In a major EV push, Modi launches Suzuki's 1st global battery electric vehicle e-VITARA in Ahmedabad
The Made-in-India BEVs will be exported to more than one hundred countries, including advanced markets such as Europe and Japan
PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday flagged off the 'e-VITARA', Suzuki’s first global strategic Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), at the Suzuki Motor plant in Ahmedabad's Hansalpur, reported ANI.
The Made-in-India BEVs will be exported to more than one hundred countries, including advanced markets such as Europe and Japan, added the report.
Among other things, PM Modi also inaugurated the lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility by Suzuki, Toshiba, and Denso, supporting hybrid and electric vehicle battery production.
Earlier, the PMO said in a statement, “On 26th August, around 10:30 a.m., the Prime Minister will inaugurate localized production of hybrid battery electrodes and flag off battery electric vehicle exports to 100 countries at Hansalpur, Ahmedabad. He will also address the gathering on the occasion.”
About e-VITARA:
During the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in January 2025, Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest carmaker, unveiled the e-VITARA. It was first introduced globally in Europe late last year. With the flagging off e-VITARA by PM Narendra Modi, the commercial production of the vehicle has officially begun at the Hansalpur plant.
The e-Vitara is constructed on the 40PL dedicated EV platform, which has been created with Toyota.
The electric SUV will offer two battery options: 49kWh and 61kWh, with the larger battery available in a dual-motor AWD (AllGrip-e) configuration. Other details and the launch timeline in India are expected to be revealed in the near future.
It is expected that the starting price for the electric SUV is approximately ₹20 lakh, ex-showroom. The e-Vitara will go up against competitors such as the Mahindra BE6, Hyundai Creta Electric, MG ZS EV, and others, reported NDTV.
Maruti Suzuki exported over 3.32 lakh vehicles and sold 19.01 lakh units in the domestic market in FY25 due to the annual capacity of 2.6 million units across four Indian plants.
Now, with the Hansalpur plant, India can serve as Suzuki’s global manufacturing hub for electric vehicles.
