Maruti Suzuki enters EV segment with e Vitara

New Delhi, Feb 17 (PTI) Maruti Suzuki India on Tuesday formally entered the electric vehicle segment with the launch of its first battery electric vehicle eVitara in the country.

The car market leader has already commenced the exports of the all new mid-sized electric SUV to various markets. Along with parent Suzuki Motor Corporation, the company aims to sell the car in over 100 nations globally.

"This month holds a great significance. 45 years ago, this was the month Maruti was incorporated with the prime objective to put India on wheels. We took small baby steps, and slowly those tiny steps begin to shape something extraordinary today. Today, in the same month of February, we are getting ready to embark on a journey of transformation that will redefine the auto industry," Maruti Suzuki India Senior Executive Officer (Marketing and Sales) Partho Banerjee told reporters at a virtual press conference.

The EV penetration in the domestic market has been hovering around 4-5 per cent for the last two years, and it is time that this market takes an exponential leap, he added.

The auto major has launched e Vitara at 10.99 lakh with BaaS (Battery-as-a-Service) ownership plan.

Banerjee noted that the e-VITARA comes with 61kWh and 49kWh battery pack options with a drive range of up to 543 km.

Banerjee said the every e VITARA owner will receive a complimentary 7.4 kW AC Wall Box Charger along with installation.

He noted that before launching the model in the domestic market, the company built EV ecosystems to systematically take care of every barrier to EV adoption.

"Be it the public charging infrastructure, be it the concern of resale value, be it the after sales and service network, be it the product range, we feel it is not the product but an overall package that makes the difference," he stated.

He noted that Maruti Suzuki's EV strategy has been developed to ensure that the e VITARA becomes the primary EV choice for customers.

"The e VITARA offers a commendable driving range of over 543 km, supported by 'e for me' charging ecosystem that mirrors the reliability our customers have trusted for decades. With over 1,500 EV-ready service centres, specially trained NEXA EV relationship managers and dedicated charging managers, the e VITARA offers complete peace-of-mind," Banerjee said.

The company is also introducing flexible ownership plans with BaaS, alongside exclusive benefits for early adopters, he added.

In December last year, Maruti Suzuki India MD and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi had noted that aligned with Suzuki's global vision, Maruti Suzuki plans to introduce multiple EVs in the country.

"And to support this, our aim is to enable a network of over 1 lakh charging points across India by 2030, along with our Dealer and CPO partners," he had stated. PTI