SEMA 2025

Toyota bZ Time Attack Concept

The first all-electric Toyota for the SEMA tuner show in Las Vegas: the bZ Time Attack Concept. Lower, wider and far more powerful than the factory model, this machine shows just how far Toyota can push the electric platform.

Pushing the boundaries of electric vehicle performance, Toyota is coming to SEMA with the bZ Time Attack Concept - a purpose-built BEV machine.

Designed to explore the performance potential of Toyota's BEV technology, the vehicle showcases competitive aerodynamics, suspension and engineering, as well as a significant increase in power over the factory version.

The concept starts with a strong foundation: the 26MY Toyota AWD bZ, which already delivers 338 horsepower and a 0-60 mph time of just 4.9 seconds. Under the hood, the bZ Time Attack Concept starts with Toyota's bZ AWD platform. Power to all four wheels comes from Toyota electric motors tuned to produce over 300 kW (400+ hp), and is managed via a custom ECU calibration.

There are also TEIN shock absorbers and springs, Alcon brakes, FIA 4130 roll cage, OMP HTE-R racing seats and OMP harnesses, 19-inch BBS Unlimited wheels, 305/30ZR19 XL Continental Extreme Contact Sport 02 tires...

Schwerter and his Toyota Motorsports Garage team have collaborated on standout Toyota SEMA builds for more than two decades. Still, the bZ Time Attack Concept presented several unique challenges, from balancing battery performance with weight distribution to designing an aggressive widebody and aero package suited for motorsports. Unlike conventional builds, the team had to rethink how aerodynamics and fitment could be achieved on an EV platform, while helping to provide safety and durability under extreme conditions.

“The goal wasn’t to simply create a showpiece—It was to see how far the new bZ platform could be pushed in a motorsport setting,” said Schwerter. “And that meant that we had to tackle the two biggest hurdles for any electric competition car: battery performance and aerodynamic integration.”

Packaging a widebody and full aero suite onto an EV chassis presented challenges not found in conventional builds, driving the team to rethink everything from airflow management to cooling strategies.

The solution came through a hybridized approach to fabrication. Toyota R&D, TRD, and a network of advanced suppliers combined laser scanning, CAD development, and large-scale 3D printing to bring the design to life. 

Fender arches were digitally modeled, printed at full scale, then hand-finished for strength and precision. Key to this process was Toyota’s Add Lab in Georgetown, Kentucky— led by Sr. Engineering Manager Greg Stewart and Additive Manufacturing Engineer Dallas Martin— whose rapid prototyping capabilities gave R&D the flexibility to hit tight deadlines. This method drastically cut prototyping time, allowing for rapid iterations of the one-off widebody and aero system.

The result: a car lowered a whopping six inches from stock ride height, with massive six-inch track increase and a fully integrated aero package including rear wing, side skirts, front splitter, and rear diffuser.

Under the skin, the bZ Time Attack Concept starts with a 2026 Toyota bZ AWD platform. Power delivery to all four wheels comes from Toyota R&D-tuned electric motors delivering over 300 kW (400+ hp), managed through bespoke ECU calibration. TEIN coilovers and springs suspend the chassis, while drastically improved braking performance comes by way of an Alcon system with Hawk pads adapted from Toyota’s 86 Cup and Corolla TC race programs. A full FIA-spec 4130 chromoly cage stiffens the chassis, while the interior is fitted with OMP HTE-R racing seats and OMP harnesses. The chassis rolls on 19×11-inch BBS Unlimited wheels shod with huge 305/30ZR19 XL Continental Extreme Contact Sport 02 tires, adding substantial mechanical grip to go along with the impressive aerodynamic downforce.

Every aspect of the build reflects Toyota’s willingness to experiment with nontraditional fabrication methods. The bodywork, finished in a custom PPG pearl/metallic white, metallic black, and red tri-color scheme, demonstrates what happens when additive manufacturing and traditional race-car craftsmanship intersect. From CAD modeling at Dark Matter Laser Works to the 3D-printed components produced by Toyota’s Add Lab, the project embodies a new way of thinking about concept-to-competition builds. For Toyota, the bZ Time Attack Concept isn’t just a concept car—it’s a rolling test bed for the next generation of EV motorsport development.

“Every SEMA build challenges Toyota’s engineering and design teams to outdo themselves from the year before,” said Mike Tripp, group vice president, Toyota Marketing. “With the bZ Time Attack Concept, the challenge was greater than ever: transforming an all-electric Toyota vehicle into motorsport reality. The bZ Time Attack Concept is not only a striking visual concept but also a serious performance contender.”

The bZ Time Attack Concept will be on display at the 2025 SEMA Show from November 4-7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the Toyota booth (Central Hall, Booth 22200).

Autonews