- Toyota grabbed 3,100 bZ7 orders during first launch hour.
- China-only flagship EV priced below smaller Tesla Model 3.
- Cabin features Huawei HarmonyOS and zero-gravity seats.
We’re seven months out from Black Friday, but Toyota could be forgiven for thinking it’s November already. The automaker was bombarded with 3,100 orders for its new electric sedan in just the first hour after it went on sale, which sounds nuts until you learn how much it costs.
The bZ7 is Toyota’s new flagship EV for China, launched through its GAC-Toyota joint venture. It’s big and full of clever tech, but it’s also ridiculously cheap. Prices begin at ¥147,800, or about $21,500, and rise to ¥199,800, roughly $29,000.
Related: Toyota’s Flagship Electric Sedan Undercuts Tesla Model S By Nearly $96,000 In China
China’s domestic market is so competitive that buyers’s aren’t short of bargains, but even so, the bZ7 looks like incredible value for money. At 5,130 mm (202 inches) long and with a 3,020 mm (118.9 inches) wheelbase, it is bigger than a Tesla Model S, but it’s priced below even the Model 3, which starts at ¥236,500 ($34,500) in China.
More Tortoise Than Hare
The biggest bZ is no Model S Plaid, with a peak power output of 278 hp (282 PS / 207 kW), but battery choices include 71 kWh and 88 kWh LFP packs delivering claimed CLTC ranges of up to 440 miles (710 km) depending on trim. Toyota also says fast charging can add 186 miles (300 km) in 10 minutes.
And although it won’t win many drag races, it will impress plenty of drivers with its tech. Available zero-gravity front seats offer heating, ventilation, and massage functions. A floating 15.6-inch center display dominates the dash, backed by a smaller driver screen and head-up display.
Sensory Overload
The cabin runs Huawei’s HarmonyOS system on a floating 15.6-inch center display, and there’s integration with Xiaomi’s smart-home ecosystem, meaning drivers can interact with household devices from the car. You can also spec a cutting-edge driver assistance pack with roof-mounted lidar, five millimetre-wave radars, 11 high-definition cameras, and 10 ultrasonic radars.
That’s 27 sensors to keep you safe, or just 27 electrical headaches for a used owner a decade down the road, depending on your point of view.
