Maruti Suzuki India plans to have up to 700 outlets of its small format premium retail chain NEXA Studio by 2030-31 as it looks to attract car buyers in non-urban centers. The company opened the 200th NEXA Studio outlet at Kharkhoda in Haryana.
"By 2030-31, we are aiming at something between 600 to 700 NEXA Studio outlets across the country…At present NEXA Studio accounts for around 8- 10% of sales from the overall NEXA channel. By 2030-31 we are expecting that it should be at least 25 to 30%," said Maruti Suzuki India Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, Partho Banerjee.
Maruti Suzuki India's NEXA channel accounts for 40% of its overall sales with the rest coming from its mass market chain ARENA. Maruti Suzuki India's NEXA sales network presently has over 740 outlets across more than 530 cities.
Banerjee said despite being small in size, the NEXA Studio outlets offer the same premium experience as a full format NEXA outlet in big cities and metros, including EV charging facilities, as the company seeks to trickle down electrification to smaller cities and towns.
The company recently rolled out its first electric vehicle -- e VITARA SUV -- in the domestic market. "After the launch of the product, we are almost receiving close to 2,000 to 2,500 inquiries per day," Banerjee said.
Till July, the company does not expect to exceed production of 2,000 units a month as it recalibrates production numbers every month for different models "in order to keep waiting period for all models at the same level".
Maruti Suzuki India Managing Director & CEO Hisashi Takeuchi said that the rapid expansion of NEXA Studios demonstrates their commitment to make this experience accessible to aspirational customers in semi-urban areas.