Maruti Suzuki’s electrification strategy with the newly unveiled e-Vitara focuses on establishing EVs as viable primary vehicles for retail buyers by addressing cost, resale and service anxieties. The second, still at an exploratory stage, could involve a purpose-built fleet EV aimed at replicating the Dzire’s dominance in the taxi segment
Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer – Marketing & Sales at Maruti Suzuki, told BusinessLine in an exclusive interaction that the e-Vitara is firmly positioned for individual buyers, even as the company evaluates the possibility of a future electric model tailored specifically for high-utilisation fleet operators — potentially on the lines of the Dzire.
“Right now, we have not given a thought to the fleet segment because of the volumes we have… maybe not for e-Vitara, but as we launch more electric vehicles, we can think of a variant only for the fleet segment, something along the lines of Dzire,” Banerjee said.
India’s passenger EV penetration continues to hover around 4–5 per cent, despite multiple launches from Tata Motors, Mahindra and MG Motor over the past few years.
Banerjee downplayed debates over market share within a small category, arguing that the larger issue is why overall adoption has not accelerated further.
According to him, most EV purchases remain second-car decisions. “Customers are not yet fully convinced that an EV can be their primary car,” he said, citing concerns around charging access, accident repair costs and uncertainty over resale value once battery performance declines.
In that context, Maruti’s relatively late entry into the EV market is positioned as deliberate rather than reactive. With overall penetration still low, the company believes addressing ownership friction points is more critical than chasing early share.
An electric equivalent targeted at fleets could materially alter EV adoption in a segment where higher daily running makes per-km savings particularly compelling. Even the new-generation Dzire ranks among India’s top 10 bestsellers—a rarity in an SUV-dominated market.
That positions Maruti well for its broader EV ambitions: 4–6 new BEVs by FY2030 under a ₹70,000-crore local production push, targeting 15 per cent of domestic sales.
Rajesh Loomba, Chairman and MD of NSE-listed ECOS (India) Mobility & Hospitality Ltd, prioritises practicality and efficiency. “If priced at ₹10–12 lakh with 300+ km real-world range, it fits corporate transport—especially intra-city employee shuttles and business travel,” he said.
He added that corporates prioritise consistency, professionally trained chauffeurs, strong technology integration and dependable service delivery. “Any fleet EV entering operations must align with these expectations,” he noted.
The fleet segment, particularly corporate mobility, offers higher utilisation rates and predictable running cycles — conditions under which EV total cost of ownership can turn favourable more quickly than in private ownership.
Retail-first strategy
The e-Vitara, positioned in the mid-SUV segment against models such as the VinFast VF6, MG Windsor and ZS EV, as well as the Tata Nexon EV, is aimed at retail buyers upgrading within the Maruti ecosystem, particularly existing SUV customers such as Brezza owners.
To reduce entry barriers, Maruti is introducing a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model, bringing the upfront price down to ₹10.99 lakh by separating the battery cost from the vehicle price. Customers will pay a recurring subscription for the battery, which is expected to be in the range of around ₹5 per kilometre, including charging costs.
In addition, the e-Vitara will be backed by an eight-year warranty on the battery and vehicle body, along with a 60 per cent assured buyback after three years. Banerjee said the buyback mechanism is intended to address residual value concerns that continue to weigh on EV buyers.
While around 95 per cent of charging currently takes place at home, public infrastructure remains a psychological assurance factor, Banerjee noted.
Maruti has installed over 2,000 chargers across its dealer network and trained approximately 1.5 lakh service personnel for EV servicing. “Service on Wheels” vans equipped with emergency charging capability are also being deployed.
Published on February 19, 2026
