Toyota Just Thrashed Tesla

The upcoming bz3 could dethrone the Model 3.

Many traditional automotive manufacturers have tried to overtake Tesla, but none of them have ever come close in terms of range, longevity, performance, and price. Even Volkswagen and Mercedes, two of the largest and best-funded manufacturers out there, have fallen well short of the mark. Yet, this might not be the case for Toyota, as their upcoming bZ3 seems to absolutely trounce everything Tesla has put into production thus far. So, should Musk be worried?

The bZ3 is Toyota’s direct competitor to the Model 3 Long Range. It shares the small sedan body style, with similar internal space and even a similar driving range. But that is where the similarities end, as everything else about the bZ3 seems to exist in another league.

Take the bZ3’s battery, for example. Toyota has done a very typical Toyota thing here and heavily prioritised safety, reliability, and longevity. As such, they have opted to use BYD’s revolutionary LiFePO4 blade cell batteries. This battery chemistry is far cheaper and safer than the lithium-ion chemistry used by Tesla’s LG M50 cells. BYD has also used this chemistry to significantly extend the longevity of these cells.

This is why the bZ3 is rated as only having 10% battery degradation after ten years of normal operation, while the Model 3 is rated as having 30% degradation after eight years of normal operation. Such longevity will make buying cheap second-hand EVs possible, and it will also make the bZ3 a really tantalising alternative to the Model 3 for domestic and commercial use, including taxis.

It doesn’t just stop at longevity, though, as the bZ3 is also astonishingly efficient. It has a drag coefficient of 0.218 compared to the Tesla’s 0.23, making it a great deal more aerodynamic. This is why, despite having a battery pack 10 kWh smaller, the bZ3 has a range of 372 miles while the Model 3 has a range of 340. Though these aren’t direct comparisons, given they are calculated using different methods, the bZ3 will almost certainly travel further per charge in the real world.

While there is no word yet from Toyota regarding the bZ3’s charge time, we can guesstimate it based upon other vehicles that use the BYD Blade Battery, which is rated for 10%–80% charge in 30 minutes. If the bZ3 follows this trend, then it should be able to match the Model 3’s charge time, give or take a few minutes.

But surely a Toyota can’t match a Tesla in terms of performance? Well, sadly, this is where the bZ3 falls behind. While the Tesla accelerates like a madman with its 491 horsepower (more than a Ferrari 430!), the bZ3 only goes up to 241 horsepower. However, this means the bZ3 will have similar power to a VW Golf GTI, and like all sporty cars, it will be rear-wheel drive. In combination with Toyota’s promise that the car will “drive with responsive performance, with a low centre of gravity and excellent handling stability,” this will hopefully mean that driving it will be far from a dull experience.

However, where the bZ3 really thrashes the Tesla is price. You see, the Tesla Model 3 Long Range currently sells for about $56,000, while the bZ3 starts at $28,000! Once you spec the more powerful motor and slightly larger battery, the price of the bZ3 will likely rise to the mid-$30Ks, but that is still appreciably cheaper than the Tesla!

So, when can you buy this brilliant EV? Well, possibly never. Toyota developed this car for the Chinese market and currently has no plans to offer it anywhere else. There is a chance that they will sell it in other non-Chinese markets in the future, which means that maybe in four or five years, we will be able to get this car. But because it is built in China, there will be import taxes to pay if they offer it elsewhere, which could bump up the price (though, even so, not enough to make it more expensive than the Tesla).

So, should Tesla be worried? If I was Musk, I would be. BYD and Toyota have taken LiFePO4 technology, which is typically reserved for cheaper low-range EVs, and engineered it to deliver a massive range and insane longevity while still retaining a low price point. Such technology has the ability to massively undermine Tesla in price, while retaining similar specs. With this, legacy manufacturers can finally fight back, dethrone Tesla, and secure their future in the EV world. So, while the bZ3 seems set to stay a China-only model, the technology that enables it is a hint as to the upset that is about to happen in the EV world.