Electric 2023 Toyota BZ Corolla spied in China, Australian launch unlikely

UPDATE, February 2023: New Corolla rendered

While we wait for Toyota to offer more details on its next-generation model plans – electric and otherwise – we've had a crack at imagining how the next Corolla will look. The question is, will it also go electric? Get that story at the link below.

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Rendering by Theottle

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Electric 2023 Toyota BZ Corolla spied in China, Australian launch unlikely

A prototype thought to be a fully-electric 2023 Toyota BZ Corolla has been caught testing ahead of its release in late 2022, but don’t expect to see the vehicle in local showrooms any time soon.

While the model name has yet to be confirmed, it’s believed Toyota is co-developing a cut-price Corolla with Chinese electric carmaker BYD, though the car will be exclusive to China according to a report from Reuters.

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Despite the camouflage, the sedan appears to be the same as the BZ SDN concept previewed at Toyota’s electric vehicle (EV) showcase in late 2021, based on these photos posted to Korean forum Autospy.

The BZ Corolla is expected to be unveiled at the Beijing motor show in April, featuring a new lithium-ion-phosphate Blade battery from BYD – a new type of battery which offers higher energy density and significantly increased safety features compared with most EV batteries.

Toyota isn’t the only company looking to use the new technology. In 2021, a rumour out of China suggested Tesla was also looking to use BYD’s batteries in its cars, with media reporting Tesla vehicles will begin deliveries with the new Blade battery pack from the second quarter of 2022.

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"The [Toyota] was enabled by BYD battery technology," an anonymous source told Reuters in December.

"It has more or less helped us resolve challenges we had faced in coming up with an affordable small electric sedan with a roomy interior."

Offering improved rear-seat legroom over internal-combustion models, the 2023 Toyota BZ Corolla is likely to be offered in China for ¥200,000, or just over AU$41,000.