Maruti Suzuki starts production of the e Vitara

Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest carmaker, has commenced production of its first electric vehicle, the e Vitara. The Indo-Japanese joint venture is manufacturing the electric sub-compact SUV for both domestic and export markets at its Hansalpur plant in Gujarat.

Positioned as India’s most globally significant EV to date, the e Vitara marks a pivotal step for both Maruti Suzuki and the country. To underscore its importance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined Suzuki Representative Director and President Toshihiro Suzuki to flag off the first unit from the production line on Tuesday.

Hansalpur will serve as the global production hub for the e Vitara, with Maruti Suzuki building both right- and left-hand drive variants for more than 100 markets. Exports will include emerging countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, South Africa and Thailand, as well as developed markets including France, Germany, Japan and the UK.

The electric SUV was first presented at the end of last year. Initially, Maruti Suzuki planned to manufacture 26,512 units of the e Vitara between April and September. It then reduced the target to 8,221 units in June due to China’s rare earth material export curbs.

According to the most recent statement, Maruti Suzuki now aims to produce 67,000 units of the e Vitara by March 2026, with the majority destined for export. The first batch is scheduled for Europe, where Suzuki plans to launch sales in the autumn. The e Vitara will be available in standard-range FWD, long-range FWD and long-range AWD versions.

The standard-range FWD variant features a 49 kWh battery pack, while the long-range FWD and AWD models use a 61 kWh pack. All versions employ LFP cells supplied by BYD. The standard-range FWD and long-range FWD models are fitted with a 106 kW motor, delivering WLTP ranges of 344 km and 426 km respectively. The AWD version has a dual-motor setup with a system output of 135 kW and a WLTP range of 395 km.

The Hansalpur facility has three production lines, each with an annual capacity of 250,000 units. The e Vitara is being built on the third line, which Suzuki brought online in April 2021. The joint venture plans to add a dedicated EV production line by March 2026, also with a capacity of 250,000 units. Investment in the expansion amounts to 32 billion rupees (around 313 million euros). Over the next five to six years, the company intends to invest a total of 700 billion rupees, or approximately 6.9 billion euros.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com, marutisuzuki.com, pib.gov.in