Production-Spec Maruti Suzuki Wagon R Electric Spied Testing Again

2021 maruti wagon R Electric-1

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R EV is expected to be launched sometime next year based on the existing IC-engined tall hatch with an updated front fascia

In October 2018, Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) commenced the road testing of the 50 Wagon R EV prototypes in an aim to launch its first electric vehicle this year. However, it does not appear to be the case as its market debut will likely happen only in 2021. The company was spotted testing the JDM-spec Wagon R without any camouflage many times.

However, the India-spec version is fully concealed and as in the previous set of spy shots, you could see the signature black wrap from Maruti Suzuki on this prototype as well. It is definitely based on the third generation Wagon R that has been on sale in India since January 2019. However, the design changes in the front fascia are visible, despite retaining its traditional tall pillars.

Up front, the 2021 Maruti Suzuki Wagon EV comprises of split headlamp setup as opposed to a single cluster seen on the IC-engined model. The triangular-shaped housing is where the large headlamp resides in the middle while the upper portion comprises of sharp Daytime Running Lights and LED turn indicators. With this setup, it will be interesting to see how the shut-off grille area will be grafted.

2021 maruti wagon R Electric-1-2

The busy bumper area appears to have an almost similar housing for the fog lamps as in the regular Wagon R. The Wagon R EV looks to be shod on multi-spoke 15-inch black alloy wheels as the facelifted Ignis. Elsewhere, we do expect the vertically stacked tail lamps and upright boot to remain identical as the standard model, as part sharing will help in reducing the production costs.

Just as the exterior, the HEARTECT platform based Maruti Suzuki Wagon R EV will likely share equipment and technologies with the petrol-engined tall hatch including a large SmartPlay touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, cloud-based functions and perhaps a digital instrument cluster as well.

2021 maruti wagon R Electric-2

It could also boast dedicated driving modes and have regenerative braking tech to boost efficiency as well as throttle response. It will be interesting to see the market positioning and the price bracket relative to the driving range of this electric hatchback, as high localisation of battery components and critical parts is necessary.

The Wagon R EV could be offered for cab aggregators before private buyers but no confirmation has been made yet and it will reportedly have a charging time of around seven hours using a standard AC charger. A DC fast charger could reduce the charging time to under an hour for replenishing back to 80 per cent from zero.