Toyota’s $15K electric SUV is the best-selling foreign EV in China

Toyota’s new electric SUV is already off to a strong start. Starting at about $15,000 in China, Toyota’s new bZ3X electric SUV was the best-selling EV among foreign brands in China last month.

Toyota’s bZ3X was the best-selling foreign EV in May

After a slow start (to put it nicely), Toyota is now looking to capture its share of the world’s largest electric vehicle market. The Japanese automaker launched a series of new low-cost electric cars that are already helping it turn things around in China, one of its most important markets.

Toyota’s joint venture, GAC Toyota, launched the bZ3X in March, starting at just 109,800 yuan, or about $15,000.

The bZ3X is Toyota’s “first 100,000 yuan-level pure electric SUV” and most affordable EV so far in China. So far, the low-cost electric SUV looks to be a hit.

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Toyota’s new bZ3X electric SUV was the best-selling foreign-owned vehicle in China in May with 4,344 units sold. The Volkswagen ID.3 was second, with 4,217 units, while Nissan’s new N7 sedan ranked third, with 3,034 units. Rounding out the top five were BMW’s i3 (2,605) and the VW ID.4 CROZZ (2,600).

After launching the new low-cost EV on March 6, GAC Toyota claimed the bZ3X was “so popular that the server crashed” with over 10,000 orders in an hour.

At the end of April, Peng Baolin, General Manager of Sales at GAC-Toyota, said the company had already delivered over 10,000 bZ3X models to customers. Baolin added that the electric SUV had another 12,000 pending orders at the time.

At 4,645 mm in length, 1,885 mm in width, and 1,625 mm in height, the bZ3X is about the same size as the BYD Yuan Plus (sold as the Atto 3 overseas).

The bZ3X is available in seven different trims. Five of them do not include a LiDAR, while the other two do, making Toyota the first joint venture brand to offer one in China. Upgrading to the LiDAR variants costs 149,800 yuan ($20,500).

It’s offered with two battery options: 50.03 kWh and 67.92 kWh, which offer CLTC driving ranges of 430 km (267 miles) and 610 km (379 miles), respectively.

The interior is an upgrade from most Toyota vehicles we are accustomed to, featuring a simple yet tech-heavy cabin. A 12.3″ infotainment screen sits at the center with an added 8.8″ driver cluster.

GAC Toyota designed the interior for more than just getting from one place to another. With nearly 10 feet (3 meters) of space with all seats folded, the bZ3X offers “a mobile space that is as comfortable as home.

Equipped with Momenta’s 5.0 smart driving system, the electric SUV offers ADAS features like Level 2 assisted driving, remote parking, and more.

Toyota said earlier this year that “2025 is the starting point of a new 60th anniversary for Toyota China.” By partnering with local companies, “We will define products with Chinese wisdom, promote innovation at Chinese speed, and let the Chinese market drive Toyota’s global evolution.”

Electrek’s Take

Toyota is finally gaining some traction in China with advanced new electric vehicles, custom-tailored to the market.

During its Tech Day event held on Thursday, GAC Toyota announced several new partnerships with some of China’s biggest tech leaders, including Huawei, Xiami, and Momenta.

The new alliances will help Toyota build an entire ecosystem centered on software, smart driving, AI, and other EV tech as part of its new “China R&D 2.0” strategy.

Toyota’s new vehicles are already helping turn things around in China. In April, the Japanese automakers’ sales rose 20% year-over-year, with nearly 143,000 cars sold. Toyota attributed its success to the shift to new energy vehicles and strong dealership promotions.

Through May, Toyota’s sales in China are up 7.7% with 530,000 vehicles sold. With several new EVs rolling out, including the bZ3X and its new bZ5, which launched this week, starting at about $18,000. At about the same size as the Tesla Model Y, but only half the cost, will it see the same demand? We’ll find out soon as delivery and sales numbers are released.