Japanese automakers Suzuki Motor Corporation and Toyota Motor Corporation are deepening their collaboration in the electric vehicle (EV) segment, with Suzuki agreeing to supply a battery-powered SUV to Toyota from its Maruti Suzuki India subsidiary.
Maruti Suzuki is set to commence production of the battery-powered SUV at its Gujarat plant in the first quarter of 2025. The bespoke BEV, based on a platform jointly developed by Toyota, its Daihatsu Motor subsidiary, and Suzuki, will offer the option of four-wheel drive and is touted by Toyota as possessing “sharp driving characteristics, ample cruising range, and a comfortable cabin.”
The partnership between Toyota and Suzuki, which began in 2016, has seen collaboration in various areas, including new product development and model sharing in Japan and overseas. In India, the Toyota Glanza is a rebadged Suzuki Baleno, and the Toyota Urban Cruiser is a rebadged Suzuki Vitara, with Toyota also exporting the latter to markets like South Africa.
This marks the first instance of the two companies jointly sharing a BEV model. The new agreement is expected to benefit both parties, enabling Suzuki to enhance its economies of scale in BEV production and allowing Toyota to establish an early presence in India’s burgeoning zero-emissions vehicle sector. Toyota has also announced plans to market this model in international markets.
Suzuki President Toshihiro Suzuki expressed gratitude for the deepened collaboration, stating, “Suzuki will supply our first BEV to Toyota globally. I am grateful that the collaboration between the two companies has further deepened in this way. While continuing to be competitors, we will deepen our collaborations toward solving social issues, including the realization of a carbon-neutral society through a multi-pathway approach.”
Toyota President Koji Sato added, “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. We would like to learn from each other’s strengths, compete, and further joint efforts based on a multi-pathway approach.”
The evolution of this partnership signifies a significant advancement in the electric vehicle industry, demonstrating the commitment of both Suzuki and Toyota to sustainable mobility solutions. As they continue to innovate and collaborate, the future looks promising for the development of environmentally friendly vehicles.
