Japanese automaker giant Toyota has been spotted testing the electric concept of its Innova Crysta MPV on Indonesian roads.
The all-electric Innova concept prototype was first showcased at the Indonesia International Motor Show held between March 31 to April 10 this year in Jakarta.
It is interesting to see Toyota testing the prototype on open public roads as the brand had said that they have no plans to launch an EV based on the dated IMV2 ladder-on-frame platform. Toyota also added that this concept is only being built for research and development purposes for future EVs. Toyota has not revealed any technical details or information about this concept. As a result, it is still unclear what will be the battery capacity, maximum range, and power output.
Innova Crysta EV
The overall design of the car looks similar with some styling elements that differentiate the electrified version from the regular ICE-powered version. The front bumper accommodates vertically positioned fog lamp housings while the e-MPV has new alloy wheels. As the changes are mainly cosmetic with no major difference, the front profile of the electric Innova concept gets a closed-off grille with a sizeable panel covering its grille portion. The bumper design is different too compared to the regular model along with some blue highlights on the headlights. Lastly, the ‘Innova EV’ stickers on the D-pillar, some new side decals, and EV badging on the rear summarise the changes.
EVs & Ladder on Frame Chassis
To be honest, utilizing an older ladder-frame chassis for making an electric vehicle is somewhat inefficient as the chassis restricts space for placing the large battery packs needed to power the vehicle. Furthermore, the brand has recently unveiled the new-gen Innova Hycross in its petrol-hybrid avatar, completely ditching its diesel powertrain. This shows that Toyota is more focused on the hybridization of its vehicles rather than making them outright electric-powered. Almost all of the Japanese OEMs in the country are betting on the Hybridization of their vehicles. For example, Toyota & Maruti Suzuki’s hybrid SUV duo – the Urban Cruiser Hyryder & Grand Vitara; Honda’s City eHEV, etc.