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Maruti Suzuki India on Friday unveiled its first battery electric vehicle eVITARA, which will be exported to over 100 countries.
Photograph: Courtesy, Maruti Suzuki
Speaking at the unveiling of the model at the Auto Expo, held as part of the Bharat Mobility Show, Suzuki Motor Corporation representative director and president Toshihiro Suzuki said the electric SUV would be exported to various regions, including Europe and Japan.
Suzuki Motor Corporation, which has around 58 per cent stake in Maruti Suzuki India, plans to make India a global production hub for the model.
“We plan to begin production of the eVITARA” in the coming few months at Maruti Suzuki’s Gujarat plant.
“From here, we will export to more than 100 countries, including Europe and Japan,” Suzuki said.
In India, the automaker will utilise all its resources to build a BEV ecosystem to offer customers an experience with total peace of mind, he stated.
This will ensure that customers feel very comfortable and confident when making the BEV choice, Suzuki said.
eVITARA is Suzuki’s first global strategic battery electric vehicle, which has been long-awaited in India and many parts of the world, he added.
Suzuki noted that the company has been studying customer requirements for BEV in detail all over the world, particularly in its key business regions – India, Japan and Europe.
Based on the study, the automaker aims to make BEVs attractive to customers through a three-step strategy, including the development of a BEV-dedicated platform for optimum performance, he added.
Secondly, evolve the right product for the target markets based on the customer requirements, Suzuki said.
Thirdly, leverage the company’s global economies of scale and concentrate manufacturing at a single location for the world.
“For this purpose, we have chosen India as the global manufacturing base due to its quality products and scale merit,” Suzuki said.
Speaking at the launch, Maruti Suzuki India Managing Director and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi said, “We have invested more than Rs 2,100 crore for manufacturing eVITARA in India, which includes a dedicated EV production line.”
The company is looking to create electric eco solutions for the customers through the “e for me” initiative, he added.
Maruti Suzuki will offer smart home chargers, along with installation support, ensuring convenience for its customers, Suzuki said.
“We will leverage our vast network to provide fast charging support to our customers in the top 100 cities in the first phase and then expand further.
“The idea is that, within these cities, every 5 to 10 kilometres a customer finds a charging point by Maruti Suzuki,” he added.
Moreover, he said, “We are preparing over 1,500 EV-enabled service workshops covering over 1,000 cities.
“These workshops will have specially trained manpower and special equipment to provide all EV-related support, including charging.”
eVITARA is going to feature two battery options — 49kWh and 61kWh, with a driving range of around 500 kms on a single charge.
