Maruti has entered the electric segment in India with the introduction of its electric car, the e-Vitara. As the largest car-selling company in the country, Maruti may have delayed the launch of an electric car compared to its competitors, but the company believes the e-Vitara will be a game changer. Regarding the price of the e-Vitara, Mr. Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, told Gadgets 360 that even though the electric car is being introduced in 2025, it will be ‘worth the wait’ for customers. He called the e-Vitara “worth the wait.”
The e-Vitara marks the start of a new chapter and highlights our commitment to creating electric vehicles tailored specifically for Indian customers. Additionally, he mentioned that Maruti is in no rush to sell electric vehicles in India. The company is first focused on strengthening the infrastructure, in line with its legacy, after which the vehicles will sell automatically. The company is actively working to build a comprehensive ecosystem that supports the adoption of electric vehicles and guarantees a seamless EV ownership experience. Below are excerpts from the conversation with him.
Q: Maruti has launched its first electric car, the e VITARA, in India. The company has built it on a purely electric platform. What difference will this make?
This is the first electric vehicle to be introduced from the stable of Maruti Suzuki, and it is built on a pure EV platform (eBorn SUV). Currently, many products in the market have had their batteries retrofitted onto existing ICE platforms, but this vehicle has been designed specifically for electric power. It will not be available in any other technology formats, such as ICE.
If you look at the e VITARA chassis, it has a wheelbase of 2700mm. Fundamentally, you’ll notice that many companies offer reclining rear seats, but with such a long wheelbase, you can actually slide the rear seat.
One of the key benefits of a longer wheelbase is the increased space. With this extended wheelbase, the rear seat can be adjusted forward or backward, providing a significant amount of space in the back. It feels as comfortable as being at home. Another important benefit of this pure EV platform is its focus on safety. The battery is fully encapsulated in a steel or structural casing. We have tested this battery under various conditions, including impact tests, fire tests, and water tests, and it has passed all with flying colours. This is the advantage of a pure EV platform.
Q: How has Maruti incorporated AI into its electric vehicle, the E-Vitara? How is the company creating an ecosystem?
We have equipped our first electric car, the E-Vitara, with ADAS Level 2, a highly advanced system. We have incorporated all the features that enhance the driving experience through AI. ADAS Level 2 can improve driving safety and efficiency and it can also provide comfort to customers
We believe that launching a product is not enough, it’s essential to create a complete ecosystem around it. We are doing just that for our electric cars. To connect our customers, we have launched the ‘e For Me’ campaign. This campaign includes two key strategies.
The campaign aims to integrate electric vehicles (EVs) with a robust support system, including advanced technology and a comprehensive charging infrastructure. If you look closely at this campaign, we are conveying two key messages through our two E’s. First e small means the company’s first electric SUV in India. The big ‘E’ signifies that the company is laying the foundation for an electric ecosystem that ensures a seamless transition to EVs for consumers.
Q: In India, people still view electric cars as secondary vehicles. So, how you can change this perception among customers?
Yes you are right, people in India are currently viewing electric cars as secondary vehicles. Our goal is to change this trend. To achieve this, we are preparing the entire ecosystem, including charging infrastructure. For example, the penetration of EVs was 2.4 percent in the last calendar year, compared to 2.3 percent in the year before that. Despite many companies introducing electric cars and price corrections, the penetration hasn’t increased significantly. The main reason is that, in the current system, two different cars are needed for inter-city and intra-city travel. As of now, electric cars aren’t practical for both inter and intra city.
The ecosystem we are developing aims to make electric cars the primary vehicle. Right now, many electric car users have concerns, such as the fear of the car running out of charge during long journeys, which is valid given the current infrastructure. Our first priority is to strengthen the charging infrastructure. Our ‘e For Me’ campaign is one such step, through which we aim to expand the charging ecosystem across the country. Through the Maruti Suzuki Electric Ecosystem, we are working to expand charging infrastructure in the top 100 cities in India. The reason for choosing these 100 cities is that 97% of electric car sales in India currently occur in these cities.
Additionally, we are focusing on providing after-sales services and emergency charging facilities in 1,000 cities. For customers who want to take their vehicles to remote areas or need assistance on the go, we are launching 300 service on wheels, which will be available to help them on a one call. In this way, we aim to increase people’s confidence in electric cars, ensuring they will never face charging issues. Despite this, if an EV customer faces charging issues during long trips, we also offer a leasing model. We provide vehicles on lease to EV customers, and if they need to travel long distances, they can opt to lease an ICE vehicle from us. In this way, we are giving confidence to EV customers. This will help make electric cars the primary vehicle for Indian consumers.
Q: Is Maruti Suzuki, the largest car-selling company in the country, late to enter the electric car segment compared to its competitors?
When Maruti entered India 40 years ago, we firstly focused on infrastructure and after-sales service before the car. Even back then, people had many concerns. We introduced radical designs, chassis at a time when cars were just being introduced in India. Our approach was completely different. Similarly, Maruti aims to repeat history in the electric segment. Our priority is to create the infrastructure first. We are not in a rush to sell electric cars in India. Our goal is to first instill confidence in people that they will not regret buying an electric car. Once customers experience good service and build confidence, our cars will start selling automatically.
Q: What role do you see Maruti playing in India’s transition to electric mobility in the next 5 to 10 years?
Looking ahead to 2030-31, our estimates suggest that the industry will reach 6 million vehicles by that time, with electric vehicles (EVs) making up around 1 million of that total. At that point, hybrid cars will also be available in the market, alongside internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and CNG options. Additionally, we may see various iterations of fossil fuel-powered cars, including flex fuel and potentially hydrogen-powered vehicles. As the industry leader, we believe it’s essential to offer all these options to the customer, allowing them the final choice of what to purchase. Our goal is to provide a diverse range of technologies to meet the varying needs and preferences of our customers.
Q: What are Maruti’s future plans after the launch of the e-Vitara? Can we expect to see special EV stores for electric cars?
We have launched our first electric car in India with the e-Vitara. We plan to introduce five electric cars by 2030, with the e-Vitara being the first. We believe in offering all technologies to the customer, whether it’s ICE, electric, hybrid, or semi-hybrid. Our goal is to provide all these technologies under one roof, allowing the customer to choose what they wish to buy.
