Suzuki Motors plans to supply the all-new battery electric vehicle SUV model to Toyota Motor Corporation from the early months of 2025. The company is set to begin manufacturing in spring 2025 at Suzuki's India facility in Gujarat, it said in an exchange filing on Wednesday. This marks the first fully electric vehicle from the extended partnership between Toyota and Suzuki in electric vehicles (EVs).
The upcoming facility in Gujarat will be dedicated exclusively to EV production and will have an annual capacity of 250,000 units, making it Suzuki's fourth production site in India, following its existing plants in Haryana.
"While continuing to be competitors, we will deepen our collaborations toward solving social issues, including the realisation of a carbon-neutral society through a multi-pathway approach,” Toshihiro Suzuki, Suzuki President, said in an official statement.
While specific details about the SUV, including its name, have yet to be disclosed, it marks a significant milestone for Maruti Suzuki as the first fully electric vehicle developed under its partnership with Toyota and Daihatsu Motor Corporation. This born-electric SUV is designed to offer contemporary EV characteristics, including a spacious interior and nimble handling, while also providing an ample driving range and an optional four-wheel-drive (4WD) system for tackling rugged terrains.
This collaboration will provide a competitive offering in the growing EV landscape.
The new BEV SUVs will also be exported to foreign markets such as Japan, the Middle East, and Europe.
Since 2016, when Suzuki's Chairman Osamu Suzuki and Toyota's President Akio Toyoda initiated discussions on joint ventures, the two companies have engaged in various collaborations to enhance mobility and driving enjoyment. Their partnership has led to successful vehicle launches including models like the Suzuki Baleno/Toyota Glanza, Toyota Innova Hycross/Suzuki Invicto, and Suzuki Grand Vitara/Toyota Urban Cruiser HyRyder.
Maruti Suzuki's current product portfolio spans the budget-friendly Alto K10 to the re-badged Invicto MPV, based on the Toyota Innova Crysta. While the company has phased out diesel options, in recent years, it offers several models with factory-fitted CNG and relies on Toyota for its hybrid units. This announcement marks the car manufacturer's entry into the highly competitive EV segment.
In India's electric vehicle market, Tata Motors currently leads with models like the Tiago EV, Punch EV, Nexon EV, and Curvv EV. Other competitors include MG Motor with its Comet EV and ZS EV, Hyundai with the Ioniq 5, and Kia’s recent EV9 launch at ₹1.23 crore. Mahindra has also confirmed plans to aggressively expand its all-electric lineup.
