Maruti Suzuki India Ltd has introduced its first fully electric SUV, the Maruti Suzuki e-Vitara, with an introductory price of ₹10.99 lakh (ex-showroom). This marks the company’s entry into India’s passenger electric vehicle category. The price is based on a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model, with users paying ₹3.99 per kilometre for battery usage, lowering the vehicle’s initial acquisition cost.
The starting price of ₹10.99 lakh applies to the 49 kWh model under the BaaS system. Maruti Suzuki hopes to make EV ownership more affordable to price-conscious Indian buyers by removing the battery cost from the car price. Bookings start at ₹21,000 through the Nexa dealership network. Deliveries are planned to start in phases.
Key Details
The e-Vitara will be available with two battery packs: 49 and 61 kWh. The larger 61 kWh variant is said to have a driving range of up to 543 km on a single charge. The SUV is built on a dedicated electric architecture and features an integrated 3-in-1 electric drive system that includes the motor, inverter, and transmission.
It is built in the brand’s new HEARTECT e-platform, which revolves around three core principles:
- Strength
- Structural rigidity
- Advanced high-voltage protection
The brand has also emphasised structural rigidity and safety features specifically designed for electric mobility. The electric SUV will be available in three variants: Delta, Zeta, and Alpha. Features include:
- A large touchscreen infotainment system
- A fully digital instrument cluster
- Connected car technology
- Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
- Dual-tone brown-and-black interior
- 7 airbags
- Front and rear parking sensors
- A 360-degree camera
- Tyre-pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
Maruti Suzuki provides an 8-year warranty on the battery pack and a three-year standard vehicle warranty, along with support for home charger installation. The company is also offering one year of complimentary charging across MSIL’s DC and AC charging network, further reducing ownership costs in the initial year. And the dimensions include 4,275 mm in length, 1,800 mm in width, 1,640 mm in height and have a wheelbase of 2,700 mm.
Strategic EV Entry
The debut is noteworthy for Maruti Suzuki, which has previously taken a cautious approach to electric vehicles as competitors like Tata Motors have extended their EV portfolios. The e-Vitara joins a competitive mid-size electric SUV lineup that includes the Tata Curvv EV, Windsor EV, Mahindra BE 6, VinFast VF 6 and the Hyundai Creta EV.
With EV adoption steadily rising in India, industry experts will be looking to see if Maruti Suzuki’s flexible pricing plan can speed up widespread acceptance of electric vehicles.
