Innova Hycross is the one vehicle that is constantly generating a lot of interest among car buyers in India. It made its debut just a few days ago, with an official launch scheduled for next month. New Innova HyCross ditches diesel for clean burning petrol and strong hybrid powertrain options.
Toyota reckons that hybrids are better bets than going full electric. That said, the company has full electric vehicles in its lineup under BZ series. Toyota had showcased an electric Innova Crysta prototype that was later spotted testing on public roads. There is a high possibility that Toyota is testing the feasibility of electrifying vehicles with ladder-frame chassis.
Toyota Innova Hycross Electric Prototype
New reports suggest that Toyota is looking into electrifying Innova Hycross. This info was revealed in one of the threads in a forum by Muhammad Joned. But there is a catch. This is likely to be only offered to fleet owners. Unlike Innova Crysta, Innova Hycross is based on a modern monocoque chassis that has a front wheel drive architecture. The former came with a ladder-frame chassis and had rear wheel drive architecture. This was revered as a robust vehicle and came with a diesel engine which was much sought-after.
Hycross is almost opposite to Crysta in terms of its construction. The thread on this forum reveals that, apart from the Innova Crysta electric prototype that was showcased at Indonesia International Motor Show in Jakarta, there are two more such prototypes in Indonesia and two more in Thailand.
Among the ones in Indonesia, one is at TAM (Toyota Astra Motors), Jakarta, and the other is brought around for exhibitions and shows. The ones in Thailand are at the regional R&D base of Asia Pacific via Toyota Daihatsu Engineering Manufacturing. One was dismantled for Hycross (Zenix) as the plan was to make an electric version of Hycross (Zenix).
The report further states that this prototype being built, is not aimed at private buyers. Instead, it is aimed at government and private fleet operators. Along with that, GSO and companies that want to go green, are intended customers. One such company is said to be a mining firm that has safety risks from using ICE cars.
Innova Hycross Electric - Render
Damanik's Studio has created a tasty render of the upcoming prototype of Innova Hycross. It inculcates design philosophies that Toyota used while creating Innova Crysta electric prototype. Electric Innova Hycross prototype gets a new front fascia with a closed-off grille. Toyota logo gets a blue surround and there are blue colour splashes in the side profile.
It is not yet officially revealed whether Toyota is making an electric prototype based on Innova Hycross. Even if there is one, there is no news as to when it will be showcased and where. One can expect it to have a battery big enough to cover 300 km of real-world use on a single charge.
Render, Source
