Our Bureau
Ahmedabad
This Tuesday, on August 26th, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off Maruti Suzuki’s first Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), e-Vitara, at Hansalpur, Gujarat. This is a completely Made in India EV and will be exported all across the globe to 100 countries and will signify India’s surging ambitions in green mobility and self-reliance.
PM Modi hailed this new innovation and this day as a huge milestone in India’s journey to becoming a hub for sustainable transportation. This also highlights the growth of India as a manufacturer and exporter in the world.
The launch of the brand new EV also coincided with the news of the beginning of hybrid battery electrode production at a new plant in Hansalpur. This plant will give the country’s EV battery ecosystem a boost and take it to the next level. The Indian PM also inaugurated the lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility which will be set up by Suzuki, Toshiba and Denso. This plant will support the production of batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles.
The newly launched e-Vitara of Maruti Suzuki was first showcased earlier this year at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo at the capital of the country in New Delhi. This will mark Maruti Suzuki’s debut in the EV market and will mark the company’s global push in the electric vehicle segment.
Maruti’s e-Vitara will be equipped with new gen features consisting of sharp LED headlamps and DRLs, 18/19-inch alloy wheels, a fully digital instrument cluster, touchscreen infotainment, powered driver seat, wireless charger, JBL premium audio, 360-degree camera, panoramic sunroof and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
The SUV is braced with two lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery options — 49 kWh and 61 kWh and will be available in both Front Wheel Drive (FWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD) configurations. With this vehicle the company is looking to boost its sales in the country and will make India as Suzuki’s global manufacturing hub for EVs.
