Auto expert and blogger Ilya Sviridov from the YouTube channel "Club Service" examined the affordable electric crossover Toyota bZ3X with mileage and shared the pros and cons of its operation. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

The Toyota bZ3X was developed jointly with China's GAC and is built on the same platform as the GAC Aion V. The electric motor, inverter, and reducer are of Japanese production, while the body and interior were designed for the Chinese market.

The electric crossover is equipped with a single motor on the front axle and batteries with capacities of 50, 58, or 68 kWh.

According to Sviridov, in China the model costs from 1.5 million rubles (about 8.9 million tenge), while in Russia the price reaches 4 million rubles (23.9 million tenge). In Kazakhstan, unofficial bZ3X units are offered from 12 million tenge.

Main issue: battery thermal management pump failure

According to the owner, the car travels about 150 km daily, including winter use. The only serious malfunction was the failure of the battery thermal management system pump, responsible for cooling in summer and heating in winter. After replacement, the car continued to run without problems.

Range: manufacturer's promise vs. reality

Although the manufacturer claims up to 500 km of range, in summer the electric crossover travels about 350 km, and in winter 200–250 km. The bZ3X can be charged both from a fast charging station and from a household outlet.

Expert opinion: battery is the most expensive part

According to the expert, the most expensive part of an electric vehicle is the traction battery. Therefore, when buying a used car, it is most important to check its condition. In some cases, the battery can be restored by replacing individual elements, but this procedure will also be expensive.

Design features

At the rear, the bZ3X has a semi-independent beam instead of a multi-link suspension, and the electric motor, inverter, and reducer are combined into one unit. According to Sviridov, this design is simpler and potentially cheaper to maintain.

Conclusion

In the end, the blogger called the Toyota bZ3X a good option for daily city trips, especially if you have home charging.

Earlier, Kursiv Auto reported how the Toyota bZ3X electric crossover, priced from 7 million tenge, became a sales hit in China. Sviridov also highlighted the differences between the "twins" Toyota RAV4 and Wildlander of Chinese production.