Featured Toyota’s Cheapest EV Ever Costs $15,000, Gets 10,000 Orders In 60 Minutes

While Toyota's claims seem so dishonest so often these days, especially this one... It really is a necessity that they do this if they want to stay competitive in BYD's primary market in China.

And the fact that they're even trying to compete does alot to prove that they've been lying about EV cars not being the most ideal vehicle design in terms of keeping prices down and that hybrid cars are better.

Meanwhile much of the western world is more interested in banning BYD from their markets than competing with them to make vehicles affordable again.

I bet China does similar stuff with housing, which is another racket that manufacturers want to keep as expensive as possible while claiming they're striving to be affordable.

 

The batteries, controls and labor are all Chinese. This is why Musk wants big tariffs.

 

The bZ3 is also a joint venture with Chinese companies.

 

Actually fully designed by Chinese too.

Source: Musk Fights Tariffs on Graphite From China - TT

Elon Musk’s Tesla Inc. is spearheading an effort to block new tariffs on graphite imports from China, pitting Donald Trump’s richest backer against the president’s favorite economic tool.

Graphite is an essential component in the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles, and China makes more of it than any other country. It is currently subject to U.S. tariffs of 25%.

Yet U.S. graphite producers argue that their Chinese counterparts keep their prices artificially low. They have asked the federal government to impose much steeper tariffs, which they say would help a critical new domestic industry take root, even if it drives up costs for Tesla and other companies that build EVs in America.
. . .​

Kinda of a funny way to "wants big tariffs."

Bob Wilson

 

He does not want $20k Chinese EVs sold in the US. He would love to have cheap raw materials for his cars.

 

Ok, I showed my source. Yours?

Bob Wilson

 

If the bZ3 ever makes it to the US Market and sells for it's fall 2025 expected chinese MSRP - converted into US or CAN dollars, would any of you consider taking one for a test drive?
Dig Deep !

 

Electric Toyota bZ3C SUV will have 630km range and lidar powered self-driving

youtu.be/CeW7z3AwHdU

during CoVid it was possible to grad a base model Versa for 13 K and some change

https://www.nissanusa.com/shopping-tools/build-price?models=versa&dcp=psn.58700008604893294&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIo-ui5bn8iwMV2lhHAR2XlQDcEAAYASAAEgJDdvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

The IRA was moving battery production and sourcing minerals for them to friendly countries without tariffs.

Did he speak out against the high tariffs the US put on Chinese brand EVs?

It won't. Toyota is only making these because they have to in order to sell any type of ICE car in China.

I'd consider a Chinese EV; intrigued by the Funky Cat. The model reviews I've seen on the ones available elsewhere liked the cars.

 

IMHO; it's a BYD with Toyota badging.
Just like the new Celica; a BMW with Toyota badging.
Just like the Bz4X; a Subaru with Toyota badging.

Seeing a pattern here??????

 

The OP report is this SUV is done with GAC. The bZ3 sedan was with FAW and BYD.
Seems GAC and FAW are Toyota's main partners for building or importing their global models for China.

Likely some parts are BYD, it is the SUV version of the sedan. GAC does have its own EV group though.

 

and it doesn't hurt to have a "middle-man" in place for their products, in a country that despises them.
BYD doesn't have to have sales, marketing, and regulatory hurtles and keeps their employees busy - though less profitable.

 

Depends on what that msrp winds up being, and what the details of a us version are

 

Pretty sure the badging is Toyota still.

Won't be coming here. Doesn't look like the bZ3 sedan got out of China, and it's been in production for 2 years. If the SUV is exported, the US will be the last market to get it.

 

I wouldn’t expect it to, was just answering
@vvillovv ’s question.
But the more I think about it, if it’s mostly Chinese, no

 

Facts?

Cheater....

 

Toyota already knows what sells here and what doesn't. Is that their fault?

 

Selling a $50K or higher EV or Hybrid plugin in the US and claiming that they know what sells and what doesn't in the US market is absurd. Same kind of stupid as Marie Antoinette wanting to solve a lack of bread for poor people with cake.

Truth is automakers already know that expensive EVs that only the wealthy can afford has reached saturation and the only remaining demand is in building affordable EVs, which BYD in China has proven possible and because Toyota's only chance to compete with BYD in the Chinese market is with this $15K EV. So let's stop with all the lies that affordable EVs aren't possible, when the truth is they're effectively banning the sale of affordable EVs anywhere but in China and in China friendly countries.