From Gujarat to the globe, Suzuki kicks off India’s first eVitara EV, unveiling an ambitious ₹700 billion push to electrify mobility and double production by 2030.
Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) will invest ₹700 billion (around $8 billion) in India over the next five to six years, chairman and president Toshihiro Suzuki announced on Tuesday.
The declaration came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off commercial production of the company’s first battery electric vehicle (BEV), the eVitara SUV, at its Hansalpur plant in Gujarat.
The Prime Minister described the facility as a ‘big leap’ for India’s manufacturing ambitions under the Make in India initiative. The eVitara, first unveiled at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo last year, is the first of four BEVs planned by Suzuki by 2030.
The Hansalpur site currently produces 750,000 cars annually across three lines. It is being scaled up to one million units, with the automaker positioning it as a global hub for EVs.
This facility was chosen to build and export to over 100 countries, including Japan and Europe, Toshihiro Suzuki said. He added that India’s first locally made lithium-ion battery cells, to be used in hybrid vehicles, also mark a significant milestone.
Maruti Suzuki, the Japanese group’s Indian subsidiary, targets producing 67,000 EVs in FY26, with annual exports projected to be between 50,000 and 100,000 units. However, chairman RC Bhargava clarified that the domestic launch of the eVitara will follow only after localisation improves.
Exports may start first, but he is cautious that importing large volumes of batteries will make EVs expensive for Indian buyers.
Bhargava also highlighted affordability as a challenge for mass adoption of EVs, suggesting that wider uptake will depend on rising consumer incomes.
India remains Suzuki’s largest market, contributing over 61% of its global output. With a 40% market share through Maruti Suzuki, the company aims to double its local production capacity to 4 million vehicles by 2030.
