India’s largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki, is aiming to set up over 1 lakh electric vehicle (EV) charging points across the country by 2030 to boost consumer confidence in EV adoption, the company’s MD and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi told FE.
The automaker, which is preparing to launch its first electric vehicle, the eVitara, is targeting to become the largest fast-charging OEM network. Maruti has partnered with 13 charge point operators and has already installed 2,000 exclusive charging points across 1,100 cities.
What did Hisashi Takeuchi say?
Takeuchi said, “We are adopting a two-pronged strategy. First, by offering a vehicle with excellent driving range and second, by building a strong EV ecosystem that ensures convenience and peace of mind for our customers.”
He added, “Our customers can access all these charging points through the ‘e for me’ app. This app offers several unique benefits and will enable them to experience a seamless EV ownership journey from discovery to usage and payment.”
Lack of charging infrastructure has been cited as the biggest bottleneck to faster EV adoption in India. Currently, around 30,000 public EV charging stations are installed nationwide, but India still lags behind more mature EV markets.
Maruti Suzuki plans to offer battery as a service
Partho Banerjee, senior executive officer, marketing and sales, Maruti Suzuki, noted that the company will focus on highways and expressways, planning a charger every 5–10 km on average in key locations across the top 100 cities.
The company will also offer battery-as-a-service, a subscription-based ownership model, and an assured buyback programme for the e Vitara. These options aim to reduce upfront costs while providing long-term value and flexibility in ownership.
On the service front, Maruti Suzuki has prepared over 1,500 EV-compatible workshops for support. It is also offering doorstep assistance through its customised Service on Wheels fleet, with 500 units already equipped for EV servicing.
Maruti Suzuki started production of the e Vitara at its Gujarat plant in August and has already begun exporting to Europe. Suzuki Motor Corp plans to make India a hub for its electric vehicles and aims for Maruti Suzuki to become the country’s largest EV player.
However, Maruti Suzuki is relatively late to enter India’s EV market compared to early movers such as Tata Motors and Mahindra. This early lead has helped Tata Motors become the country’s largest electric carmaker over the past few years.