Update: An IAB reader has shared a spy video of the Maruti Wagon R EV.
October 22 -
Last month, Maruti Suzuki commenced fleet testing of the Wagon R EV in India. IAB reader Nitin Johar spotted it in Gurgaon last week.
The Maruti Wagon R EV is based on the new generation Japanese spec Suzuki Wagon R that was introduced in February last year. It debuted in India at the MOVE Summit in September this year. There are total 50 prototypes in India, all developed by Suzuki and built by Maruti Suzuki at the Gurugram facility in Haryana with CKD kits. On the 9th of this month, these prototypes were flagged off for the field test.
Maruti Suzuki is testing the Wagon R EV on multiple terrains and in various climatic conditions to get valuable insights and gather critical inputs based on customer perspectives. However, this is not the model it will launch in India. It is using the prototypes based on the JDM-spec Wagon R just to develop EV technology.
The JDM-spec Maruti Wagon R is underpinned by the Heartect platform, which is too costly for the Indian-spec Maruti Wagon R. The latter and its pure electric variant aren’t likely to borrow design from the Japanese model seen in the images. The prototypes are allegedly using a 72-volt battery pack with a capacity of 10.25 kWh, although the company hasn’t confirmed.
Also Read: 2018 Maruti Ertiga production starts, to get 1.5L diesel engine in late-2019
Reports say that the 2019 Maruti Wagon R’s series production has commenced and that its launch will take place at the end of this year. The pure electric variant will follow in 2020 as the company’s first EV.
