Maruti Suzuki will make small electric car for you, India will be the production center

Last updated:January 16, 2025, 3:56 pm IST

Japan’s Suzuki Motor Corporation plans to make electric small cars in the future after the experience of its first EV, the SUV E Vitara. The global launch of Vitara will take place in India, which will be the company’s production hub.

New Delhi. The company, which has given India the experience of cheap and economical cars, has realized in the recent past that the demand for small cars will always remain in India. In such a situation, keeping in mind the needs of India, Japanese company Suzuki Motor Corporation has planned to enter the small electric car segment in the future. The company’s first electric vehicle, the SUV e Vitara, will make its global debut in India, which will be the company’s production hub. This information was given by the company’s representative director and president Toshihiro Suzuki on Thursday.

The Japanese car manufacturer believes that even though there has been a decline in the sales of small cars, small cars will not die out in India. Suzuki said the “one billion people” who will upgrade from two-wheelers to four-wheelers in the future will still need affordable cars. Maruti Suzuki India, which is the market leader, will take note of this.

Maruti Suzuki India will unveil the e Vitara at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 held at the Bharat Pavilion on Friday.

Suzuki said, “However, we are launching our first EV, the e Vitara. My personal feeling is that compact vehicles will be best for EVs… But first one has to learn and master the manufacturing techniques of EVs properly… So, after understanding it completely we would like to shift to EVs even for small cars . “We have plans to have EVs in the small car segment.”

Company will work on feedback from customers
Responding to a question on the EV roadmap of Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), Suzuki said that after launching the E Vitara, the company would like to take feedback from the customers and Maruti Suzuki will also try to understand the feedback of the customers, only then for small electric cars. The plan will move forward.

Suzuki also said that SMC’s two-wheeler arm Suzuki Motorcycle India will also unveil the electric scooter E Access at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo.

“These battery electric vehicles (BEVs) represent the global model and India will be the production hub for these vehicles,” he said. He said the importance of India as an export hub for four-wheelers and two-wheelers for SMC “is becoming more important than ever.”

Suzuki said, “We would like to export not only EVs but also other models. We would like to develop India as an export hub for all models.”

On the rationale for making India an export hub, he said, “For Suzuki, the ability to scale in India is our strength, and we will fully utilize this advantage to supply high quality and attractive products to various regions , such as Europe, Japan, the Middle East and Africa, Central and South America and Asian countries.” The e Vitara will be exported first to Europe and then to Japan, followed by other markets across the world.

Suzuki said Maruti Suzuki India resumed exports to Japan with the Franxx last year and the model is currently being exported to more than 70 countries from India. In 2024, the company exported 3.26 lakh units, the highest ever, regardless of the calendar or financial year.

Asked about the future of small cars despite rapidly growing SUV sales in India, Suzuki said, “When we look at the market, Maruti Suzuki’s small car sales are at par with the SUVs that others currently sell. Are being sold by the manufacturers. That’s why it’s still being sold.” He further said, “I don’t think small cars will die out (in India). “There are a billion people who are likely to upgrade from two-wheelers to four-wheelers in the future and they will need an affordable, good car in the small segment.”