Suzuki puts future EVs on hold, but will continue development alongside hybrids, synthetic fuels

Suzuki eVitara

As Suzuki unveils its first production electric vehicle, the eVitara, the Japanese manufacturer will be putting its plans for future EVs on hold as it monitors the market, reported Autocar.

The eVitara is the first of what was originally a batch of four EV models that were planned for roll-out before the end of this decade as part of a US$35 billion (RM158 billion) investment, however Suzuki president Toshihiro Suzuki would not specify a timeline for the arrival of a subsequent EV, nor confirm if the carmaker’s target was still to launch five EVs by 2030, the publication reported.

“We are in a very difficult situation at this moment as the sales of BEVs are slowing down, and on the other hand affordable and cheap EVs from China are coming into the market, so it is a very difficult time to introduce [further] BEVs,” Suzuki said.

The Japanese carmaker’s president said that government incentives for electric vehicles are coming to an end, and combined with the competitiveness of Chinese EV makers, Suzuki will have to “think carefully about what type of BEV should be introduced to the market, and in what time,” he said.

Next in the EV line will be a model that is smaller than the just-unveiled eVitara, though Suzuki reiterates that the company will have to watch not only the sales of the eVitara, but also market trends before setting a date for the subsequent EV model’s debut.

In India, where 48% of Suzuki’s annual vehicle sales come from, the market continues to be heavily dependent on combustion-engined vehicles, though it is pushing for carbon neutrality, reported Autocar.

That said, electric vehicles will continue to be a key part of Suzuki’s future, and the carmaker will continue to develop BEVs. “But we are not going to concentrate on just EVs, and the other idea is to merge pathways such as with biogas fuel in India. We want to keep our development in parallel,” the carmaker’s president said.

“From Suzuki’s point of view, EV is not the only solution. 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,” Suzuki said.

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