Photo: Toyota
Toyota appears to accelerate its EV game under the management of Koji Sato, as it just announced two new electric vehicles planned for 2024 production in China. The bZ Sport Crossover Concept and bZ FlexSpace Concept introduced at Auto Shanghai 2023 give us a glimpse into Toyota's future EV lineup.
Toyota didn't impress many people with its EV plans, except when its former CEO Akio Toyoda announced in December 2021 the development of 30 electric vehicles in the next seven years. If anything, the announcement set the expectations so high that everything that followed was disappointing. The surprising stepdown of Toyoda and the naming of Koji Sato as the new CEO puts the Japanese carmaker again on the right course to electromobility.
Although Sato did not rule out hydrogen and the combustion engine, it's evident that Toyota is changing its mindset to finally take on Tesla and the rest of the automotive industry. Sato recently announced a new automotive platform specifically designed for electric vehicles. It also hinted at a radical change in manufacturing to challenge Tesla in efficiency and margins. While these changes will bear fruit beyond 2026, Toyota has more urgent plans in China.
In Shanghai, the Japanese carmaker unveiled two electric concepts, the Toyota bZ Sport Crossover Concept and bZ FlexSpace Concept. These are more than just design studies, as both are planned to enter production in China in 2024. So far, we don't know whether they will be sold outside China. Still, everything is on the table, considering how far Toyota is behind the EV competition.
The bZ Sports Crossover Concept depicts a coupe-SUV version of the bZ3 sedan built in partnership with BYD. Not surprisingly, the sporty electric crossover is jointly developed by Toyota, Toyota China, BYD Toyota EV, and FAW Toyota Motor and will be produced by the latter company. Toyota says the bZ Sports Crossover Concept marks a "Reboot," which can be a metaphor for both Toyota and the driving experience the upcoming EV offers.
The crossover is pitched to younger customers, or Gen Z, as emphasized by the fresh cabin design. Toyota aims to offer an evolving experience with the upcoming production model, with intelligent features updated and added via over-the-air updates. The minimalist interior features a square-ish interpretation of the steering wheel and curved displays for the instrument panel and multimedia. The cabin design contrasts with the concept's exterior, which looks ready for production. We fully expect to see a more traditional dashboard in the production model.
The Toyota bZ FlexSpace Concept previews a family-focused SUV focusing on utility. The concept behind this study is "Cozy Home," as Toyota wanted to create a space that families would consider safe and comfortable. You can sense this by looking at the design, which is more conservative than the one on the bZ Sports Crossover Concept. The electric SUV is bigger even than the compact bZ4X and will offer a huge cabin space.
The available technology is a notch above the Gen-Z crossover, as we can see from the head-up display and the touch surfaces in the cockpit. Toyota did not offer details but described the technology in general terms such as "advanced safety" and "intelligent functions." This vehicle was developed by Toyota in partnership with Toyota China, Guangzhou Automobile Group, and GAC Toyota Motor, with the latter company tasked with production and sales.
Although Sato did not rule out hydrogen and the combustion engine, it's evident that Toyota is changing its mindset to finally take on Tesla and the rest of the automotive industry. Sato recently announced a new automotive platform specifically designed for electric vehicles. It also hinted at a radical change in manufacturing to challenge Tesla in efficiency and margins. While these changes will bear fruit beyond 2026, Toyota has more urgent plans in China.
In Shanghai, the Japanese carmaker unveiled two electric concepts, the Toyota bZ Sport Crossover Concept and bZ FlexSpace Concept. These are more than just design studies, as both are planned to enter production in China in 2024. So far, we don't know whether they will be sold outside China. Still, everything is on the table, considering how far Toyota is behind the EV competition.
The bZ Sports Crossover Concept depicts a coupe-SUV version of the bZ3 sedan built in partnership with BYD. Not surprisingly, the sporty electric crossover is jointly developed by Toyota, Toyota China, BYD Toyota EV, and FAW Toyota Motor and will be produced by the latter company. Toyota says the bZ Sports Crossover Concept marks a "Reboot," which can be a metaphor for both Toyota and the driving experience the upcoming EV offers.
The crossover is pitched to younger customers, or Gen Z, as emphasized by the fresh cabin design. Toyota aims to offer an evolving experience with the upcoming production model, with intelligent features updated and added via over-the-air updates. The minimalist interior features a square-ish interpretation of the steering wheel and curved displays for the instrument panel and multimedia. The cabin design contrasts with the concept's exterior, which looks ready for production. We fully expect to see a more traditional dashboard in the production model.
The Toyota bZ FlexSpace Concept previews a family-focused SUV focusing on utility. The concept behind this study is "Cozy Home," as Toyota wanted to create a space that families would consider safe and comfortable. You can sense this by looking at the design, which is more conservative than the one on the bZ Sports Crossover Concept. The electric SUV is bigger even than the compact bZ4X and will offer a huge cabin space.
The available technology is a notch above the Gen-Z crossover, as we can see from the head-up display and the touch surfaces in the cockpit. Toyota did not offer details but described the technology in general terms such as "advanced safety" and "intelligent functions." This vehicle was developed by Toyota in partnership with Toyota China, Guangzhou Automobile Group, and GAC Toyota Motor, with the latter company tasked with production and sales.
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