INVESTS RS 2.1K CR FOR MANUFACTURING EVITARA IN INDIA: MSI unveils eVITARA; to export it to 100 countries

New Delhi, PTI: Maruti Suzuki India on Friday unveiled its first battery electric vehicle eVITARA, which will be exported to over 100 countries. 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% 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. eVITARA is going to feature two battery options 49kWh and 61kWh, with a driving range of around 500 kms on a single charge.

SMIPL launches first electric scooter: Two-wheeler maker Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd (SMIPL) on Friday launched its first electric scooter, e-Access, as well as two other models at Bharat Mobility Expo 2025. Expanding its presence in the Indian two-wheeler market, Japan-based Suzuki Motor Corporation's subsidiary, SMIPL, has taken a significant step towards electric mobility with e-Access. Besides, it launched GIXXER SF 250 Flex Fuel, its first E-85 fuel-compliant motorcycle for the Indian market. E85, also known as flex fuel, is a blend of gasoline and ethanol.

Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, Representative Director and President Toshihiro Suzuki said India is the largest market for the company and we are committed to it. Toshihiro Suzuki resonated with the company's commitment to carbon neutrality and its multipathway approach to realise this goal. e-Access, powered by a 3.07 kWh battery made of Lithium Iron Phosphate, provides a range of 95 km. It offers a maximum speed of 71 km/hr and can be fully charged in 6 hours and 42 minutes using a portable charger and in 2 hours 12 minutes through a fast charger, SMIL claimed. While GIXXER SF 250 Flex Fuel, a sports bike equipped with a 250 cc BS VI compliant engine, uses fuel with ethanol concentration ranging up to 85 per cent. To accommodate ethanol blended fuels, GIXXER SF 250 features upgraded components, including a modified injector, fuel pump and fuel filter which make it compatible with E85 fuel. It is a sports bike designed to drive India towards a carbon-neutral society, SMIPL said.

The Suzuki Motorcycle India Pavilion themed as 'Spectrum of Mobility' has showcased its lineup of big bikes as GSX-8R, V-Storm 800 DE and the iconic Hayabusa. It also features a GSXR1000R race machine that participated in the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race.