India’s largest automaker, Maruti Suzuki, is in somewhat of a transition period. Yes, it still dominates the market in terms of volumes, but keeping up with time requires a change in strategy which is what it is currently working on to remain the leader in the automobile industry. We therefore take a look at some of the changes the automaker is planning to go through in the coming years.
Read Also: Maruti Suzuki Jimny 5-Door: 5 Things to Know
SUV Lineup
The automaker has stated that it wants to become the top selling SUV brand by FY2024, and increase its share by 4 points to 45 percent. To achieve this, Maruti already had the Brezza and the Grand Vitara, but also introduced the new Jimny 5-Door and the FRONX crossover at the Delhi Auto Expo 2023.
While Maruti has not exactly stated any fixed numbers, reports suggest that with the new models doubling the number of SUVS offered to 4, the brand is expecting a sales volume of around 3 lakh units of the FRONX and Jimny 5-Door.
Read Also: Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Expected Price, Features and Specifications
Electric Vehicle Portfolio
At this year’s Auto Expo, the centerpiece of hall 9 was the new Maruti eVX Concept. Based on a bespoke EV platform and developed as a clean sheet design, it is the clearest sight we have got at the brand’s electric vehicle plans. The auto giant has been unusually sluggish in introducing EVs, which the brand itself acknowledges. Currently brands like Tata Motors which is the leader at the moment followed by Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti sees an urgent need to enter the segment in order to remain competitive in the time to come.
As a result, the company has stated that it will be launching its first EV in the year 2025, and multiple models will follow soon after. The automaker has expressed its desire to make their electric offerings cost-effective and practical. To fulfill this intent, it has recently invested Rs 100 billion for the production of EVs and their battery packs.
New Look Design and Features
The eVX has showcased a new design language for future Maruti models, especially EV offerings. While it came in a compact SUV form, one could notice a lot of elements that could become the new brand identity. The new X-shaped LED lights with a lightbar connecting the units together look cool as does the concave bumper. The side profile has a lot of character lines and surfacing, with the window line getting an upward kink towards the rear. The rear-end itself gets a full-width LED tail light setup and a clamshell-style boot lid. We expect some of these design elements to make it to the production model while it would be nice to see how much of an original design in relation to the concept is retained by Maruti.
Hybrid Technology
The company is also betting big on hybrid technology. While rivals are rapidly shifting to EVs, it stated that the markedly increased retail price of an electric model over its ICE-counterpart is not feasible for the brand. The automaker has already launched the New Grand Vitara with a strong-hybrid powertrain on offer, and it is already proving to be a strong seller. The brand has confirmed that its entire product portfolio will be switching over to strong-hybrid over the next 5-years. The technology will be sourced from its partner, Toyota, which paired with aggressive localization, will help keep costs down.
In India, a strong-hybrid arguably makes more sense than a pure electric due to the current lack of charging infrastructure around the country. In comparison, hybrid’s ICE-motor acts as a generator to charge the battery, alleviating range anxiety as you are not worried about running out of juice in the middle of nowhere.
