edition, with the latter obviously adding an advanced Lidar sensor above the windshield. Other key features of the bZ3X Knight Edition include an 11-speaker Yamaha audio system, heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats, and small tables that fold down from the backs of the front seats, just like in a commercial airliner.
A Small Battery, But Decent Range
No alterations have been made to the powertrain. As such, both 520 Pro models use the standard SUV’s 58 kWh battery pack and front-mounted electric motor, giving the GAC-Toyota model 201 hp and a driving range of up to 232 miles (520 km).
Interestingly, non-Knight Edition versions of the bZ3X can be configured with more power and more range in 610 Max guise. This version has a larger 68-kWh battery and an electric motor producing 221 hp, and it boasts a 379-mile (610 km) range.
The compact SUV stretches 4,600 mm (181.1 inches) long, 1,875 mm (73.8 inches) wide, and 1,645 mm (64.7 inches) tall, on a 2,765 mm (108.8-inch) wheelbase. Length and width line up with the RAV4, though it rides a couple inches lower. The wheelbase is where it pulls ahead, nearly three inches longer than the Toyota’s, which means more room for the people inside. At 1,835 kg (4,045 lbs), it weighs about what you’d expect from an electric crossover this size.
Local prices for the 520 Pro Knight Edition start at 114,800 yuan ($16,900), while the Lidar-equipped version runs 134,800 yuan ($19,900). By American standards both numbers look almost made up. The base car undercuts the bZ ($34,900) by more than half and lands roughly $15,000 under an ICE RAV4 ($31,900 before delivery). Even the pricier Lidar model comes in well below either one. Nothing sold in the U.S. gets even close.
