India’s largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki, has begun production of its first electric vehicle, the eVitara, at the Hansalpur plant in Gujarat. The production was officially launched on Tuesday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagging it off.
The eVitara, first showcased at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in 2024, is the company’s debut electric car and the first of four battery electric vehicles planned by the end of this decade. Maruti Suzuki has set a goal of producing 67,000 EVs in FY26, with most of them meant for exports.
The first batch of eVitara models will be shipped to European countries including the UK, Germany, France, Norway, Netherlands, Italy, and others. RC Bhargava, Chairman of Maruti Suzuki, said the company aims to export 50,000–100,000 units, though the timeline for launching the car in India is yet to be decided.
PM Modi praised the move as a “big leap” for the Make in India, Make for the World vision. He said Indian-made EVs will soon run in 100 countries, carrying the “Made in India” mark proudly.
Maruti Suzuki has been slower than rivals like Tata Motors and Mahindra in India’s EV market, where Tata currently leads. But the company is betting on a multi-fuel strategy to stay ahead. This includes EVs, hybrids, CNG, and flex-fuel vehicles, each catering to different regional needs.
By 2031, Maruti expects CNG models (including biogas) to make up 35% of its powertrain mix, while hybrids and petrol cars will contribute 25% each. EVs are also expected to play a growing role as infrastructure improves.
India is already Suzuki Motor Corporation’s largest market, contributing over 61% of production and 57% of global sales last year. With a strong presence, Suzuki is now making India its global hub for EV manufacturing.
Maruti Suzuki currently has a capacity of 2.35 million vehicles a year across three plants. The Hansalpur facility alone can produce 750,000 units annually. To meet future demand, the company plans to expand capacity to 4 million vehicles by 2030, with new greenfield plants in Kharkhoda (Haryana) and Gujarat.
