Maruti WagonR EV Spied, Will Take On the Electric Renault Kwid and Tata Tiago

by Yatharth Singh Chauhan | 14/02/2020
Share this post:
While the Maruti WagonR EV was conspicuous by its absence at the Auto Expo 2020, it will launch just in time to take on the electric versions of the Renault Kwid and Tata Tiago

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL), the country's largest-selling carmaker, has been busy with the development of its first-ever production-spec electric car. Based on the popuar tallboy, the upcoming model was earlier rumoured to be slated to debut at the recently concluded Auto Expo 2020 under the 'Futuro-E' moniker. However, as it turned out, the new brand was used for an electric coupe-crossover that will likely spawn a Hyundai Creta-sized model in the near future. On the other hand, the Maruti WagonR EV continues testing and was recently spotted in Gurgaon. 

The Maruti WagonR EV could be sold as the XL5. Initially, the new model will be supplied to fleet owners and EESL. However, at a later stage, the electric car could be sold at NEXA outlets to private car buyers. While the company has been pretty tight-lipped on the launch date, it does look like the new model would debut ahead of the introduction of the Renault Kwid EV. For the uninitiated, the electric Kwid was recently showcased at the country's biggest motor show in the form of the K-Ze concept 

Visually, the Maruti Wagon EV will look almost exactly like its petrol-powered sibling. However, the slight variations in the styling will be courtesy of bigger, 15-inch alloy wheels that will come from the Ignis. The front-end will have a split headlamps setup and a new upper grille, while even the bumper and the foglamps will be different from what you find on the regular version. Even the interior could see some changes in the upholstery and equipment list. Of course, the conventional gear-selector will be replaced by a new gear-selector, while the EV would even offer push-button start/stop.

Maruti WagonR EV Spied, Will Take On the Electric Renault Kwid and Tata Tiago

It was earlier speculated that the Maruti WagonR EV would debut as the Futuro-E at the Auto Expo 2020

In fact, the styling updates on the Maruti WagonR EV could even make it to the regular, ICE version. Currently, the tallboy is on sale with two petrol units - 1.0-litre and 1.2-litre. Both these engines have been updated to attain BSVI-compliane. The bigger engine deliver a maximum power of 82.94 PS at 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of 113 Nm at 4,200 rpm. Transmission options for both the engines include a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed AMT.  

Tracking icon
Would you like to receive notifications with latest news and car deals from IndianAuto?