Maruti Suzuki E Vitara to be launched in India on December 2nd?
Maruti Suzuki e-Vitara could be launched in India in December 2nd, coming as the brand's first venture into the EV sector.. It is set to be manufactured exclusively at Maruti's Hansalpur factory in Gujarat.
New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki will launch their much-awaited e-Vitara SUV on December 2nd, according to media sources. This follows after the company’s MD and CEO, Hisashi Takeuchi, confirmed the e-Vitara’s launch month back in October during a press conference, but there wasn’t an exact date given.
The price announcement of the Maruti e-Vitara was expected to happen earlier, but that was delayed a few times due to battery supply and software challenges.
The midsize SUV is going to be the Japanese carmaker’s first foray into EVs, not just in India but globally. It will be produced exclusively at the Hansalpur factory in Gujarat. Around 7,000 units have already been shipped overseas since the exports started in August, with the United Kingdom being the biggest importer.
Maruti Suzuki e-Vitara range and powertrain
In the international car markets, the Suzuki e-Vitara gets two battery options: a 49 kWh battery and a 61 kWh battery. The batteries power an electric motor at the front, and a larger unit can also be optioned with a dual-motor setup enabling AWD, which Suzuki have called AllGrip-e. The e-Vitara FWD produces 144 bhp with the 49 kWh unit and 174 bhp for the 61 kWh battery, and the range-topping AWD version adds an electric motor on the back axle, which combined produces 184 bhp.
In the WLTP cycle, the e Vitara 61 kWh FWD gives the best range figures at 428 km, followed by the AWD version’s 394 km. The entry-level 49 kWh FWD will have a range of 344 km. The FWD e-Vitara is likely to arrive initially in India with the larger battery pack, making over 500 km of ARAI-rated range, and the twin motor will likely come later.
Maruti is likely to price the 61 kWh 2WD trim with the higher-powered motor at around Rs 25 lakh. The entry-level 49 kWh version, expected to debut in December, could be priced approximately Rs 20 lakh.
Once launched, the Maruti e-Vitara will compete in a heavily congested segment that includes the Tata Curvv EV, MG ZS EV, Hyundai Creta Electric, and Mahindra BE 6.