Toyota unveiled its first-ever electric SUV, the eBella, to the public earlier this year. The unveiling happened soon after the launch of the Maruti eVitara. We already know that the eBella and the eVitara are essentially the same products with different exterior styling. Like many customers, we too are eagerly waiting for the official launch of the eBella. However, it looks like Toyota is following Maruti Suzuki’s strategy when it comes to launching its first EV, as even Toyota dealerships appear to have no clarity about when the SUV will actually arrive in showrooms.
Toyota unveiled the eBella a couple of months ago. We already know about its exterior design, interior features, and the battery pack options the EV will come with. In fact, Toyota seemed so confident about the product that it even opened official bookings for the SUV.
However, things do not appear to be very clear at the dealership level. While Toyota showcased the Urban Cruiser eBella EV to the public, we are yet to see one displayed at any dealership. We spoke to three Toyota dealerships in Bengaluru - Viva, Nandi, and Ravindu - and realised that none of them had any information regarding the launch timeline.
The dealerships were completely unaware of when the electric SUV would officially launch, when display or test-drive vehicles would arrive, or when deliveries of the eBella would commence.
At the moment, dealerships are only accepting bookings for the SUV, which can be made with a token amount of Rs 25,000. Apart from that, there is very little they can offer customers right now.
The Maruti Suzuki eVitara, which many believed was entering the EV market rather late, is surprisingly performing well for the brand. Maruti is reportedly selling close to 2,000 units every month, and this could be one of the reasons behind the delay in Toyota’s version.
For those unaware, the Toyota eBella and the Maruti eVitara are both manufactured at the same facility in Gujarat. The plant currently has limitations when it comes to production capacity, and this production constraint could be another reason for the delay in the launch of Toyota’s electric SUV.
Maruti Suzuki has already announced plans to address this issue. The company intends to increase production capacity by adding a new assembly line dedicated exclusively to EVs. At present, the Gujarat facility has a combined annual production capacity of around one lakh units, which is already being utilised for both ICE vehicles and Maruti’s EV production.
Once the new production line becomes operational, Maruti Suzuki and Toyota will be able to focus more efficiently on EV production without affecting the manufacturing of existing models. This new assembly line is expected to begin operations in the second half of 2026.
It is also worth noting that both the Toyota eBella and the Maruti eVitara are global products. This means they will not only be sold in India but will also be manufactured for international markets.
The additional assembly line is expected to streamline production and support future EV projects from Maruti and Toyota, including upcoming models like the YMC eMPV.
Once the production-related challenges are resolved, Toyota is expected to officially launch the eBella in the Indian market. The SUV is likely to be priced very close to the Maruti eVitara and is also expected to be offered with the BaaS (Battery-as-a-Service) model.