Last year, Ebro announced its rebirth as an automotive brand with the presentation of an electric pick-up at Automobile Barcelona. Well, approximately a year later it has taken advantage of the celebration of the Madrid Car Experience to unveil two SUVs worldwide: the Ebro S700 and the Ebro S800. These are two mid-size models that will be sold in gasoline or plug-in hybrid versions.
Both passenger cars will begin production at the old Nissan factory in the Barcelona Free Trade Zone at the end of 2024 and will initially be marketed through 30 points of sale from a network of own dealers distributed throughout the country. This distribution network will also offer repair and maintenance services.
The debut of the two SUVs took place coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the historic Spanish brand, which is reborn. In fact, the name of both cars is a nod to how Ebro named his vehicles in the past: he used alphanumeric combinations, with one letter and three figures. As the Spanish company itself explains, in the case of the new models, “the S refers to the SUV segment and the first number of the numbering, to the segment that indicates the size of the vehicle.”
While the S700 is a five-seater with a length of 451 centimeters, the S800 is presented as the more familiar alternative, as it measures 472 cm long and can accommodate up to seven occupants.
The range will have two trim levels and as many propulsion systems. The gasoline variant has a 1.6 TGDI block with 150 HP; For its part, the PHEV is equipped with a 1.5 TGDi internal combustion engine and another electric engine that develop a total power of 350 HP. This plug-in hybrid version offers a range of more than 80 km, so it enjoys the advantages of the DGT’s ZERO label.
The cars will be produced on a platform and technologies shared with Chery, a Chinese automobile company that has become a partner of Ebro for the production of vehicles in Spain. In an initial phase and to accelerate the start of industrial operations, the cars will be assembled in the factory, although the objective is that in the near future the welding, painting and assembly facilities will also be used. In this second phase, the progressive incorporation of local suppliers is contemplated.
During the international presentation at the Madrid Car Experience, Pedro Calef, CEO of Ebro, highlighted that “with Chery, we will work together to promote a project that will return the automotive industry to the Barcelona Free Trade Zone, and for which our objective is cover the entire value chain, generating employment, and also opportunities for the auxiliary industry. “Today is a great day for us, but also for all of us who believe in the industrialization projects of our country.”