In a historic moment, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Maruti Suzuki’s new electric vehicle manufacturing plant at Hansalpur in Gujarat. The facility will serve as the new manufacturing base for the Indo-Japanese carmaker catering to both domestic sales as well as exports.
The new EV manufacturing plant was inaugurated by the Prime Minister along with the Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and the Ambassador of Japan, Keiichi Ono. At the same time, PM Modi flagged off the production of the brand’s upcoming electric SUV — e Vitara.
It must be noted that the e Vitara, the brand’s first EV in India, will be exported from this plant to 100 countries across the globe including Japan and Europe.. After making its global debut at EICMA in November last year followed by an Indian debut at the Auto Expro earlier in January this year, the first unit of the e Vitara is set to be shipped overseas.
“On 26th August, at around 10:30 am, the Prime Minister will inaugurate localised production of hybrid battery electrodes and flag-off Battery electric vehicle exports to 100 countries at Hansalpur, Ahmedabad. He will also address the gathering on the occasion,” the PMO said in a statement. Ahead of the inauguration, PM Modi also shared his views regarding this new facility and India’s quest for self-reliance and being a hub for green mobility.
Suzuki to invest $8 billion in India
On this momentous occasion, Suzuki has announced that the automaker will invest Rs 70,000 crore ($8 billion) in India over the next five to six years. Company chief, Toshihiro Suzuki, confirmed this development that will help the carmaker to increase production, launch new models and defend its market share in the world’s third-largest car market. India is the biggest market by sales and revenue for Suzuki Motor, which has a presence there through its majority stake in market leader Maruti Suzuki.
He further added, “Suzuki has proudly partnered in India’s mobility journey for over four decades. We remain committed to supporting India’s vision for sustainable green mobility and contributing to Viksit Bharat.” Suzuki Group has already invested over Rs 1 lakh crore in India. These investments have also led to the creation of over 11 lakh direct jobs in the value chain.
Made-in-India Maruti Suzuki e Vitara
The e Vitara, manufactured exclusively at Suzuki Motor Gujarat (SMG), a subsidiary of Maruti Suzuki India, is set for its first export shipment from Pipavav port to Europe. Key destinations include the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, France, Denmark, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Austria, and Belgium. Suzuki added that the Gujarat plant, which caters to both domestic and international markets, is on track to become one of the world’s largest automobile manufacturing hubs, with a planned capacity of 10 lakh units.