Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated Maruti Suzuki's electric car and battery manufacturing plant in Ahmedabad. The plant will produce hybrid battery electrodes while Maruti Suzuki's first global battery electric vehicle (BEV), the e VITARA, will be exported to over 100 countries, including Japan and several European nations.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi wrote in a post on X, "Today is a special day in India's quest for self-reliance and being a hub for green mobility. At the programme in Hansalpur, e-VITARA will be flagged off. This Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) is made in India and will be exported to over a hundred nations. In a big boost to our battery ecosystem, production of hybrid battery electrodes will also commence at a plant in Gujarat."
The local production of hybrid battery electrodes will begin at the TDS Lithium-Ion Battery plant, which is a joint venture between Toshiba, Denso, and Suzuki. With this development, over 80 per cent of battery value will now be manufactured domestically.
Maruti Suzuki, India's largest carmaker, had unveiled the e VITARA in January 2025 during the Bharat Mobility Global Expo. With an annual capacity of 2.6 million units across four Indian plants, the company exported over 3.32 lakh vehicles and sold 19.01 lakh units in the domestic market in FY25. Commercial production of the e VITARA officially begins today at the Hansalpur plant.
The e-Vitara features a bold and modern design. At the front, it sports sharp LED headlights with three-piece DRLs, a striking blacked-out bumper, fog lamps, and rugged silver skid plates that add to its aggressive look. The e Vitara, has two lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack options -- 49kWh and 61kWh. The SUV will also have options for front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD). The SUV has features like LED lamps (head and tail) and LED DRLs, 18/19-inch wheels, digital instrument panel, touchscreen infotainment, powered driver seat, wireless charger, JBL premium audio system, 360-degree camera and sunroof. Also available will be ADAS.