PM Modi flags off Maruti Suzuki's 1st electric vehicle e-Vitara from Hansalpur plant

Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday flagged off Maruti Suzuki’s first electric vehicle e-Vitara from the Hansalpur manufacturing facility in Gujarat.

The made-in-India Maruti e-Vitara will be exported to more than 100 countries, including Japan.

Modi also inaugurated the lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility by Suzuki, Toshiba, and Denso, supporting hybrid and electric vehicle battery production.

Referring to his vision of making India a developed country by 2047, Modi urged people to join this swadeshi movement for the sake of India's future generations.

"In 2047, we will make India such that future generations will be proud of your sacrifice and contribution. For the bright future of your future generations, to realise the mantra of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India), I am inviting my countrymen today. Come, let us all move forward and make India a developed country," he said.

Modi recalled that Maruti Suzuki was allotted land in Hansalpur when he was the chief minister of Gujarat in 2012.

Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corporation will invest Rs 70,000 crore in the next five to six years in India to strengthen its operations in the country, its Representative Director and President Toshihiro Suzuki said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the event, Toshihiro Suzuki said, "Suzuki will invest over Rs 70,000 crore in India, over the next 5 to 6 years."

He further said, "Suzuki has proudly partnered in India's mobility journey for over four decades. We remain committed to supporting India's vision for sustainable green mobility and contributing to Viksit Bharat."

Suzuki Group has already invested over Rs 1 lakh crore in India. These investments have also led to the creation of over 11 lakh direct jobs in the value chain.

Manufactured exclusively at Suzuki Motor Gujarat (SMG), a unit of Maruti Suzuki India, the first batch of export bound e VITARA will be shipped from Pipavav port to the European region, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Austria, and Belgium.

Suzuki said the Gujarat facility, serving customers across India and global markets, will shortly become one of the world’s largest automobile manufacturing hubs, with a planned capacity of 10 lakh units.