Next-gen WagonR to be Maruti’s FIRST ever electric car: Details

As we’ve been reporting, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL), the country’s largest selling car manufacturer, plans to launch an all-new WagonR later this year. The next-gen WagonR will use an updated version of the 1.0-litre K-series motor that powers the current car. It’s likely to be available in both petrol and CNG formats. As per a new report, the new WagonR will also have an electric version, which will launch in India by 2020. The upcoming Maruti WagonR EV will be developed in partnership with Toyota. So, basically, the upcoming new-gen Maruti WagonR will become the first-ever Maruti car to offer an electric powertrain.

It also looks like the upcoming WagonR EV will become one of the first products from the Suzuki-Toyota partnership. Basically, Suzuki and Toyota have joined hands to co-develop future products for the Indian market. The duo also plans to make India a production base for their export lineup. Denso Corporation and Toyota will provide Suzuki with the technical support required to develop an ultra-high-efficiency powertrain for the upcoming Suzuki compact cars. The next-gen WagonR will be underpinned by a new lightweight platform, which should reduce the overall weight of the car by a considerable margin. This should translate into better performance and fuel efficiency.

As you can see in the speculative renders we have here, the upcoming new-gen WagonR will retain the tallboy architecture. However, the car will get different body panels that will work together to give the car a completely new look. Even the interior will be completely new and will come with more features. ABS and airbags will be standard across all the trims and the cabin is expected to offer premium bits like a touchscreen infotainment unit on the top-end variant. However, akin to the current car, the interior of the next-gen WagonR will be airy and highly practical.

Source- TheHinduBusinessLine