Maruti Suzuki to reveal its first EV in India in January 2025

Maruti Suzuki will unveil a mass-production EV in India at an auto show in January next year, according to a new report from the Japanese newspaper Shizuoka Shimbun. Suzuki, which holds a 58.2% stake in the local joint venture, announced the news at its annual general meeting on 27 June. In all likelihood, the company was referring to a world premiere at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, which will take place from 17 to 22 January.

Maruti Suzuki previewed the upcoming EV with the eVX small SUV concept at Auto Expo 2023. The company will manufacture it on a new, EV assembly line at a local production facility in Hansalpur, nearly 100 km from Ahmedabad in the western state of Gujarat. The company is investing ₹32 billion (~ €357 million) to build the new assembly line, which will increase the production facility’s annual output from current 750,000 units to 1 million units.

Maruti Suzuki will export the upcoming pure electric small SUV from India to Europe and Japan, making it a global model. According to a report from local newspaper The Hindu Businessline, Chairman Ravindra Chandra Bhargava has said that the company will first start exports to these regions and then launch the EV in India.

The eVX sits on a dedicated EV platform and measures 4,300 mm in length, 1,800 mm in width, and 1,600 mm in height. The show car has a 60 kWh battery pack that delivers a range of up to 550 km. When Suzuki showcased it at the Japan Mobility Expo 2023, it stated a 500 km range and suggested that the production version would have all-wheel drive capability.

Maruti Suzuki plans to develop the final evolution of the eVX with similar dimensions and market it as a direct rival of the Hyundai Creta EV. During the company’s Q3 FY2024 investor conference call, Chief Investor Relations Officer Rahul Bharti said that it will have a 60 kWh battery pack and deliver a range of “almost 550 km.”

at-s.com (paywalled article in Japanese), thehindubusinessline.com