The Toyota bZ3 is priced lower than the BYD Han EV in China, but higher than the BYD Destroyer 05 PHEV.

(Image from FAW Toyota Weibo)

The Toyota bZ3 electric sedan with BYD battery and motor is available for pre-order in China, where the model was officially unveiled last October.

Toyota's joint venture in China, FAW Toyota, announced the model's pricing yesterday, with a starting price range of RMB 169,800 ($24,500) - 199,800.

The car is a collaboration between BYD and Toyota and is Toyota's first all-electric sedan.

The Toyota bZ3 is based on the company's e-TNGA all-electric vehicle platform and is powered by blade batteries and motors supplied by BYD.

The car measures 4,725 mm in length, 1,835 mm in width and 1,475 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,880 mm and a wind resistance coefficient of 0.218 cd.

The Toyota bZ3 is equipped with a single rear-mounted electric motor, available in 135 kW and 180 kW options, both with a peak torque of 303 Nm.

The vehicle is equipped with BYD blade batteries based on lithium iron phosphate chemistry with capacities of 49.92 kWh and 65.28 kWh, respectively, and a CLTC combined range of 517 km and 616 km, respectively.

The Toyota bZ3 supports fast charging and can be charged from 30 percent to 80 percent in 27 minutes.

In August last year, the model entered a regulatory catalog in China, where the information revealed that it would be equipped with BYD batteries and motors sparked widespread interest.

On October 25, Toyota China officially unveiled the bZ3, the second model in the bZ series after the bZ4X SUV.

FAW Toyota offers three versions of the bZ3 with starting prices of RMB 169,800, 189,800 and 199,800 respectively.

This price range is lower than the starting price of BYD's all-electric Han EV at RMB 219,800 to RMB 239,800, but higher than BYD's hybrid model Destroyer 05 at RMB 121,800 to RMB 157,800.

The BYD Destroyer 05 measures 4,780 mm in length, 1,837 mm in width and 1,495 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,718 mm.

In China's fast-growing NEV market, local car companies are rapidly rising, while joint ventures are significantly lagging behind.

A month ago, Toyota's other joint venture in China, GAC Toyota, announced an RMB 30,000 price cut for the bZ4X, bringing the starting price down from RMB 199,800 to RMB 169,800.

Subsequently, images circulating on Chinese social media showed some FAW Toyota dealership stores lowering the price of the model by RMB 60,000, bringing the starting price down to RMB 139,800.

($1 = RMB 6.930)

Toyota cuts bZ4X electric SUV price in China by $4,420