First Maruti electric car to hit Indian roads by 2020, likely to be one of the more expensive products from the company’s line-up.
Maruti top officials have confirmed that the first electric car will be launched in India by 2020. However, the company declined to mention under which segment will the EV fall in. Given that this is the automaker’s first EV in India, it is likely that the EV could be from one of the more expensive cars from its line-up. Maruti also confirms that there will be more mass-market EVs once the necessary infrastructure is built. The company will conduct a survey starting in January 2018 which will go on for altogether six weeks before taking any product related steps.
Almost every automaker in India has taken the 2030 electrification goal seriously. Maruti’s parent company, Suzuki has signed a MoU with Toyota to jointly make EVs for the Indian market. The alliance between both the companies will ensure that their own existing electric and hybrid technologies are being built. However, the main focus of the partnership will be on the below three aspects:
* Electric vehicles
* Hybrid technologies and
* Fuel Cell technology
However, the Swift-maker confirms that neither of the two Japanese carmakers will be involved in the actual manufacturing process in India. Their primary focus as of now will be that of an outsourced R&D supplier where Maruti is likely to import the design framework including the procurement of batteries outside of the carmakers’ plant in Gujarat. The Suzuki and Toyota alliance will develop an ecosystem/infrastructure in which EVs can exist.
First Maruti Electric Car
– Maruti’s first EV to hit roads by 2020
– Likely to be one of the more expensive cars from its line-up
– The company is also focusing on developing the necessary ecosystem for EVs to survive
Source – FinancialExpress.com
