Toyota’s second electric car sees the return of a former nameplate – do you remember the original?

Toyota has revived one of its old nameplates for the second all-electric car it will bring to Britain next year.

Unlike Ford, which caused major controversy earlier this year when it adopted the iconic Capri name for its latest electric SUV, which bears little resemblance to the legendary original from the 1970s and 1980s, the Japanese brand is unlikely to make this move yet. will cause too much unrest.

The new battery-powered compact SUV will see the reintroduction of the Urban Cruiser moniker: the short-lived MPV that Toyota sold in the late 1990s.

The carmaker has big hopes for the new version, which will sit below its only battery-electric offering yet – the £42,860 bZ4X SUV – and will need it to play a key role in meeting strict EV sales in Great Britain. goals.

The new electric crossover will be available with two battery sizes, although the longest range will likely offer around 250 miles between charges.

The prices have also been kept secret for the time being. However, based on its rivals, here’s how much we think it will cost…

Toyota’s original Urban Cruiser was a quirky little family car that was only on sale in Britain between 2009 and 2012.

While it offered distinctive looks and the Japanese company’s build quality, it has a small trunk, underpowered engines and a disappointing three-star Euro NCAP crash safety rating.

The 2025 Urban Cruiser should be a very different animal, especially since it has now moved to an SUV-like body style as MPVs become increasingly uncommon – and unpopular – among motorists.

It will be underpinned by the same platform as Suzuki’s e-Vitara and built at the same factory in India.

The two available battery sizes are a 49 kWh option paired with a 142 hp e-motor driving the front wheels, or a larger 61 kWh unit with a larger electric motor delivering 172 hp.

The latter will also be available with a choice of all-wheel drive, adding a second e-motor to drive the rear wheels and generate 191 hp.

It will be able to accept charging speeds of up to 150 kW, making it compatible with ultra-fast devices in the UK.

The cabin features a 10.1-inch infotainment display and a larger 10.24-inch digital driver cluster.

The highest trim levels get electric driver’s seat adjustment, a JBL premium stereo and a fixed sunroof.

Toyota says it will be positioned as a slightly larger alternative to its hybrid Yaris Cross, which has so far proven very popular with British motorists.

Given its size and features, Urban Cruiser’s biggest rivals will be Mini’s new Aceman, the Peugeot e-3008, and Volvo’s smallest EV, the EX40.

But you might have to wait a while before you can get your hands on one, as it’s not expected until late 2025, with prices set to start from around £35,000.

Toyota says it will be one of 15 zero-emission vehicles in its lineup by 2026.

And the Japanese brand will need to increase its EV availability in Britain if it wants to meet binding sales targets.

How is Toyota performing against the ZEV mandate?

The hotly debated Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate – introduced this year – requires that 28 percent of all major car companies’ sales will be electric next year, as this increases annually.

With Toyota’s only EV currently being the bZ4X, it’s not surprising to hear that it’s already falling short of this year’s 22 percent target.

According to New Automotive’s Electric Car Count report for November, only 10 percent of Toyota (including Lexus) registrations will have been ZEVs, with a projection of 10.2 percent if December sales are included.

However, the Japanese giant – the world’s largest automaker – is only on track to fall short of the 947 ZEV mandate credit, thanks to sales of green hybrids and reductions in CO2 emissions across its range.

To put that into perspective: the Volkswagen Group needs more than 12,000 credits.