We reported earlier that Maruti Suzuki and Toyota are jointly working on a new electric SUV for the Indian market, which will be launched sometime in 2025. A new media report claims that the all-electric SUV concept from Maruti Suzuki will make global debut at the Auto Expo 2023. Not just Electric SUV concept, MSIL will also present the 5-door Jimny lifestyle SUV and the Baleno Cross at the biennial event.
The EV Concept will preview Suzuki’s first all-electric model, internally codenamed YY8. The production version of the electric SUV is scheduled to be launched in January-February 2025. This EV SUV is co-developed by Suzuki and Toyota, with later having its own version of this model. The YY8 will be a global product and will first go on sale in India. The report claims that 50 percent of the production will be for international markets. It will be produced at Suzuki’s Gujarat based platform, which will also serve as a production hub for export markets.
The Maruti YY8 concept is likely to have radical and futuristic design language, which will be completely different from the brand’s current ICE range. The new model is reportedly to measure over 4.2 meters in length and will have a wheelbase of 2,700mm that’s longer than the MG ZS EV.
The new electric SUV will be designed and developed on Toyota’s 27PL platform, which is an affordable derivative of Toyota’s 40PL global platform. It will have a long wheelbase, which should help the company to create room for a larger battery pack and a spacious cabin. The new model will have short overhangs with the wheels pushed to the edges to maximise space.
The Maruti YY8 SUV is likely to come with two battery pack options – a 48kWh and 59kWh. The former is expected to deliver around 400km of range under standard test conditions, while the latter is estimated to offer around 500km of range in a single charge. The company will source the LFP blade cell batteries from Chinese battery supplier BYD. It will come in both two-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive layout; however, it is not confirmed whether AWD configuration will be offered in our market. The SUV is expected to offer power output of around 138bhp to 170bhp.
The Maruti YY8 concept based electric SUV will be positioned against the likes of the MG ZS EV, Tata Nexon EV, Hyundai Kona EV and the Mahindra XUV400. The report claims that MSIL is targeting a price of Rs 13 lakh to Rs 15 lakh for the electric SUV; however, we believe it will cost around Rs 18 lakh to Rs 22 lakh.
Source – AutoCarIndia
