Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Maruti Suzuki’s electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing facility in Hansalpur, Gujarat on Tuesday and launched the company’s first battery electric vehicle, the e-Vitara.
“Today is a special day in India’s quest for self-reliance and being a hub for green mobility. At the programme in Hansalpur, e-VITARA will be flagged off. This Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) is made in India and will be exported to over a hundred nations,” the Prime Minister said during the launch ceremony.
The e-Vitara marks Maruti Suzuki’s entry into the battery electric segment and is designed not only for the domestic market but also for global consumers, with plans to ship the model to more than 100 countries.
The event was also attended by Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel and Keiichi Ono, Japan’s Ambassador to India.
Domestic customers can expect to get their hands on the e-Vitara by September 3. It has already been launched in the UK and is expected to give strong competition to cars such as Hyundai Creta Electric, MG ZS EV, and Mahindra’s BE 6.
The car will be offered with 18-inch aero-optimised alloys wrapped in Goodyear tyres. The car comes with two battery types – 49 kWh and 61 kWh. The 49 kWh pack will take about 6.5 hours on a 7 kW AC charger and 4.5 hours on an 11 kW charger.
The 61 kWh battery unit will need roughly 9 hours and 5.5 hours on the same chargers. Both units supports DC fast charging, allowing users to achieve 80 per cent charge on their vehicles in nearly 45 minutes.
The Prime Minister also highlighted progress in strengthening the battery manufacturing ecosystem.
“In a big boost to our battery ecosystem, production of hybrid battery electrodes will also commence at a plant in Gujarat,” he added.
Experts believe the dual announcement underscores India’s focus on expanding its EV footprint while developing critical components domestically to reduce import dependence.