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The Yomiuri Shimbun The “e VITARA,” a new electric vehicle model unveiled by Suzuki Motor Corp. in New Delhi
By Takashi Itoda / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent
13:55 JST, January 19, 2025
NEW DELHI — Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corp. is currently showcasing its first electric vehicle, the e VITARA, at an auto show underway in India, the world’s third largest automobile market.
Suzuki is the largest automaker in India, with a market share of nearly 40%. When it comes to EVs, however, the company lags behind local automakers, such as Tata Motors Ltd.
Suzuki is attempting to catch up to its rivals, and the launch of its global EV strategy is part of the plan.
Emphasized
“The e VITARA is the perfect embodiment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ vision for promoting the manufacturing industry,” Suzuki Motor President Toshihiro Suzuki said to local reporters at the New Delhi venue of the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, which kicked off on Friday. His remarks emphasized that the vehicle is a “Made-in-India EV.”
The e VITARA is a small-sized sports utility vehicle. Its batteries, which are made by Chinese automaker BYD, last for more than 500 kilometers on a single charge.
While the automaker has not revealed the price of the model or other details, it plans to produce the vehicle at its plants in India and to launch it as early as this summer.
To reduce costs, the company will concentrate the production of its EVs in India, where the economy is rapidly growing.
Defending its stronghold
Suzuki’s moves come as the Indian government aims to increase the share of EVs in new passenger car sales to 30% by 2030 for such reasons as attracting the EV industry to the country and addressing air pollution.
The company is also trying to defend the stronghold it established in the Indian market with its engine-powered vehicles.
According to JATO Co., an automotive market research company, new car sales in India grew by 4% year on year to 4.86 million units in 2024, and Suzuki Motor had the largest share with 37.2%, of which EV sales remained at the 120,000-unit level. Nevertheless, local conglomerate Tata Motors had an overwhelming 61.7% share of the EV market.
“We aim to have the biggest share of the EV market [in India],” Suzuki said.
The automaker plans to regain its lost ground starting with the e VITARA. It then plans to introduce six EV models in India and bring EVs to 15% of its total passenger car sales by fiscal 2030.
