This Little Crossover Will Be The Cheapest Toyota EV In Europe

The Urban SUV goes on sale in the first half of 2024.

By: Adrian Padeanu

Dec 4, 2023 at 2:42am ET

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Toyota's latest electric vehicle goes by the generic name of "Urban SUV" and will represent its entry point into full electrification when it launches next year. Presented at the company's annual Kenshiki forum in Brussels, the new small electric crossover will sit alongside the hybrid and plug-in hybrid C-HR in the brand's growing portfolio.

The Urban SUV concept is slightly shorter and narrower, but a smidge taller than the C-HR, and it has been engineered with both front- and all-wheel drive, which means it'll come in single- and dual-motor configurations. Customers will get to pick from two battery sizes, but Toyota isn't ready to talk about them yet.

Its underpinnings are not shared with an existing combustion engine vehicle since Toyota says its Volvo EX30 competitor will sit on a dedicated EV platform. The somewhat chunky styling is in line with bZ models, and while it’s labeled as a concept, the production model can’t be that much different. One of the changes planned is the adoption of regular side mirrors instead of those tiny cameras.

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The small crossover will be one of the approximately 15 zero-emission models Toyota intends to have on sale in Europe by 2026 across its passenger and commercial vehicle lineups. Shown at Auto Shanghai earlier this year, the Sport Crossover has also been confirmed for the Old Continent. In addition, last year’s bZ Compact SUV is coming to Euro land.

Between now and 2026, Toyota will launch six dedicated EVs. By then, Toyota projects more than 20 percent of its European annual deliveries will be represented by EVs. The automaker has done the math and it expects to sell more than 250,000 cars without a combustion engine to European customers each year by 2026.