Surprise! The Maruti Suzuki XL5 Could Also Debut An Electric Powertrain

• The XL5 might be offered with both electric and internal combustion powertrain options.
• It will get cosmetic changes for differentiation from the standard Wagon R.
• Expect a launch by 2021.

You must be familiar with the name XL5 now. The upcoming premium version of the Wagon R was also spotted testing a few days back, revealing more information. But from what appears now, the XL5 test mule that has been doing the rounds is actually an all-electric vehicle. This brings us to the question-- Are we looking at the Wagon R EV which might debut at the Auto Expo? 

These recent spy shots of the cabin clearly reveal the ‘BD’ indication on the gear selector,where B might denote the brake regeneration tech that’s used in all-electrics. The overall cabin design and layout remains similar to the Wagon R. Other interesting bits are the climate control aircon unit and the 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system. 

Although the overall silhouette looks identical to the Wagon R, the all-electric version will feature a split headlamp setup, sleek grille and minor changes to the rear for differentiation. The spy shots also reveal the 15-inch alloy wheels from the Ignis.

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Maruti had imported some Wagon R EVs (JDM spec) for testing purposes. But the carmaker had made it clear it will not launch any EVs in 2020. Two main reasons for delaying the launch were high cost and lack of infrastructure to support EVs. Furthermore, the Wagon EV spotted here is not the Japanese version but an iteration of the Wagon R that is on sale in India. 

Meanwhile, Maruti Suzuki had registered a trademark for the name Futuro-E. The carmaker might showcase the Futuro-E and the XL5/Wagon R EV at the upcoming Auto Expo. 

Going by the current trend, the XL5 might also be offered with both electric and internal combustion engine options. The homegrown carmaker will commence the next stage testing of Wagon R EVs in 2020 followed by a launch in 2021.

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