NEW DELHI: Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), parent company of Maruti Suzuki (MSIL), India’s largest carmaker, will invest Rs 70,000 crore in the country over the next 5–6 years, said Toshihiro Suzuki, Representative Director & President, Suzuki Motor Corporation on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Toshihiro Suzuki jointly flagged off the e-VITARA -- Suzuki’s first global battery electric vehicle (BEV) -- at the company’s Hansalpur plant in Gujarat on Tuesday. PM Modi also flagged India’s first lithium-ion battery and cell with electrode-level localisation at Hansalpur.
“Suzuki will invest over Rs 70,000 crore in India, over the next 5 to 6 years…We remain committed to supporting India’s vision for sustainable green mobility and contributing to Viksit Bharat,” said Toshihiro Suzuki.
Maruti Suzuki has facilities in two Indian states: Haryana and Gujarat. The automaker is scaling up output at its plants as it works toward achieving a production capacity of 4 million units by FY2030-31, which represents a doubling from its present capability.
He added that the Gujarat facility, serving customers across India and global markets will shortly become one of the world’s largest automobile manufacturing hubs, with a planned capacity of 1 million units. The facility will also be used by the carmaker to export its first EV to over 100 countries.
“Further, we chose this facility to manufacture the e VITARA, our first BEV and make it as global production hub for this model. We will export this “Made-in-India BEV” to over 100 countries, including Japan and Europe,” said Toshihiro Suzuki.
He added, “Our 2nd major milestone is the start of production of India’s first lithium-ion battery and cell with electrode-level localization, which are used in our hybrid vehicles. These are being manufactured at the Toshiba Denso Suzuki plant here. With only raw material and some semi-conductor parts coming from Japan, this is a big salute to Atma-nir-bhar Bharat.”