PM Modi flags off Maruti Suzuki’s first global EV, inaugurates lithium-ion battery facility in Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday, inaugurated two landmark projects at the Suzuki Motor plant in Hansalpur, Ahmedabad. He flagged off Maruti Suzuki’s first global electric vehicle, the e-Vitara, and launched a lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility that will supply hybrid and electric vehicle batteries.The event was attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Japan’s Ambassador to India, Keiichi Ono, underlining the importance of Indo-Japanese cooperation in advancing electric mobility and battery technologies.

The e-Vitara, Suzuki’s first global strategic Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), is being manufactured in India for worldwide markets. The made-in-India EVs will be exported to more than 100 countries, including advanced markets such as Europe and Japan, with the first unit destined for the UK. This positions India as Suzuki’s global manufacturing hub for electric vehicles.

VIDEO | Gujarat: PM Modi (@narendramodi) takes a tour of Suzuki’s EV manufacturing facility in Hansalpur after flagging off the car company’s first global electric vehicle ‘e-Vitara’ for export to over 100 countries.

(Source: Third Party)(Full video available on PTI Videos –… pic.twitter.com/Et49f8OlX7

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 26, 2025

The lithium-ion battery plant, set up under TDS Lithium-Ion Battery Gujarat (TDSG), is a joint venture of Toshiba, Denso and Suzuki. It marks the start of local production of hybrid battery electrodes in India. With this addition, more than 80 percent of the battery value chain will now be manufactured domestically, strengthening India’s clean energy ecosystem and reducing import dependence.

Speaking about the projects, PM Modi said on X.com that the launch was a “special day in India’s quest for self-reliance and green mobility.” He stressed that the new electric vehicle and battery facility would accelerate India’s role as a hub for next-generation mobility solutions under Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. After the ceremony, the Prime Minister also toured Suzuki’s EV manufacturing facility at Hansalpur.

Globally introduced in Europe in 2024 and showcased in India at the Bharat Mobility Show 2025, the e-Vitara is built on the dedicated 40PL EV platform jointly developed with Toyota, which will also produce a Toyota-branded version called the Urban Cruiser EV.

The electric SUV will come with two battery options—49kWh and 61kWh—with the larger pack offered in a dual-motor AWD (AllGrip-e) variant. The expected starting price in India is around Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom), putting it in competition with models such as the Mahindra BE6, Hyundai Creta Electric, and MG ZS EV.