Suzuki eVitara Unveiled As Brand’s First Electric Car, To Be Made In India
Production of the Suzuki eVitara will commence at the Suzuki Motor Gujarat factory in February 2025. The electric SUV is expected to go on sale in Europe, Japan and India by June.
Suzuki Motor Corp. has unveiled its first electric car in Europe, becoming one of the last major carmakers to enter the EV market.
Called the eVitara, the midsize SUV is based on the 'eVX' concept that was showcased at the 2023 Auto Expo in New Delhi. Production of the electric SUV will commence at Suzuki Motor Gujarat Pvt. Ltd.’s factory in February 2025. The electric SUV is expected to go on sale in Europe, Japan and India by June.
At 4,275 mm length, 1,800 mm width and 1,635 mm height, the eVitara is a smidge smaller than the India-spec Grand Vitara, which rivals the likes of the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos in the midsize SUV segment. The electric SUV is built on the ‘HEARTECT-e’ platform that forms the underpinnings of several Suzuki cars, including the Swift hatchback.
Toshihiro Suzuki, president of Suzuki Motor Corp, unveils the Suzuki eVitara in Milan on Monday, 4 November 2024. (Photo: Company)
“The eVitara is our first BEV (battery electric vehicle), developed through repeated trial and error to create an easy-to-use BEV for our customers,” Toshihiro Suzuki, representative director and president at Suzuki Motor Corp., said at the unveiling in Milan on Monday.
“The introduction of the eVitara represents a significant milestone in achieving carbon neutrality. In order to realise a carbon-neutral society, we will provide a variety of options, including BEVs, hybrid vehicles, and CNG vehicles, tailored to specific regions.”
The eVitara will be offered with two powertrains—142 bhp with a 49 kWh battery and 172 bhp with a 61 kWh battery—with the motor mounted at the front. The torque figures are identical at 140 NM. The claimed range is 250 miles, or 400 km, on a single charge.
The powertrain includes an eAxle that integrates the motor and inverter, along with the lithium-ion phosphate battery. That, according to Suzuki, makes the car safer and more reliable while retaining a nimble acceleration. On offer is ‘ALLGRIP-e’, an electric four-wheel drive system that first debuted on the Jimny in 1970.
