India: Toyota launches the Urban Cruiser Ebella as its first EV

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), the Japanese automaker's joint venture in India, has launched the Urban Cruiser Ebella as its first EV. It is the same zero-emission sub-compact SUV marketed as the Urban Cruiser globally.

Toyota urban cruiser ebella india — Image: TKM

TKM has outsourced production of the Urban Cruiser Ebella to Suzuki’s local joint venture, Maruti Suzuki, which manufactures the model alongside its corporate cousin, the e Vitara, in Hansalpur, Gujarat. The company announced three grades when it unveiled the model in January: E1, E2, and E3, but it has announced the price of only the range-topping equipment line for now – 2.360 million rupees (21,263 euros).

Customers can also opt for a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) programme, under which the vehicle costs 1.525 million rupees (13,740 euros), and the battery subscription fee is 4.99 rupees (0.045 euros) per kilometre.

The Urban Cruiser Ebella is noticeably more expensive than Maruti Suzuki’s e Vitara and may struggle to attract buyers at this price. For reference, the latter retails at 2.001 million rupees (18,021 euros) in its similarly equipped range-topping trim, and under the BaaS programme, its vehicle cost and battery subscription fee are 1.451 million rupees (13,073 euros) and 4.39 rupees (0.040 euros) per kilometre, respectively.

The Urban Cruiser Ebella features a single, front-mounted motor that generates 129 kW and 193 Nm of torque in the E3 trim. A 61 kWh LFP battery pack powers the motor, delivering a range of 543 kilometres. The E2 trim has the same configuration, while the E1 trim downgrades to a 106 kW/193 Nm motor and a 49 kWh LFP battery pack that delivers a range of 440 kilometres.

TKM offers the Urban Cruiser Ebella with features such as 18-inch alloy wheels, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, front seat ventilation, a 40:20:40 split rear seat with reclining and sliding functions, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and a wireless smartphone charger. The company equips the EV with a range of safety and driver assistance features as well, including a 360º camera system, seven airbags, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Monitor, and Adaptive Cruise Control.

According to a report from Autocar Professional, TKM’s second electric model will be an MPV based on the same platform as the Urban Cruiser Ebella. The electric MPV will also be essentially a derivative of a Maruti Suzuki product, codenamed ‘YMC’ and already undergoing road testing.

toyotabharat.com (price), toyotabharat.com (launch), toyotabharat.com (specs; PDF), autocarpro.in