Toyota has revealed the C-HR+, the brand’s third EV

Toyota’s C-HR compact SUV is going electric.In top-rung 255kW (342hp) form it is one of the most powerful cars it has ever made.
The car was originally tipped to carry the bZ3X nameplate and is based on the bZ Compact SUV concept, unveiled in 2022.
The swoopy battery-powered SUV was revealed in Europe, and initially looks to be for the continent only.
It remains largely true to that concept, with a long raked roofline and extended bonnet. Like its hybrid-powered C-HR range-mate, it’s book-ended by a full-width rear light bar and Toyota’s new ‘hammerhead’ front-end design.
At 4520mm long, the C-HR+ will be positioned between the recently revealed Urban Cruiser crossover and the larger bZ4X in Toyota’s EV range.

Its size pits it against the likes of the Volvo EC40, Smart #3, Mini Countryman, BMW iX2 and Tesla Model Y. Toyota’s new EV is likely to undercut these rivals, though, with pricing predicted to start from around £38,000
A 2750mm wheelbase results in cabin space that is a “class above” its rivals, according to Toyota. Although no exact measurements have been given, the firm claims the C-HR+ offers more than “typically expected of a C-SUV”. However, at 416 litres, boot space is at the lower end of the class.
Interior options include two wireless smartphone chargers, air-con controls for rear occupants and a panoramic roof.

The C-HR+ is 168mm longer than the hybrid C-HR and is positioned as its electric alternative despite being technically unrelated.
Toyota says the ‘+’ suffix signifies “added versatility and practicality” over its namesake as well as the “specific qualities and benefits of the BEV powertrain”.
Toyota Europe CEO Yoshihiro Nakata said: “We wanted to bring all the passion, emotion and success of the C-HR to the BEV segment, so in this space it shares the same DNA.”
Based on the e-TNGA platform also used by bZ4X, the C-HR+ is offered with either a 57.7kWh or 77kWh battery.
Its WLTP range of up to 600km (373 miles) makes it one of the longest-range cars in the segment. An 11kW on-board charger is standard and high-spec models get a 22kW unit. DC fast charging tops out at 150kW.
The C-HR+ can be had with front-wheel drive or, exclusively with the 77kWh pack, all-wheel drive. Power levels begin at 167hp, rise to 223hp and top out at 342hp in dual-motor, all-wheel-drive form.

This beats the standard 3.0-litre six-pot GR Supra by 2hp. For power output, the EV is beaten only by the 429bhp GR Supra Final Edition as the most powerful Toyota to date, although that sports coupé is sold in very limited numbers. Toyota claims the C-HR+ is “fun to drive”, thanks to the rigidity of the platform, bespoke-tuned suspension, stiffened anti-roll bars and responsive steering.
This, Toyota says, is what sets it apart from the bZ4X. Expect prices to start from roughly 40,000 euros (£35,000)

Toyota has reaffirmed its commitment to releasing a further three new EVs by the end of 2026 – and Lexus will launch another two in the next 12 months. A trio of silhouettes suggest that the new Toyota EVs will be an SUV, a pick-up and a fastback. The SUV could be a production version of 2023’s Land Cruiser Se concept, Toyota has hinted. Meanwhile, Lexus is likely to release its own variants of the C-HR+ and Urban Cruiser but details remain scarce. Toyota has also committed to introducing the next-generation EV tech that it previewed in 2023, such as advanced and low-cost lithium ion batteries and high-performance solid-state packs, before 2030 – while also developing new ICEs and continuing its push with hydrogen and alternative fuels.

Dubbed the C-HR+, Toyota said it would be launched in selected European countries this year before a wider rollout across the union next year. A Toyota Australia spokesperson was non-committal on the C-HR+ coming Down Under.

“Toyota Australia is committed to our multi-pathway approach to decarbonisation, and we are always looking for ways to expand our electrification line-up, however, we have nothing to announce today,” an official statement from the company said.

The C-HR+ might not be an option today, it is likely to be a strong possibility to join the local line up in the future as the federal government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) starts to bite in the next few years.

The NVES fines carmakers for exceeding CO2 thresholds, with the limits getting lower every year until 2030.

Carmakers can offset the sales of high-polluting vehicles with the sales of EVs. This brings the C-HR+ into play in 2027 onwards when conventional hybrid vehicles are likely to exceed the CO2 threshold.
The C-HR+ is built on the e-TNGA platform rather than the TNGA-C platform that underpins the hybrid version currently sold in Australia.

It is the fourth model built on the company’s electric car platform joining the Lexus RZ, China-only bZ3 sedan and the Toyota bZ4X - and the latter’s twin-under-the-skin, the Subaru Solterra.
The C-HR+ also has a different body styling and interior compared to the hybrid version.
The electric version is 160mm longer at 4520mm, which helps it have a longer wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels) that liberates more interior space.

It will be available with the choice of either 58kWh or 77kWh battery.
Smaller battery versions will be front wheel drive only but the bigger battery is fitted to both front- and all-wheel drive layouts.
Toyota said the max driving range is 600km via the benchmark WLTP testing cycle, but this has not been homologated yet.
That range is likely for the single motor big battery version with the more potent all-wheel drive grade reducing the range.

The single motor versions are expected to deliver 123kW in the small battery version and 165kW in the long-legged variant. The all-wheel drive adds a second motor to the rear and ups power to 252kW. The AWD can sprint from 0-100km/h in 5.2 seconds.
It can accept a max DC charge rate of 150kW and AC charging tops out at 11kW for the smaller battery variant and 22kW for bigger power pack examples.
It has a full suite of safety kit and mod cons such as a 14-inch multimedia display and heated seats depending on the grade.