Toyota’s Affordable Electric SUV: Everything You Need to Know

It could be the affordable EV America is waiting for. But will it come here?

Published December 4, 2023

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Toyota has been slow to market with electric vehicles, prioritizing hybrid models across its range. But more Toyota electric models are coming quickly … and Toyota just previewed a new one of them in concept form. It’s a small crossover called the Urban SUV. It will make its debut in the first half of 2024.

Details are a bit scarce on the Urban SUV, but here’s what we know about it so far.

How big is Toyota’s Urban SUV concept?

The Urban SUV would be a subcompact crossover by American standards. Toyota has announced the external dimensions. The concept is about six inches shorter than the Corolla Cross, 0.3 inches narrower and 1.2 inches shorter height-wise.

How much range does the Urban SUV have?

Toyota has not confirmed range numbers for the Urban SUV yet. Toyota did note that it will be available in front-wheel-drive and employ a “dual-battery” strategy. Per Autocar, the top-range version may offer about 250 miles on a single charge (likely in the low 200-mile range by EPA standards).

How much will the Urban SUV cost?

Toyota has not revealed pricing yet. Autocar estimates it could start around £32,000 (or around $40,000) in Britain. That would put it about $3,000 cheaper than the bZ4X. We suspect Toyota would have to offer a more affordable version for it to work in America.

Will Toyota bring the Urban SUV to America?

We don’t know yet. It looks like Toyota will debut the vehicle in Europe first. Toyota’s American media site not covering the concept’s reveal is a good sign there aren’t plans to launch it imminently.

Toyota has vehicles like the three-row SUV, an electric version of the Tacoma and maybe another electric Ford Maverick-rival pickup that probably would have priority for the American market.

But we could see the production version eventually come to the U.S. The market is still crying out for a new affordable EV option, and cars like the Volvo EX30 will test America’s appetite for tiny EV crossovers before Toyota commits one way or the other.

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