Suzuki exhibited its 1st electric car, the ’e Vitara’ at the EICMA Auto Show in Milan, Italy. This is the company’s first electric car globally and it is set to make its India debut in 2025. The electric SUV was first showcased as the ‘eVX’, a concept electric car at the Auto Expo in Delhi-NCR. Now, the car is in a ‘production-ready’ stage and is all set to be launched in India and other markets in 2025.
Production of the eVitara is scheduled to begin in early 2025 at Suzuki’s Gujarat facility, which is dedicated to EV manufacturing. Half of the production is intended for export to Japan & Europe.
The Maruti Suzuki e Vitara will debut in India at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in Delhi NCR in January 2025, with sales expected to begin in March. The car will be sold through Maruti’s NEXA showroom network.
The e Vitara looks different in terms of design from the fuel-powered Grand Vitara currently on sale in India.
Battery, Expected Range & EV Charging:
The e Vitara will be offered in 2 battery options: 49 kWh & 61 kWh. LFP ‘Blade’ batteries for the e Vitara will be supplied by BYD. These Blade batteries are capable of rapid charging from 30-80% in 30 minutes using 110 kW DC fast-chargers. The 61 kWh variant is expected to have a range of 550 km. The 49 kWh battery variant will feature front-wheel-drive (FWD), whereas the 61 kWh variant will also feature all-wheel-drive (AWD) configuration.
Platform:
The e Vitara has been built on the ‘Heartect-e skateboard platform’, which Suzuki has co-developed with Toyota. The platform features integrated eAxles, which combine the motor & inverter. A Toyota counterpart based on the same platform is expected to be introduced later in 2025.
Expected Features:
The e Vitara model Suzuki exhibited at EICMA in Italy featured dual touchscreens, wireless smartphone charging pad, two-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel and 360-degree camera setup.
Expected Price:
The 49 kWh variant is expected to be priced around Rs 20 lakh, and the 61 kWh variant around Rs 25 lakh.
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Maruti Suzuki EV Charging Stations:
Maruti Suzuki India is working on a widespread network of EV charging stations before the launch of its 1st electric car. The automaker plans to install 25,000 EV charging points before it launches the e Vitara in India. Maruti has also registered names like ‘Charge Hub’ and ‘Smart Charge’.
The automaker will set up EV charging stations at NEXA showrooms and Maruti service centres. The company is surveying its showroom & service centre network to install EV charging stations. At its service centres, the company will have 1 dedicated service bay for electric cars & 2 EV charging points. EV-centric training for service personnel is already underway. Also, the company is in advanced talks with fuel companies earmark space at larger petrol pumps for EV charging stations.
Maruti Suzuki’s EV Ecosystem:
Before its 1st EV is launched, Maruti Suzuki India is looking to establish a ‘holistic ecosystem’ for electric car buyers. Apart from EV charging infrastructure, the company is also working on resale value concerns for EVs. Maruti gave a statement regarding this: “We are not only going to launch the product, we are going to basically provide a complete ecosystem for the customers who are going to be part of the electric vehicle family.”
Competition:
Upon launch, the eVitara will compete with the upcoming Hyundai Creta EV & Mahindra BE 6e, and
the Tata Curvv EV, Tata Nexon EV, MG ZS EV & BYD Atto 3.
Conclusion:
Maruti Suzuki India & Hyundai India may be behind companies like Tata Motors, Mahindra & MG, but given their dominant position in the country’s car market, their entry is expected to enhance interest tremendously in the EV segment.
