Difficult time to introduce more EVs: Toshiro Suzuki

Suzuki seems to have put its future EV launches on hold, at least in Europe, where the brand seems to currently “monitor the market” amid a general slowdown of EV sales, according to the remarks by the company president Toshihiro Suzuki while speaking to our sister publication Autocar UK, on the sidelines of the e Vitara debut.

1. e Vitara is Suzuki’s first electric vehicle
2. Will go on sale in India and Europe
3. Strong competition from Chinese EVs: Toshihiro Suzuki

Suzuki’s future EV launches: latest update

When asked about the timeline for the arrival of Suzuki’s next electric car and if the company was still targeting to launch five EVs by 2030, Toshihiro Suzuki said, “The sales of BEVs are slowing down, and affordable and cheap EVs from China are coming into the market, so it is a very difficult time to introduce [further] BEVs.”1

Suzuki had previewed as many as five EVs that were to go on sale before 2030. These models, part of a USD 35 billion EV investment and planned as replacements for the S-Cross crossover and the Ignis in Europe, have already been teased in silhouette.

“Looking at the current situations, the government incentives for BEVs are going out and [coupled] with Chinese EVs that have very strong [segment] competitiveness, you have to think carefully about what type of BEV should be introduced to the market,” Toshihiro added. The first of the five planned EVs is the made-in-India e Vitara SUV, which debuted on November 4 and will go on sale subsequently in Europe as well as in the Indian market.

Next Suzuki EV to be smaller than e Vitara

Speaking about the next EV for Europe, which will be “smaller than the e Vitara”, Toshihiro said, “All I can say is, look forward to it, but again, we have to keep watching how e Vitara sales will go and also how the market trends go [before setting a date].”

Nevertheless, EVs are still a key part of the brand’s future. “Although I said we have to monitor the situation, that does not mean we are leaving BEV development, so we are going to keep up the development,” said Toshihiro. “But we are not going to concentrate on just EVs. He also mentioned that the other idea is to merge pathways, such as with biogas fuel in India. “We want to keep our development in parallel.”

Elaborating on it, he remarked that EV is not the only solution from Suzuki’s point of view. “Suzuki thinks [with a varied] pathway, which means hybrids, of course, and e-fuels, and also projects such as biogas in India. So we are going for many options.”

The recently unveiled e Vitara SUV will take on the Creta EV, Curvv EV and other midsize electric SUVs in India when it goes on sale in March. It will also spawn a Toyota derivative that is expected to be launched a little later.