Toyota wants a bigger share of the world’s largest EV market with a new low-cost EV rolling out. Now available for pre-orders in China, the Toyota bZ3X electric SUV starts at just $13,800 (100,000 yuan).
Toyota bZ3X electric SUV pre-orders open in China
Although Toyota only has one fully electric vehicle, the bZ4X, on the global market, the company is launching several new EVs in China.
The bZ3X electric SUV was unveiled at the 2024 Beijing Auto Show alongside the bZ3C sedan. Toyota calls the new electric SUV “family-oriented” with a “Cozy Mobile Home” interior.
Toyota’s joint venture, GAC-Toyota, officially opened bZ3X blind pre-orders, starting at just under $14,000 (100,000 yuan). It’s available in three trims (430 Air+, 520 Pro+, and 620 Max), pre-order prices range from 100,000 yuan to 200,000 yuan ($23,800 to $27,500).
Like the bZ3C, the new electric SUV is specifically designed for Chinese buyers. With a modern take on Toyota’s inherited design, the new EV is “grand, simple and elegant.” With a “new Chinese style,” the interior is simple but loaded with new tech.
Toyota bZ3X electric SUV (Source: GAC-Toyota)
Toyota’s bZ3X is the first to be equipped with the Momenta 5.0 Intelligent Driving System. Powered by NVIDIA Drive AGX Orin X, the vehicle includes 25 ADAS features, such as high-speed pilot, light traffic assist, and automatic parking.
GAC-Toyota said it will “become one of the first automakers in the world to realize a one-stage end-to-end intelligent driving model.”
Toyota bZ3X electric SUV interior (Source: GAC-Toyota)
The front and rear seats lay flat for a “Cozy Mobile Home,” providing nearly 10 feet (3 m) of space for lying or storage. Other interior features include a 14.6″ infotainment system with voice recognition, an 8.8″ LCD driver display, and a two-spoke multi-function steering wheel.
Toyota bZ3X electric SUV interior (Source: GAC-Toyota)
Powered by a 50.03 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, the electric SUV has a CLTC range of up to 430 km (267 miles). Although yet to be announced, the other two trims are expected to get up to 520 km (323 miles) and 620 km (385 km) CLTC range, respectively.
At 4,600 mm long, 1,875 mm wide, and 1,645 mm tall, Toyota’s bZ3X is about the size of BYD’s Yuan Plus (Atto 3) at 4,455 mm long, 1,875 mm wide, and 1,615 mm tall. The BYD Yuan Plus starts at about $16,500 (119,800 yuan)
GAC-Toyota will officially launch the bZ3X in China next March. Interested buyers can place a 2,000 yuan ($275) deposit for priority delivery.
Aerial view of containers for export sitting stacked at Qingdao Qianwan Container Terminal on April 5, 2025 in Qingdao, Shandong Province of China.
Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty Images
The United Nations shipping agency is on the cusp of introducing binding regulations to phase out fossil fuel use in global shipping — with the world’s first-ever global emissions levy on the table.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) will this week hold talks at its London headquarters to hammer out measures to reduce the climate impact of international shipping, which accounts for around 3% of global carbon emissions.
Some of the measures on the table include a global marine fuel standard and an economic element, such as a long-debated carbon levy or a carbon credit scheme.
If implemented, a robust pricing mechanism in the shipping sector would likely be considered one of the climate deals of the decade.
An ambitious carbon tax is far from a foregone conclusion, however, with observers citing concerns over sweeping U.S. tariffs, a brewing global trade war and reluctance from members firmly opposed to any kind of levy structure.
Sara Edmonson, head of global advocacy at Australian mining giant Fortescue, described the talks as “absolutely historic,” particularly given the potential for a landmark carbon levy.
“I think it would be an absolute game-changer. No other industry on a global level has made a commitment of this size and I would argue most countries haven’t made a commitment of this size,” Edmondson told CNBC via telephone.
She added, however, that “the jury is still very much out” when it comes to a global carbon price.
It’s not really a question of whether they get agreement, it’s just how ambitious it is, how effective it is and how many unhappy people there are.
John Maggs
President of the Clean Shipping Coalition
“There are also a lot of discussions around levy-like structures because obviously the word levy in very polarized countries like the U.S., like Australia and even in China, can be very challenging. But I think there are really good discussions around levy-like structures that would ultimately have an equivalent effect,” Edmondson said.
The IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) is scheduled to conclude talks on Friday.
If adopted, it would be “the first industry-wide measure adopted by a multilateral UN organisation with much more teeth than we could get in the UNFCCC process,” Regenvanu said.
Delegates at the IMO agreed in 2023 to target net-zero sector emissions “by or around” 2050 and set a provision to finalize a basket of mid-term carbon reduction measures in 2025.
The international shipping sector, which is responsible for the carriage of around 90% of global trade, is regarded as one of the hardest industries to decarbonize given the vast amounts of fossil fuels the ships burn each year.
Angie Farrag-Thibault, vice president of global transport at the Environmental Defense Fund, an environmental group, said a successful outcome at the IMO would be an ambitious global fuel standard and a “decisive” economic measure to ensure shipping pollution is significantly reduced.
“These measures, which should include a fair disbursement mechanism that uses existing climate finance structures, will encourage ship owners to cut fossil fuel use and adopt zero and near-zero fuels and technologies, while supporting climate-vulnerable regions at the speed and scale that is needed,” Farragh-Thibault said.
The US wind industry installed just 5.2 gigawatts (GW) in 2024 – the lowest level in a decade, according to Wood Mackenzie’s new US Wind Energy Monitor report. Installations are expected to rebound in 2025, but the real concern lies in US wind’s sharply downgraded 5-year outlook. As for the reason behind that bleak forecast, we’ll give you one guess as to why, and it starts with a T.
Wood Mac reports that 3.9 GW of onshore wind came online last year, along with 1.3 GW of onshore repowers and 101 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind.
Onshore wind
The US is expected to achieve more than 160 GW of installed onshore capacity by 2025, and onshore growth is projected to bounce back from 2024 and surpass 6.3 GW this year.
“The cliff in 2023 and 2024 created by the Production Tax Credit (PTC) push in 2022 will come to an end,” said Stephen Maldonado, research analyst at Wood Mackenzie. “Despite the uncertainty created by the new administration, the massive number of orders placed in 2023 culminating in projects now under construction support the short-term forecast.”
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The pipeline for onshore has 10.8 GW currently under construction through 2027, with another 3.9 GW announced.
GE Vernova led onshore wind installations in 2024 with 56% of the market and will continue to lead in connections for the next five years. It was followed by Vestas (40%) and Siemens Gamesa (4%).
Offshore wind
Offshore wind is projected to increase in 2025 as well, with 900 MW of installed capacity, up from a disappointing 101 MW in 2024. However, several projects have been shelved in the wake of Trump’s anti-wind executive orders, which downgraded the five-year outlook by 1.8 GW.
Electrek’s Take on US wind’s 5-year outlook
According to Wood Mac, 33 GW of new onshore wind capacity will be installed through 2029, along with 6.6 GW of new offshore capacity and 5.5 GW of repowers. However, due to Trump’s anti-wind policy and economic uncertainty, this five-year outlook is 40% less than a previous total of 75.8 GW. Growth will happen, but it’s going to be slower.
The main reason is Trump’s flourish of his Sharpie on executive orders that include “temporary” withdrawal of offshore wind leasing areas and putting a stop to onshore wind on federal lands. Plus, firing all those federal employees will likely make permitting wind farms a slower process. (Trump just wrote more executive orders today allowing coal projects on federal lands; he won’t have federal employees to issue permits for those, either.) He’s worked to throw up obstacles for wind projects in favor of fossil fuels. He won’t stop the wind industry, but he’s managed to get some projects canceled, and he’ll make things more of a slog over the next few years.
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BYD’s cheapest EV in China just got even more affordable. After cutting prices this month, the BYD Seagull EV starts at just 56,800 yuan, or under $8,000.
BYD cuts Seagull EV price to under $8,000 in April
Despite an intensifying EV price war in China, BYD is cutting prices once again. The Chinese EV giant announced a new promotion this month across several Ocean Series models, including the Seagull.
The 2025 BYD Seagull EV is available starting at just 56,800 yuan ($7,800). The offer is for the non-Smart Driving Vitality Edition model, which usually starts at 69,800 yuan ($9,500).
After launching the new Seagull last year, BYD said the low-cost electric car officially opened “a new era of electricity being lower than oil.” Earlier this year, it upgraded most of its vehicles, including the Seagull, with its new “God’s Eye” smart driving system at no extra charge.
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BYD’s Seagull is offered in three trims in China: Vitality, Freedom, and Flying. It has two battery options, 30.1 kWh or 38.9 kWh, which is good for the 305 km (190 mi) and 405 km (252 mi) CLTC range, respectively.
BYD cuts vehicle prices in April 2025, including the Seagull EV (Source: BYD)
At just 3,780 mm long, 1,715 mm wide, and 1,540 mm tall, the Seagull is even smaller than the former Chevy Bolt EV (4,145 mm long, 1,765 mm wide, and 1,611 mm tall). It’s about the size of a Fiat 500e.
BYD Seagull EV (Dolphin Mini) testing in Brazil (Source: BYD)
The price cut comes as BYD’s sales continue surging. With another 377,420 new energy vehicles (EVs and PHEVs) sold last month, the Chinese automaker has now sold over one million NEVs in 2025.
BYD’s EVs accounted for 416,388 while PHEV sales reached 569,710, an increase of 39% and 76% from last year, respectively.
Perhaps even more importantly, BYD sold over 206,000 vehicles overseas in 2025, more than doubling from last year. The Seagull EV is also sold in other global markets like Mexico and Brazil as the Dolphin Mini.
Later this year, it will launch in Europe as the Dolphin Surf, with expected prices starting under £20,000 ($26,000). Although it may not be the cheapest EV, BYD’s executive vice president, Stella Li, recently told Autocar it will be “the best value” when it arrives.
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