Maruti Suzuki Rolls Out First eVitara EV in Gujarat – Aiming to Beat Tata & Mahindra in India’s EV Race

Maruti Suzuki eVitara EV Production Begins in Gujarat

India’s largest automaker, Maruti Suzuki, has officially started production of its first electric car – the eVitara – at its Hansalpur plant in Gujarat. The historic rollout was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, signaling the brand’s big push into India’s fast-growing electric vehicle (EV) market.

Unveiled at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo, the eVitara is the first of four battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that Maruti Suzuki plans to launch by 2030. With this move, the Japanese carmaker is finally entering a space already dominated by Tata Motors, Mahindra Electric, and MG Motor India.

Why eVitara Matters for Maruti Suzuki

• Production Goal: Suzuki Motor has set a target to manufacture 67,000 EVs by FY2026, with a major share earmarked for exports.

• India as a Hub: Over 61% of Suzuki’s global production already comes from India. Now, India will become its global EV manufacturing hub.

• Market Strategy: Unlike rivals focusing only on BEVs, Maruti Suzuki will follow a multi-fuel strategy – battery electric, hybrids, CNG, and flex-fuel vehicles – ensuring wider adoption.
  
  

EV Market Impact – Tata, Mahindra & MG Watch Closely

While Tata Motors dominates the Indian EV car market with the Nexon EV, Punch EV, and Tiago EV, Maruti Suzuki’s entry is set to shake things up.

• Tata Motors has the first-mover advantage but faces upcoming competition.

• Mahindra Electric is gearing up with its XUV.e series.

• MG Motor India continues to push with its ZS EV and Comet EV.
  
  

With the eVitara, Maruti Suzuki is clearly targeting mass adoption and could leverage its vast dealer and service network to outpace rivals during the upcoming festive season.

Maruti Suzuki’s Expansion Plans

• Current production: 2.35 million vehicles annually across Haryana & Gujarat.

• Hansalpur plant (Gujarat): capacity of 750,000 units annually.

• New Kharkhoda plant (Haryana): just started operations with 250,000 capacity.

• Goal: 4 million annual capacity by 2031 – nearly doubling current output.
  
  

EV Adoption Strategy

By FY2031, Maruti Suzuki expects:

• 35% CNG models (including compressed biogas)

• 25% hybrids

• 25% ICE vehicles

• 15% battery electric vehicles (BEVs) – led by the eVitara
  
  

This diversified approach ensures Maruti does not rely solely on EVs while still aiming to become India’s largest electric carmaker from Day 1 of eVitara’s production.

EVINDIA Analysis

Maruti Suzuki’s late entry could still pay off because of:

• Mass-market pricing strategy (affordable EVs vs premium rivals)
• Strong dealer network across India
• Government support for EV production hubs in Gujarat & Haryana
• Festive season demand surge in 2025
• If executed well, the eVitara could become India’s most sold EV by 2026, challenging Tata’s stronghold.