Maruti Suzuki e Vitara Electric will be sold through Nexa dealerships and will compete with cars like Creta EV, Tata Curve, ZS EV
Maruti Suzuki is preparing to make its debut in India’s electric SUV segment with the new e Vitara, which is scheduled to go on sale next month. The brand has finally revealed key details about its first fully electric SUV for Indian customers. This model has already received a 5-star rating in India NCAP tests. It has received a rating of 31.49 out of 32 for adult safety and 43 out of 49 for child safety.
Maruti Suzuki is preparing a huge charging network even before the official launch. The company has joined hands with 13 major charging point operators and aggregators to provide people with more charging options on a single platform. Additionally, Maruti Suzuki has installed more than 2,000 charging stations at its showrooms and service centers across the country. This will significantly reduce the problems related to charging and range of electric vehicles.
Recently, Maruti launched a special campaign to showcase the capabilities of the e-Vitara and the charging network available across the country. Four cars have been sent from Gurugram in different directions. Which includes Srinagar in the north, Kanyakumari in the south, Dibrugarh in the east and Bhuj in the west. The e-Vitara has a claimed driving range of up to 543 kilometers on a full charge.
Its deliveries in India will start as soon as it is launched, but the international models of the e-Vitara have already been prepared. These are made in Maruti Suzuki’s Gujarat plant and are sent abroad in large numbers. The company aims to help establish more than one lakh public charging points across India by 2030, making the use of electric vehicles even easier.
In the domestic market, the e-Vitara will be sold only through premium Nexa showrooms. It is being launched in the fast-growing mid-size electric SUV segment and its starting price is expected to be a little above Rs 17 lakh (ex-showroom). Buyers will have the option of two LFP battery options provided by BYD, which will include 48.8 kWh and 61.1 kWh battery packs. In this way, customers will be able to choose variants with different range and performance as per their need and budget.
The fast DC charging capability enables both versions to charge from 0 to 80 percent in 50 minutes. Built on the dedicated Heartect-E electric platform, its interiors are packed with modern technology. These include a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless smartphone connectivity, 10.1-inch fully digital instrument display, power-operated front seats, climate control, 360-degree camera system and 7 airbags.
It is equipped with Level 2 ADAS which includes features like automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane assist, lane departure prevention and adaptive cruise control that can adjust according to speed and curves. Additional safety is provided by blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, disc brakes on all four wheels, TPMS, electronic stability program, multi-collision braking, ISOFIX child-seat mounts and an integrated SOS emergency system. Maruti Suzuki e-Vitara is all set to give a tough competition to the already existing Tata Curve EV, Tata Harrier EV, Hyundai Creta Electric, MG ZS EV, Windsor EV and Mahindra’s new born electric SUV in the market.