Suzuki unwraps eVX electric concept in India

MARUTI Suzuki unveiled an electric SUV concept at the Auto Expo in New Delhi this week, which the manufacturer’s president Toshiro Suzuki said will arrive in production form by 2025.

The mid-size eVX concept – similar in size to the Toyota bZ4X – will be powered by a 60kWh battery pack and offer a driving range of up to 550km under modified

Indian driving cycle test conditions, according to Maruti Suzuki.

As the first all-electric SUV spawned by Suzuki’s global electric vehicle strategy, the eVX will join a line-up including electrified Grand Vitara and S-Cross models “in various countries around the world”, although at this stage it is unclear where Australia fits into the plan.

Maruti Suzuki says the eVX is a battery electric vehicle (BEV) that combines Suzuki’s strong four-wheel drive DNA with the advanced features of the latest BEVs, suggesting the model will have some off-road ability.

It says the exterior of the eVX is “designed to be instantly recognisable as a Suzuki SUV” and that it will “carry forward the brand’s 4x4 legacy into the new electric era”.

Speaking at the unveiling of the eVX concept in New Dehli, Mr Suzuki said “addressing global warming is a priority” for Suzuki Group.

“We are promoting a range of global measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Suzuki will continue providing valuable products to our customers around the world by optimising them for the way different people live and drive.”

The Suzuki eVX measures 4300mm in length, is 1800mm wide and 1600mm high. At this stage, no further specifications have been detailed.

Suzuki has said it will spend more than ₹104 billion ($A1.88b) on its Indian electrification strategy, including a new battery plant starting in 2026.

Mr Suzuki said the group plans to learn more about EV technologies from partner Toyota as Maruti Suzuki works to hold its market share in a country that is rapidly shifting toward larger, safer and more environmentally friendly vehicles.

Suzuki’s market share in India dropped to below 43 per cent in 2022, down from more than 50 per cent in 2019.

Maruti Suzuki managing director Hisashi Takeuchi told media at the Auto Expo in New Delhi  that electrification was a challenge in the Indian market, and that it will focus on a range of cleaner technologies including hybrid, compressed natural gas (CNG) including bio-CNG, BEVs and ethanol power.

“We believe that deployment of multiple technologies will help to achieve the national goal of lowering emissions and oil consumption,” he said.

“We have powertrain technologies like smart hybrid, strong hybrid, and natural gas that can cover a large part of our volumes to reduce total carbon emissions substantially.

“With specific emphasis on Atmanirbhar Bharat (a phrase coined by the prime minister of India meaning ‘self-reliant India’), we have committed ourselves to bring new products, technologies, investments and set up new capacities all in India.

“Sustainability is a ‘way of life’ for Maruti Suzuki since its inception. The company has inculcated the values of the three Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – in all its operating processes.

“These not only make the operations efficient, but also support resource optimisation, leading to the conservation of natural resources,” he added.

India is pushing vehicle manufacturers to build more EVs by offering companies billions of dollars in incentives with a lofty target of a market share of 30 per cent for EVs by 2030.

Currently, EVs comprise less than one per cent of total vehicle sales in the subcontinent.