Maruti Suzuki has finally outlined plans to enter the electric car market in India. Recently, the government announced a policy where it intended to make India an electric car only market by 2030 after pressure from the likes of environmentalists and the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
GST rates on electric cars were also cut from 20.5 per cent to just 12 per cent, the lowest for any form of powered transportation solution. India’s largest automaker had announced plans earlier this year for a massive Lithium Ion battery manufacturing facility in India along with OEM suppliers Denso and electronic giant Toshiba, which will make components for the Maruti Suzuki electric car project.
In a recent statement that has been put out in the Maruti Suzuki annual report 16-17, R. C. Bhargava, Chairman, Maruti Suzuki has said that the automaker will not hold back on electric vehicles once it has determined that the Indian public is ready to buy them. He also pointed towards the upcoming joint venture between Toyota and Suzuki and how Maruti Suzuki would benefit greatly from the technological solutions in the EV space that Toyota couple provide – including cutting edge hardware and patents. R. C. Bhargava also continued to mention how until the full electric car was a viable solution, Maruti Suzuki would continue to concentrate on the mild hybrid SHVS technologies that are currently being used in the likes of the Ciaz and the Ertiga.