The Spanish carmaker Ebro has unveiled the S900, a large, seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV designed to push it into the same league as Europe’s established players. Once known for its sturdy commercial vehicles, Ebro has re-emerged as an SUV brand, with a bit of help from China.
Ebro’s name doesn’t resound widely across Europe (yet?), and as part of Spanish heritage, the rebirth is currently restricted to Spain. Building on a strong partnership with China’s Chery Automobile, which has notable success in the country through its locally produced Jaecoo and Omoda brands, the S9000 uses the bones of the Chery Tiggo 9.
Top of the line
However, assembly takes place at Barcelona’s Zona Franca plant, once home to Nissan’s European operations. Ebro and Chery share ownership of the site. Both plan to expand production to as many as 150,000 vehicles a year as more electrified models are added.
The S900 sits at the top of Ebro’s growing line-up, above the S400, S700, and S800. It’s the most technically advanced and powerful model from the brand yet, pairing a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with three electric motors to produce a combined 425 horsepower and four-wheel drive.
Big battery
Like many Chinese PHEVs, the battery doesn’t lack capacity. The driveline draws power from a 34.5kWh pack that promises up to 140 kilometres of electric range and more than 1,000 kilometres in total between charges and refuelling. Those figures still await official certification, but they hint at a car aimed at long-distance drivers seeking an alternative for diesel power.
The S900’s design is a bit generic and remains relatively restrained, with smooth surfaces that fail to stand out from the crowd and avoid controversy. All in all, it remains soft on the eye with a more polished than muscular stance. At 4.81 metres long and 1.92 metres wide, it’s roughly the size of a Skoda Kodiaq.
Snapdragon chip
Performance is more than brisk enough. Ebro quotes a 0-100 km/h time of around 5.5 seconds, while fuel consumption in hybrid mode is said to average under seven litres per 100 km. Charging can be done at up to 71kW on a DC connection, allowing a 30-80 per cent top-up in a little over 20 minutes.
Inside, the cabin is dominated by a 15.6-inch central touchscreen and a 10.25-inch digital display behind the wheel, both powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard, as do ventilated and heated seats, a Sony audio system with 14 speakers, and a head-up display. There’s also a seat massage for those up front.
Pricing should be convincing. Although not yet confirmed, the S900 would reportedly cost in between €45,000 and €50,000 – putting it up against family seven-seat rivals from Skoda, Peugeot, and Renault. Ebro’s strategy, however, leans on value and equipment rather than badge prestige.
And the electric Navara?
There are currently no tangible plans to offer Ebro models beyond the home market, but Chery has never ruled it out in the local press. It seems to prefer cautious growth instead of aggressive conquest sales.
Ebro’s first sign of resurrection came from an electric version of the Nissan Navara, showcased in 2023. The original Japanese pickup was built at the Barcelona plant. The zero-emission version suffered severe delays, but hasn’t been shelved altogether. It could reach the market as soon as 2028.
