Maruti Suzuki, the country’s largest carmaker, has finally commenced production of its first electric vehicle, the e Vitara, at the Hansalpur factory in Gujarat. The production of the Maruti e Vitara was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The company will not only produce the e Vitara at this facility for domestic sale but will also export it to over 100 countries.
- e Vitara price announcement expected by year-end
- Will get two battery options; claimed range is over 500km
- e Vitara is already on sale in the UK
In an official post on X, PM Modi said, “Today is a special day in India’s quest for self-reliance and being a hub for green mobility. The e Vitara Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) is made in India and will be exported to over a hundred nations.”
The PM will also inaugurate the start of production of India’s first lithium-ion battery and cell with electrode-level localisation for use in hybrid vehicles. These are also being manufactured in Gujarat at the TDSG plant, which is a joint venture between Toshiba, Denso and Suzuki.
Other dignitaries who attended the event include Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel, Japanese Ambassador Keiichi Ono and Suzuki Motor Corporation representative director and president Toshihiro Suzuki.
Maruti Suzuki finally joins the EV race
Maruti Suzuki is certainly late to join the EV race in India, while homegrown carmakers Tata Motors and Mahindra have already taken an early lead. Even some foreign players like MG and Hyundai have established a strong foothold in our market. The move also comes at a time when, across the world, several carmakers are scaling down their EV targets amid a demand slowdown due to high prices and insufficient charging infrastructure.
Maruti Suzuki is, however, ambitious with its first EV, having set a production target of 67,000 units in the financial year 2026. Most of this will be earmarked for exports to Japan and Europe. The e Vitara is the first of four EVs that the carmaker has planned to launch by the end of this decade.
Maruti Suzuki e Vitara: What we know so far
Do note that the e Vitara is delayed from its original launch timeline. It was showcased at the Auto Expo 2025 in January this year with 49kWh and 61kWh battery pack options; the international-spec model will also get an AWD version, which is expected to launch in India at a later stage. Maruti hasn’t yet revealed the specific range details, but it says the larger battery pack will offer an MIDC-rated range of over 500km.
The e Vitara will be well-loaded, too, with features such as a panoramic screen display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, ventilated front seats, powered driver’s seat, reclining and split rear seats, 7 airbags and Level 2 ADAS.
Maruti Suzuki has also promised to set up fast chargers at its dealerships in the top 100 cities, a dedicated charging app and more than 1,500 EV-specific service centres in over 1,000 cities.
Also See:
Mahindra readies flex-fuel engines for India’s ethanol future