- Toyota unveiled the bZ7, a new flagship electric sedan based on the synonymous concept intended for China.
- The automaker leveraged its partnership with the Chinese firm GAC to develop the sedan, which measures nearly 200 inches long, making it longer than the Camry.
- It will finish development and go on sale in China within the next year, though we’d warn against any hopes Toyota will sell the model in the United States.
Easy-to-understand naming conventions be damned, Toyota just added another model to its bZ electric lineup, this time revealing the bZ7, a new flagship EV sedan built for China. If it looks familiar to you, that’s because the bZ7 is effectively the production version of the strikingly similar concept shown last year. ToyotaThe new sedan is the result of a joint venture between Toyota and GAC, a Chinese automaker. It joins the bZ3, bZ3X, bZ4X, and bZ5 in Toyota’s EV lineup for the country.
Toyota is holding many of the bZ7’s specifications close to its chest, but the automaker did reveal that the new flagship sedan measures more than five meters in length, or nearly 200 inches. That length makes it considerably longer than the current Camry, and places it more in line with the Crown. Styling remains true to last year’s concept, with the bZ7 sporting a roof-mounted lidar sensor, a front light bar, and split headlights similar to those found on the Prius. Unlike last year’s concept, which didn’t have any door handles, the production version sports regular old latches—not even the pop-out kind found on many EVs. ToyotaInside, the bZ7 looks to step things up from the rest of Toyota’s bZ lineup. The seats are made from a perforated white leather, and the dashboard and door cars are accented with wood trim and snazzy ambient lighting. There’s no mention of pricing, but Toyota calls the bZ7 its flagship electric car in China, so it likely won’t be cheap. As for any hopes the automaker will bring the car Stateside, we’d advise against getting your hopes up for this one. More on ToyotaJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
Source: caranddriver.com
