Suzuki to produce first electric SUV for Toyota in India, global launch set for 2025

Suzuki Motor Corp. on Wednesday announced plans to manufacture its first battery-electric SUV model for Toyota Motor Corp. in India, with production scheduled to start in spring 2025. The battery-electric SUV, developed by Suzuki, will be produced at Suzuki Motor Gujarat, with a planned global launch.

"Suzuki will supply our first BEV to Toyota globally," Suzuki President Toshihiro Suzuki said in a statement.

The vehicle, exclusively designed as a battery-electric model, boasts a robust four-wheel-drive system for enhanced off-road capability, in addition to a spacious cabin and extended cruising range to meet diverse customer needs.

The latest collaboration marks the first battery-electric vehicle in the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) relationship between the two companies. The move is also part of a joint effort by Suzuki and Toyota to promote carbon neutrality, particularly in the rapidly growing SUV market.

Commenting on the partnership, Toyota president Koji Sato said, "By leveraging the BEV unit and platform that we jointly developed, we will take a new step in our collaboration in the field of electrified vehicles. This will allow us to deliver various choices that contribute to a carbon-neutral society to customers worldwide.”

Suzuki and Toyota first formalised their partnership in 2016 under the leadership of Osamu Suzuki and Akio Toyoda. Their alliance has since expanded to include the production and mutual supply of vehicles across Japan, India, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, with a growing emphasis on electrified vehicles. Both companies trace their origins to Enshu, in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, where they initially manufactured looms before entering the automotive industry.