The landmark event set a dual milestone for green mobility and advanced manufacturing in the country.
Maruti Suzuki’s first battery electric vehicle has rolled out of Gujarat, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself flagging it off. The e-Vitara, manufactured at the company’s Hansalpur plant, marks the beginning of a new chapter for India’s largest carmaker and for the country’s clean mobility ambitions.
The electric SUV will now begin its journey to more than 100 markets worldwide, with the first consignment headed to the United Kingdom. Modi called it “a special day in India’s quest for self-reliance,” highlighting how the EV program positions India not just as a consumer market but as Suzuki’s global hub for battery electric vehicles.
Unveiled internationally last year and showcased at the Bharat Mobility Expo 2025, the e-Vitara sits on the dedicated 40PL EV platform developed with Toyota, which will also spawn a sibling under the Urban Cruiser name. Buyers can expect two battery packs, 49 kWh and 61 kWh, with the latter available in a dual-motor all-wheel-drive AllGrip-e version. Pricing in India is expected to start around Rs 20 lakh, putting it up against the Mahindra BE6, Hyundai Creta Electric, and MG ZS EV.
Alongside the EV rollout, Modi, in the presence of Bhupendra Patel, CM of Gujarat, and Keichii Ono, Ambassador of Japan to India, also inaugurated a lithium-ion battery cell and electrode facility at Hansalpur. The TDSG plant, a joint venture between Toshiba, Denso, and Suzuki, will localise hybrid battery electrode production for strong hybrid vehicles. With over 80 percent of battery value set to be manufactured within the country, the move is expected to cut import reliance and deepen India’s EV ecosystem.
The twin launches underline India’s push to become a manufacturing base for clean energy technology, while strengthening Gujarat’s position as a hub for automotive and infrastructure growth.
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