Maruti Suzuki Says EV Boom Needs More Than Range; What’s Still Holding Buyers Back? | Electric Vehicles

Maruti Suzuki Says EV Boom Needs More Than Range; What’s Still Holding Buyers Back?

Maruti Suzuki believes that expanding India’s public EV charging infrastructure is critical for faster electric vehicle adoption, as range anxiety continues to deter customers from choosing EVs as their primary car. While electric passenger vehicle sales in India have nearly doubled year-on-year, their market share remains small. EVs accounted for 4.5% of overall passenger vehicle sales in July, up from 2.4% a year earlier, according to company data. FADA figures show retail sales rose 93% to 15,528 units in July, compared to 8,037 units in the same month last year.

Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer (Marketing & Sales) at Maruti Suzuki India, said that despite improvements in driving range, some models now offering up to 500 km, consumers still hesitate to make EVs their sole household car. “If a person owns just one car, they are unlikely to choose an EV first,” he noted.

Maruti Suzuki plans to launch its first EV, the e-Vitara, this fiscal year. The company is also working to set up charging facilities in 100 cities, but Banerjee acknowledged that highway charging coverage remains inadequate. He stressed that the market should allow consumers to choose the technology, be it EV, hybrid, or conventional, based on their needs, without favouring one over the other.

Currently, battery electric vehicles are taxed at 5% (including GST), while strong hybrids attract around 43%. Maruti Suzuki offers strong hybrid options in the Grand Vitara and Invicto models.

On the slowdown in entry-level car sales, Banerjee attributed it to cost increases driven by new regulations, which have affected affordability, especially in rural areas. To address this, the company plans to introduce a financing scheme allowing customers to own an Alto for just Rs 2,999 per month. However, he cautioned that fundamental affordability challenges cannot be solved solely by manufacturers.

Banerjee added that the recent repo rate cut has yet to translate into benefits for car buyers, and it may take a couple of years for the entry-level segment to recover.

(With inputs from PTI)

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