Shopping for a new car on a tight budget in the US often feels like choosing between a rock and a base-model hard place. At $18,000, your options are basically limited to something like the subcompact Nissan Versa or, if you’re lucky, a leftover 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage gathering dust on a dealer lot.

Take that same $18,000 across the Pacific to China, though, and suddenly you’re looking at an entirely different class of vehicle. One example? Toyota’s newly launched all-electric bZ5, a compact electric crossover priced from just 129,800 yuan, or roughly $18,100 at current exchange rates. That’s less than what many used five-year-old Corollas go for in the States.

Read: New Toyota bZ5 Debuts In China And It’s Powered By BYD

It’s a shockingly low price for what appears to be a well-equipped compact crossover with modern tech and clean styling that doesn’t scream ‘budget car’ from across the parking lot.

First showcased last month but only just launched in China, the bZ5 is the production version of the bZ3C that was presented 12 months ago in Beijing. It has been brought to life through the FAW-Toyota joint venture and will be offered in four variants.

Decent Performance

Under the hood – well, under the front panel, every version of the bZ5 come equipped with a front-mounted electric motor producing 200 kW (268 horsepower) and 330 Nm (243 lb-ft) of torque. Charging is handled via a 90 kW fast-charging system, which can take the battery from 30 to 80 percent in 27 minutes.

As for dimensions, the bZ5 measures 188.2 inches (4,780 mm) long, 73.5 inches (1,866 mm) wide, and 59.4 inches (1,510 mm) tall, with a wheelbase of 113.4 inches (2,880 mm). That makes it noticeably larger overall than the bZ4X that has been renamed to bZ in America, which measures 184.6 inches (4,690 mm) long, 73.2 inches (1,865 mm) wide, and 65.0 inches (1,650 mm) tall, with a 112.2-inch (2,850 mm) wheelbase.

Trim Levels, Pricing, and Range

Toyota hasn’t done something sneaky by introducing a bargain-basement entry-level version and then jacking the prices up significantly for higher-end models. In fact, the flagship version starts at just 159,800 yuan, or approximately $22,200.

Sitting at the base of the bZ5 family is the 550 Joy, priced from 129,800 yuan ($18,100). Right above it is the 550 Pro from 139,800 yuan ($19,400), the 550 Pro Smart Edition starting at 159,800 yuan (~$22,200), and the 630 Pro, which is also available from 159,800 yuan ($22,200). Both models use BYD’s Blade LFP battery packs.

The 550-branded models have a 65.28 kWh pack offering up 550 km (342 miles) of range, while the 630 Pro uses a 73.98 kWh pack good for 630 km (392 miles). Bear in mind, though, that these are figures from the generous CLTC cycle and probably won’t be quite as impressive in the real world.

Even so, for the money, there’s not much to complain about. Not only is the bZ5 cheap compared to what we pay here in the US for even the most basic of EVs, it also comfortably undercuts the Tesla Model Y in China. Despite being built locally, prices for it start at 263,500 yuan ($36,700), meaning you could buy two bZ5s for the price of one base RWD Model Y.

It’s not as though the Toyota is lacking in features either. It includes a Navigation on Autopilot system that uses 33 sensors, including a LiDAR in high-end models. There’s also a 10-speaker JBL audio system and a 15.6-inch infotainment display. Unlike the Model Y, there’s also a digital instrument cluster.

Photos Autohome / Toyota

Tesla might have been the first automaker to flirt with the concept of battery swapping stations for its EVs, but it’s China’s top car manufacturers that have fully embraced it, running miles ahead of the competition. Nio is currently leading the charge in battery swap tech, with thousands of stations scattered across China and even a few popping up in Europe. Soon, battery-swapping will become even more commonplace in China.

Just this week, Changan Automobile rolled out the first 1,000 units of its Oshan 520 sedan. Built with local taxi services in mind, these cars are significant for one reason: they’re the first to use CATL’s new Choco-SEB swappable battery packs.

What really steals the show here is the speed—these batteries can be swapped out in just 100 seconds at specialized stations that are about to become a common sight across China. Chongqing already boasts 34 Choco-SEB swap stations, and by 2025, CATL plans to have 1,000 of these stations spread across 31 cities.

Read: EV Battery Breakthrough Could Double Your Car’s Lifespan

CATL, which just so happens to be the world’s largest EV battery supplier, has inked deals with GAC, Chery, Nio, SAIC, FAW, BAIC, and others to build EVs with these new battery packs. This means vehicles from all those brands will be able to use CATL’s swap stations, which can handle 822 swaps each day each.

As for the Oshan 520, it’s got a modest 56 kWh battery, offering a respectable range of up to 515 km (320 miles). At a starting price of 166,890 yuan (around $23,100 at current exchange rates), it’s relatively affordable for the average Chinese driver.

The real benefit, though, lies in the battery swap tech. Taxi drivers, for example, can skip the agonizing wait at a high-speed charger and swap batteries in just 100 second. That’s faster than it would take to fuel up a traditional gas-powered car. In a world where time equals money, this is a huge win.

A slew of other Chinese EVs have already been confirmed to support the Choco-SEB battery system. These include the new GAC Aion S, Hongqi E-QM5, SAIC Roewe D7, BAIC C66, Wuling Bingo, Wuling Starlight, SAIC Rising R7, SAIC Maxus Mifa 9, and the SAIC Maxus Dana. So, it looks like swapping batteries is going to be the norm, at least for China’s EVs, in the very near future.

If you thought Toyota couldn’t produce an affordable EV, think again. Well, at least if it’s made in China and relies on BYD for its batteries. Toyota is slowly catching up with the EV game, and its latest effort is the bZ5, a new electric crossover fastback developed in China. Manufactured by the FAW-Toyota joint venture, it features BYD-sourced battery packs to power its electric drive.

More: Toyota’s New Electric Flagship Sedan Takes A Shot At Tesla Model S

The bZ5 is essentially a rebranded version of last year’s bZ3C, which itself evolved from the bZ Sport Crossover Concept introduced back in 2023. By adopting the bZ5 name, Toyota seems to be aiming to position this new EV above the entry-level bZ3 sedan, but just below the upcoming bZ7 flagship.

Design That’s Familiar, But Still Fresh

The exterior design sticks with what Toyota’s been rolling out lately. That includes the usual hammerhead front end, subtle cladding around the wheel arches, a sloping roofline, and full-width taillights. The bZ5 mixes sedan, fastback, and crossover elements, all riding on 21-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, there is a 15.6-inch touchscreen, a digital instrument cluster mounted close to the windshield, and a floating center console. The front seats can transform into a bed, which comes in handy in combination with the nap mode of the infotainment system.

Other perks include a panoramic sunroof, a 10-speaker JBL audio system, a fragrance dispenser (yes, really), nine airbags, and a full suite of Level 2 ADAS for urban autonomy.

Powertrain and Platform

Measuring 4,780 mm (188.2 inches) long with a wheelbase of 2,880 mm (113.4 inches), the bZ5 shares similar dimensions with many electric crossovers in China, including the Tesla Model Y. The model is built on Toyota’s e-TNGA platform, which underpins the entire bZ lineup.

But unlike its siblings, the bZ5 comes with BYD’s Blade LFP battery packs, offering options with capacities of 65.28 kWh and 73.98 kWh. According to Toyota, range estimates for the CLTC cycle are 550 km (342 miles) and 630 km (392 miles) respectively. Need a quick boost? A 30-80% charge can be completed in just 27 minutes.

More: Toyota’s Cheapest EV Ever Costs $15,000, Gets 10,000 Orders In 60 Minutes

Both battery options are combined with the same fully electric powertrain generating 268 hp (200 kW / 272 PS) and 330 Nm (243.4 lb-ft) of torque.

Affordable, Yet Advanced

The Toyota bZ5 is already available for pre-order in China, with prices starting at 130,000 rmb ($18,000), which is roughly the cost of a Chinese-spec Toyota Corolla Cross. In comparison, the Tesla Model Y starts at 263,500 rmb ($36,500) in the same market, making the bZ5 an attractive (and much more affordable) option for those looking to step into the world of electric crossovers.

FAW Toyota