Toyota has taken to the Shanghai Motor Show to show off its two upcoming bZ electric cars in concept form.
The bZ Sport Crossover and bZ Flexspace are previews of the Japanese giant’s upcoming production cars, which will go on sale in China next year but have yet to be confirmed for a European or UK launch.
The duo comes as a wave of ten electric cars that Toyota plans to sell in China by 2026.
The most distinctive of the pair is the outrageously colored bZ Sports Crossover – a sleek, tall four-door coupe that looks set to become a performance-oriented sibling to the upcoming bZ3X we’ll get in the UK (previewed by the Compact). crossover concept).
Toyota hasn’t given details on what’s underneath the “active and distinctive” body, but it’s highly likely that it will use the same e-TNGA architecture as the Toyota bZ4X, given that it’s being developed in partnership with Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC). which builds the bZ4X for the Chinese market.
Elsewhere, Toyota has borrowed battery technology from Chinese manufacturer BYD for its new bZ3 sedan, but has yet to detail any other future cars that will emerge from the tie-up.
Inside, the concept looks relatively production-ready, with a curved central infotainment screen and large digital instrument cluster, while the unusually shaped steering wheel suggests the production car will have the new Toyota steering by cable, controlled by a yoke device.
Toyota says it has been designed “with features to provide personal space for younger customers” and will be kept up-to-date via over-the-air updates after purchase.
Meanwhile, the bZ Flexspace concept looks to preview a new mid-size electric SUV to sit atop the bZ4X. It’s a large, upright, family-focused SUV that touts a “reliable cruising range.”
