The world will drive EVs that say ‘Made in India’: PM Modi

Hansalpur/New Delhi – Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tuesday, inaugurated the start of production of Maruti Suzuki’s first Battery Electric Vehicle (“BEV”), eVITARA, which is set to be sold in over 100 countries, including Japan and Europe. The PM also kick-started the local manufacturing of the first Lithium-ion battery, cell & electrode for a strong hybrid electric vehicle.

“The seeds of India’s success story were sown 13 years ago when we allotted land to Maruti Suzuki. Back then, it was about ‘Make in India’ too. The world will drive EVs that say ‘Made in India’,” PM Modi said.

“Today is a special day in India’s quest for self-reliance and being a hub for green mobility. At the programme in Hansalpur, e-VITARA will be flagged off. This Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) is manufactured in India and will be exported to over 100 countries. In a big boost to our battery ecosystem, production of hybrid battery electrodes will also commence at a plant in Gujarat,” Prime Minister Modi wrote in a post on X.

Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel; Keiichi Ono, Ambassador of Japan to India; Toshihiro Suzuki, Representative Director and President, Suzuki Motor Corporation; R.C. Bhargava, Chairman, Maruti Suzuki; and Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki, attended the momentous event along with senior dignitaries from the State Government, business partners and Maruti Suzuki.

At a time when most conversations about electric vehicles in India are around imports from technologically advanced countries, car market leader Maruti Suzuki decided to bring a paradigm shift and produced a state-of-the-art BEV, the e VITARA, both for the Indian market and for export to over 100 markets of the world, including in Europe and Japan.

Maruti Suzuki’s e VITARA is slated to be the largest mass-produced and exported electric vehicle from India. Born of a successful India-Japanese partnership, the e VITARA combines Suzuki’s technology with India’s manufacturing prowess, in the true spirit of ‘Make in India; Make for the World’. The e VITARA is built on a freshly designed EV-only platform and is not an IC engine vehicle converted to EV, as the latter involves several design compromises. A preview of the e VITARA has been done earlier in Milan, Italy and at Bharat Mobility Global Expo in New Delhi, India.

In another major accomplishment, Maruti Suzuki’s fellow subsidiary, TDSG, has become the first company in India to achieve electrode-level localisation of lithium-ion battery cells, making India self-reliant in battery manufacturing for hybrid electric vehicles. This electrode level (cathode + anode) localisation is one step towards increasing the proliferation of hybrid electric vehicles in the country. These lithium-ion batteries go into the hybrid system of the popular SUV model, the Grand Vitara.

Both these milestones advance the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision of Shri Narendra Modi, through localisation of supply chains and skill development for the electrified powertrain ecosystem.  These milestones will bring in the volume and scale to make the vision a reality.

Speaking on the occasion, Toshihiro Suzuki, Representative Director and President, Suzuki Motor Corporation, said, “We are deeply honoured that Hon’ble Prime Minister graced the occasion of commemoration of two historic events for the Indian automobile industry. His inspiration and visionary leadership have made this possible. His vision of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ has been inspiring Suzuki to invest in India.”

“These milestones are also a testimony to the enduring Indo-Japanese partnership, built on mutual trust and a shared vision for progress and a carbon-neutral future. We will provide all products and technologies that will reduce oil consumption and imports and carbon emissions, like battery electric vehicles, strong hybrid electric vehicles and vehicles powered by natural gas and biofuels,” he added.