On August 26, Suzuki Motor Corporation officially launched production of its first electric vehicle, the e VITARA, at its Gujarat plant in India. The shipment ceremony was attended by Suzuki President Toshihiro Suzuki, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, and Japanese Ambassador to India Hiroshi Suzuki, underscoring the significance of the project for both India's automotive industry and Japan-India cooperation.
President Toshihiro Suzuki expressed his pleasure at hosting the launch event in the presence of Prime Minister Modi. He highlighted that the e VITARA will be manufactured at the Gujarat facility and exported to more than 100 countries and regions worldwide, including Japan and Europe. He also noted that lithium-ion batteries for Suzuki's hybrid models are produced by TDSG, contributing to the "Make in India" initiative. Suzuki emphasized that the company has been working alongside India's automotive sector for over 40 years and will continue to contribute to the country's sustainable mobility and development.
As the first model under Suzuki's global battery electric vehicle (BEV) strategy, the e VITARA marks a milestone for the company. Built on the newly developed HEARTECT-e platform dedicated to BEVs, the SUV combines an advanced yet powerful design with smooth EV driving dynamics. It features the new ALLGRIP-e electric four-wheel-drive system, delivering both off-road capability and strong performance. The model will be exported globally through Pipavav Port in Gujarat.
On the same day, Suzuki announced plans to invest 700 billion rupees (approximately USD 8 billion) in India over the next five to six years. India, where Suzuki holds a majority stake in Maruti Suzuki, has already become the company's largest market in terms of both sales and revenue. Despite the global slowdown in EV sales growth, Suzuki aims to position India as its global production hub for electric vehicles, with plans to export EVs from India to more than 100 countries, including Japan and Europe.
The Indian government has set a target for electric vehicles to account for 30% of total car sales by 2030, up from just 2.5% last year. Suzuki projects that India's annual car sales will reach 20 million units by 2047, while Maruti Suzuki aims to secure a 50% market share in India by 2030. Prime Minister Modi, speaking at the ceremony, hailed the launch of the e VITARA as a major step forward in achieving the "Make in India" vision and praised Maruti Suzuki as a model of strong business ties and people-to-people connections between India and Japan.
