Honda & Toyota Introduce New Battery Electric SUVs In China

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Last Updated on: 8th March 2025, 10:23 am

With the exception of Nissan, Japanese car companies have been famously reluctant to bring competitive electric cars to market. On the other hand, the Japanese have always been good at tailoring their offerings to local markets. The EV revolution is in full swing in China, so if Honda and Toyota want to be successful at selling cars there, which is the largest new car market in the world today, they have to put aside their skittishness about EVs and get off the schneid. And while they are at it, they should offer Chinese customers what they want most, which is SUVs. According to two news reports, that is exactly what both Honda and Toyota are doing in cooperation with their Chinese joint venture partners.

Honda Introduces S7 Electric SUV

Unveiled in concept form last year, the Honda S7, built in conjunction with Dongfeng, is aimed directly at the Tesla Model Y, with similar dimensions and prices. It’s a little bigger in some dimensions, but overall it should appeal to many buyers considering the Tesla offering. According to CarScoops, the S7 is available with either a single rear motor rated at 268 horsepower (200 kW) or dual motors with a combined output of 469 hp (350 kW). Both versions are equipped with an 89.8 kWh NMC battery pack. The S7 is 4,750 mm (187.0 inches) long, 1,930 mm (75.98 inches) wide, and 1,625 mm (64.02 inches) tall. Those dimensions are very close to the Model Y, except the Tesla is about 50 mm longer overall.

It is built on a relatively large 2,930 mm (115.4 inches) wheelbase with a minimum ground clearance of 193 mm (7.6 inches). This puts the S7 in the range of your average compact SUV for exterior dimensions, but with a wheelbase that is longer than many midsize SUVs. For comparison, the Honda Pilot, which is not a small car by any means, has a wheelbase that is nearly 2 inches shorter. The extra wheelbase of the S7 allows for 860 mm of rear seat legroom, an attribute meant to appeal specifically to Chinese customers.

The single-motor Honda S7, at ¥259,900 ($35,800), is priced to compete with the Tesla Model Y, the Onvo L60, and the Zeekr 7X. The dual-motor version starts at ¥309, 900 ($42,840). The single-motor car has a range of 650 km (404 miles) in the wildly optimistic CLTC test cycle. The all-wheel-drive car checks in at a little less than that — 620 km (385 miles).

CarScoops says the S7 stands out in a way that no other Honda sold in markets outside of China does, which will help it cut through the noise of China’s crowded car market. Inside, the S7 leans heavily into tech and luxury. In the center of the front passenger compartment are two touchscreens oriented vertically — a 12.8-inch screen above and 10.25 inch screen below. Just ahead of the driver there is a 9.9 inch digital instrument cluster. Gone are the traditional side view mirrors, replaced by cameras and screens mounted on the doors.

The cabin of the electric Honda also features twin electrochroamatic glass roof panels for that open, airy feel. Audiophiles can opt for a 16-speaker Bose sound system that includes speakers in the front headrests. ADAS features include active cruise control, pre-collision warning, lane keeping assist, and parking assist. CnEVPost says that many media reports indicated the S7 may offer Honda Sensing 360+ as well as a Huawei smart driving solution for customers to choose from, but this did not become a reality. Is all that goodness enough to attract Chinese customers to the Honda brand? That is the question on everyone’s mind at the moment.

Toyota bZ3X Gets 10,000 Orders In 60 Minutes

Toyota, which has been criticized for its unwillingness to adopt electric vehicles, unveiled its own electric SUV for the Chinese market this week. Known as the bZ3X, it starts at ¥109,800, or roughly $15,000. It received 10,000 orders in the first hour after Toyota and its joint venture partner GAC started taking orders for the car. For context, the GAC Toyota Highlander, similar to the one sold in North America, starts at ¥284,800 ($39,300), while the Camry starts at ¥171,800 ($23,700).

The base version of the bZ3X, called the 430 Air, comes with a 50 kWh LFP battery pack, which Toyota says is good for 430 km (267 miles) in the CTLC cycle. Toyota will also offer the bZ3X in 520 Pro for ¥120,980 ($16,700) and 520 Pro+ for ¥139,800 ($19,300) versions, both of which are equipped with a larger 58 kWh battery and a range of 520 km (323 miles). All 430 and 520 models feature a single 204 hp electric motor. The version offering the most range is the 610 Max, which has a 68 kWh pack and a range of 610 km (379 miles). It also has a more powerful 224 hp motor and starts at ¥159,800 ($22,000).

Two versions of the 520 Pro offering advanced driver-assistance systems have also been announced, priced at ¥149,800 ($20,700) and ¥159,800 ($22,000), respectively. These models include 11 cameras, 12 ultrasonic radars, 3 mm wave radars, and one LiDAR, all powered by the Nvidia Drive AGX Orin X. Inside, the bZ3X features a 14.6-inch infotainment display, an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster, and an 11-speaker Yamaha audio system as standard equipment. The car itself measures 4,600 mm (181.1 inches) in length, 1,875 mm (73.8 inches) in width, and 1,645 mm (64.7 inches) in height, with a wheelbase of 2,765 mm (108.8 inches), meaning it’s roughly the same size as a RAV4. It weighs in at 1,835 kg (4,045 lbs), which is fairly typical for this type of electric vehicle.

The Takeaway

Honda is clearly targeting the mid-level market for electric SUVs, while Toyota is attempting a more difficult task — competing head to head with the likes of BYD, which just this week introduced the Yuan Plus with built-in refrigerator and God’s Eye ADAS for the startlingly low price of $15,970. The competition in China is brutal, but both Honda and Toyota have to compete with the best local brands. There’s no more coasting on the strength of their name recognition. It’s put up or shut up time for both companies and both have responded with competitive offerings in their respective classes. Now the sales totals will tell the tale. It’s go big or go home time for both companies.

The one thing not in their favor is that Chinese customers are now showing a clear preference for cars manufactured by Chinese companies — a headwind that has affected sales of all cars that carry the branding of foreign legacy manufacturers like Porsche, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Renault, and others. If the new offerings from Honda and Toyota are a swing and a miss in the marketplace, both companies may no longer be able to maintain a presence in China.