The first purely-electric vehicle from Suzuki has been shown in concept form, but it could end up being known as the Vitara.
The electric Suzuki EVX concept has been unveiled at the Auto Expo show in Delhi, with an as-yet-unnamed production version of the mid-size SUV set to be produced in 2025.
Powered by a 60kWh battery pack, Suzuki says the EVX has a driving range of 550 kilometres (based on India’s own MIDC test cycle), though details of the vehicle’s performance haven’t been revealed at this stage.
Being the carmaker’s first global strategic electric car, Drive understands the production version of the EVX is on the wishlist for Australia – with a possibility the model eventually adopts the Vitara nameplate.
At 4300mm long, 1800mm wide, and 1600mm high, the EVX is roughly the same size as the current Suzuki Vitara – which, based on its typical lifespan of 10 years, is due to end production in 2025, or the same time the first production version of the EVX concept is set to go on sale.
However, it’s likely the electric SUV wouldn’t arrive in Australian showrooms until 2026 – a year after the model launches in European, Japanese, and Indian markets.
While the company hasn’t provided many details on the EVX’s 60kWh battery pack, in February 2022 Autocar India reported Suzuki’s first electric vehicle would use ‘Blade’ batteries sourced from Chinese company BYD.
The BYD Atto 3 is offered in Australia with a 60kWh Blade battery pack, providing 420km of driving range (NEDC test cycle) when powering a single 150kW/310Nm electric motor.
Suzuki says the EVX concept was developed to combine “Suzuki’s strong 4×4 DNA with advanced features of the latest [battery-electric vehicles]”.
Suzuki is investing ¥150 billion ($AU1.6B) in a new electric-car manufacturing facility in India by 2025.
