Toyota has a dirt-cheap new electric SUV, but not in Australia

Toyota is gunning for BYD on its home turf with its latest electric SUV, developed with another Chinese carmaker.

The bZ3X, revealed last year and developed by the GAC Toyota joint venture, has been priced and opens at just 109,800 yuan (~A$24,000).

That makes it 10,000 yuan (~A$2200) cheaper than even the most affordable BYD Yuan Plus (Atto 3) available in China.

Closely related to GAC’s Aion V electric SUV, the bZ3X measures 4600mm long, 1850mm wide and 1600mm tall on a 2765mm wheelbase.

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It’s therefore 145mm longer, 25mm narrower and 15mm lower than an Atto 3 on a 45mm longer wheelbase.

The bZ3X is powered by a single front-mounted electric motor, producing either 150kW of power and 200Nm of torque or 165kW and 210Nm.

There’s also a choice of 50.03kWh, 58.37kWh or 67.92kWh lithium iron phosphate batteries, with range of 430km, 520km and 610km respectively – all on the more lenient CLTC cycle.

The bZ3X rides on MacPherson strut front and torsion-beam rear suspension.

Even the base model comes equipped with an 8.8-inch instrument cluster screen, 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system, six-way power driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, 18-inch alloy wheels and a nine-speaker sound system.

However, to get a suite of active safety technology that includes adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-centring, rear cross-traffic alert, and safe exit warning, you need to step up to the 520 Pro+.

This wears a price tag of 139,800 yuan, which still works out to only around A$30,000.

A further Intelligent Driving Package offered on the bZ3X brings features like lane-level navigation, automated lane changes and semi-autonomous parking assist with remote functionality.

All this tech is powered not just by traditional sensors, camera and radar, but also a LiDAR unit.

For reference, the cheapest bZ4X in China – where it’s also built – is priced at 179,800 yuan (~A$39,400), whereas the mid-sized electric SUV range opens at $66,000 in Australia.

Toyota Australia sources the bZ4X from Japan.

The bZ3X’s sharp pricing comes after Toyota sales fell 6.9 per cent last year in China to 1,775,995 units.

“Despite a successful sales promotion strategy linked to the government’s vehicle purchase subsidy policy in the second half of the year, sales were down year-on-year as the shift to new energy vehicles and severe market conditions such as intensifying price competition continued,” the company said in its global sales release earlier this year.

Toyota has joint ventures with both GAC and FAW in China, and has also worked closely with BYD. The bZ3 sedan, for example, features batteries and electric motors sourced from BYD.

While the bZ3X has been confirmed as a China-only model for now, GAC has confirmed it plans to enter the Australian market this year, with the Aion V among the vehicles likely to launch here.

Toyota sells just one EV in Australia, the bZ4X, while in China it has the bZ3, bZ3X, bZ4X and, soon, the bZ3C coupe SUV.

It has previously confirmed it plans to sell three EVs in Australia, however, by 2026.

One of those could be a production version of the bZ Compact SUV concept, which will be revealed on March 12.