New all-electric Toyota C-HR+ revealed to challenge the Renault Scenic
The Toyota C-HR+ joins the Japanese brand's all-electric line-up, slotting between the Urban Cruiser and bZ4X
The final model in a hat-trick of electric Toyotas has been unveiled, with the C-HR+ slotting in between the forthcoming Urban Cruiser and updated bZ4X.
Sharing almost nothing bar the name with the popular hybrid and plug-in hybrid C-HR, despite the similar coupé-like silhouette, the Toyota C-HR+ will arrive in the UK late this year with a pair of battery options and three power levels, stretching from 165bhp all the way up to 338bhp in the range-topping all-wheel-drive car.
The electric newcomer should be roomier inside than the hybrid C-HR thanks to an extra 150mm in length, all of which is contained in the wheelbase. The boot is also slightly more spacious at 412 litres, compared with a best of 388 for the hybrid.
At 4,520mm long, the C-HR+ extends 40mm further than a Skoda Elroq and another 10mm longer than Renault’s Scenic, although both those cars have significantly larger boots thanks to the Toyota’s coupe-like roofline.
Maximum official range from the most efficient C-HR+ should be over 370 miles, although final numbers are still to be confirmed, and pricing is still some months away but looking at Toyota’s previous strategy for its electric cars, it’s likely to start below £40,000.
Sitting 150mm shorter than the bZ4X sibling it shares the e-TNGA platform with, the car will be “sportier and more dynamic” according to chief engineer Masaya Uchiyama, as a result of its shorter wheelbase and lower height, and as such will appeal to a different audience.
“It depends on the customer lifestyle; C-HR+ is for the single person, couple and small family, and if they need more space, they will choose [the] bZ4X,” said Ichiyama.
The difference in nature is also reflected in the C-HR+ not inheriting the XMode system from the larger Toyota EV that provides different settings for off-road conditions, despite the new car being offered in all-wheel-drive form. It does, though, share the same new 14-inch infotainment system.
The two battery options have 58kWh and 77kWh capacities, the former only in 165bhp front-wheel-drive form and the latter in front-drive (221bhp) or all-wheel drive (338bhp) layouts, as is the case on the revised bZ4X.
Also as with the bZ4X, Toyota has introduced battery pre-conditioning to improve charging speed, either engaged manually ahead of a recharging stop or automatically if the in-car navigation is set so the car knows when it will be charging. Charging speeds are a reasonable, if not class-leading, 150kW, with a 22kW AC charger available on higher trims.
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