Suzuki introduces its first electric car, the Suzuki eVitara, set to begin production at Suzuki Motor Gujarat in India starting early 2025. Sales will follow in Europe, India, and Japan by mid-2025.
While Suzuki has released several images, details regarding specifications and pricing remain undisclosed. However, it has been confirmed that a Toyota version of the vehicle is also in the works.
The eVitara is built on the eVX concept, which was first unveiled at the Auto Expo in India in January 2023 and later showcased at the Japan Mobility Show in October of the same year. Measuring 4.28 meters in length, it shares similar dimensions with the Kia EV3 and Peugeot E-2008. However, its height of 1.64 meters aligns more closely with that of the Smart #1.
Suzuki describes it as an Emotional Versatile Cruiser. In the images, the eVitara appears bold and angular, with a nearly crystalline design. Its ruggedness is highlighted by the slightly angular wheel arches and black protective strips along the lower body edge.
Inside, the cockpit features two horizontally aligned displays positioned side by side along with the prominently designed air vents and numerous physical controls. The transmission modes—P, N, R, and D—are seemingly controlled by a rotary dial in the center console, which also includes a switch for driving modes and the parking brake.
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Suzuki calls its electric car platform Heartect-e. The Suzuki eVitara will be offered in Europe with options for 142 hp or 172 hp in front-wheel drive configurations, as well as an all-wheel drive system producing 183 hp. Alongside the 128 kW front motor, the all-wheel drive model also includes a smaller 48 kW rear motor. However, the overall system output is lower than the combined power of the individual motors, indicating limitations imposed by the battery or software. The all-wheel drive variant features a trail mode that helps navigate tricky off-road situations by braking a spinning wheel and redistributing torque to the opposite wheel. Suzuki has not disclosed specifics about the types of motors used or provided detailed information on driving performance.
Energy storage is provided by lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries with capacities of 49 or 61 kWh. Suzuki has not clarified whether these figures represent gross or net capacities, although the difference is typically minimal for LFP batteries. Additionally, there is currently no information available regarding the charging options or range. However, data from competing models may offer some insight: the EV3 with a 58 kWh gross capacity achieves up to 438 kilometers, the E-2008 with a 54 kWh gross capacity reaches 409 km, and the Smart #1 with a 66 kWh gross capacity can go up to 440 WLTP km.
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