Toyota to source new electric SUV for India from Suzuki
Maruti Suzuki, Suzuki’s local joint venture company, will manufacture Toyota’s upcoming electric SUV in Hansalpur, a village in the western state of Gujarat in India. Toyota, which operates through Toyota Kirloskar Motor in the country, will market this model locally. Toyota plans to offer this model globally, which indicates Maruti Suzuki will manufacture it for exports as well.
Maruti Suzuki has installed a production capacity of 750,000 units with three assembly lines at the Gujarat plant. The company is setting up a fourth assembly line with an additional capacity of 250,000 units, eyeing EV production.
Toyota is engineering the upcoming electric SUV on a dedicated EV platform, which it co-developed with Suzuki and Daihatsu. According to an Autocar India report, the company internally calls this platform ‘27PL’ and it is a low-cost version of the e-TNGA platform (codename: 40PL). The Japanese automaker is designing the new EV from the ground up and plans to offer it in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive drivetrain layouts. Suzuki and Daihatsu helped it develop this model’s powertrain as well. The battery pack should have an energy storage capacity of around 60 kWh, enough to deliver a range of approximately 550 km as per the Modified Indian Driving Cycle (MIDC).
Neither Toyota nor Suzuki explicitly said this in their joint announcement about the new cross-supply collaboration, but previous developments suggest they are referring to the production version of the Toyota Urban SUV Concept. The small SUV is 4,300 mm long, 1,820 mm wide, and 1,620 mm tall. Suzuki is developing a mechanical cousin with similar dimensions and proportions, which it previewed with the eVX concept that measures 4,300 mm in length, 1,800 mm in width, and 1,600 mm in height.
While most European customers find a soft, crossover appearance appealing, most Indian customers like an authentic SUV look. In line with the preferences of Indian drivers, Toyota and Suzuki are designing their upcoming electric SUVs with an upright posture, a high-set, horizontal hood, strong shoulders, and high ground clearance. They will likely emphasise more on rear-seat space and comfort as well.
Suzuki will launch the production version of the eVX before Toyota releases the final evolution of the Urban SUV Concept. The company plans to showcase it at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, which will take place from 17 to 22 January 2025. During its Q2 FY2025 earnings conference call on 29 October, Maruti Suzuki suggested it will begin the marketing campaign soon.
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