Maruti Suzuki e Vitara exports start, first shipment heads to Europe

The e Vitara is Maruti Suzuki's maiden EV.

Maruti Suzuki India has commenced exports of its first battery electric vehicle (BEV), the e Vitara, to Europe. The company shipped over 2,900 units in August from Pipavav port in Gujarat to 12 countries, including the UK, Germany, Norway, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, Hungary, Iceland, Austria and Belgium.

The development follows the rollout ceremony held at Maruti's Hansalpur facility in Gujarat on August 26, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who termed the automaker a brand ambassador of the government's 'Make in India' initiative.

The e Vitara is being exclusively manufactured at the Gujarat plant and will be exported to over 100 countries in addition to its domestic sale. The model had earlier been previewed in Milan and at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in New Delhi.

Maruti's MD and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi said that PM Modi's recognition of the carmaker as a brand ambassador of 'Make-in-India' is the highest possible honour it could think of.

"The start of export of e Vitara to Europe is indeed a proud and defining moment for us. To delight customers in over 100 countries, the product has to be truly world class in terms of technology, design, safety and performance. Built on an all-new EV platform, Heartect-e, the e Vitara features a design that combines a sense of advanced technology and strength. We are sure that with a nimble and sharp driving experience, it will delight customers in Europe," he added.