Key facts
- Toyota will start producing extended-range electric vehicles in China in the spring.
- The automaker is deepening collaborations with Huawei, Xiaomi, and Momenta for its EV strategy.
- The bZ7 sedan, launching March 2026, will feature Huawei's HarmonyOS 5.0 and Kirin chips.
- The bZ7 will integrate with Xiaomi's ecosystem, allowing vehicle-to-home appliance control.
- The updated bZ3X will debut Momenta's 6.0 intelligent driving system with 47 new functions.
Toyota Motor will begin producing extended-range electric vehicles in China in the spring, Nikkei has learned, as the automaker seeks to broaden its lineup and gain a larger foothold in the world's biggest EV market. The company is deepening collaborations with Chinese technology giants Huawei, Xiaomi, and Momenta to accelerate its electric vehicle strategy with locally developed platforms and intelligent driving systems.
The GAC Toyota joint venture announced tie-ups with these tech firms at its 2025 Technology Day, aiming to more closely integrate Chinese market products with local consumer desires. This includes developing new dedicated EV platforms and rolling out extended-range hybrid drivetrains to popular models.
The bZ7 sedan, slated for a March 2026 launch, will be the first Toyota globally to feature Huawei's HarmonyOS 5.0 running on Kirin chips. The partnership also involves co-developing an AI voice assistant that can evolve to predictive behavior and recognize individual drivers by 2028. Toyota's collaboration with Xiaomi focuses on vehicle-to-smart device connectivity, allowing control of home appliances from the car dashboard and vice versa, and will embed Xiaomi's wireless charging technology in vehicle consoles. For autonomous driving, Toyota is leveraging Momenta's perception algorithms, with the updated bZ3X set to debut Momenta's 6.0 intelligent driving system featuring 47 new functions, including a "world model" that predicts hazards up to eight seconds in advance.
Range-extender versions of the Highlander SUV and Sienna minivan are confirmed for China, with the next-generation Highlander expected in 2026 and the Sienna in 2027. It remains unclear if this EREV setup will be offered outside of China, as Toyota North America declined to comment on future U.S. products.