Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer – Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India, on Thursday (December 18) said the company is stepping up its electric
vehicle (EV) journey as production has begun at its Gujarat plant. Speaking at the INDIA ECONOMIC CONCLAVE 2025, he said the e Vitara will soon hit Indian roads, adding that the company has already exported over 10,000 EVs and plans to ship EVs to more than 100 countries. “At this year’s Bharat Mobility Expo, we showcased our product, e Vitara. The production has already started at our Gujarat plant. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged it off, and the vehicles are already running on UK roads. The response has been amazing, with more than 10,000 vehicles exported. Next month, e Vitara will be seen on Japan's roads. Bookings have already started and we plan to export it to 100 countries,” he said, adding that e Vitara is being manufactured in India for global markets. For the domestic market, Banerjee said Maruti Suzuki will soon begin test drive campaigns and that “we are going to start bookings from the beginning of the new calendar year.” On India’s EV transition, he said that “providing a total solution is more important than offering just a part of it.” As a market leader, Maruti aims to support this transition by understanding customer aspirations across segments. “Today, there are around 17 to 18 models in the EV segment, but penetration is just 4 per cent. That does not make a big difference in a country like India, where the industry sells close to 4 lakh vehicles every month. 4 per cent translates to around 17,000 vehicles,” he said. On why EV adoption remains limited in India, Banerjee said customers have certain concerns and until these are addressed, “we will not see a mass movement towards electric vehicles.” When asked about Maruti’s plans and consumer expectations from EVs, he said customers typically have four key concerns. The first is vehicle range, because there is a gap between the claimed range and the actual range. Second thing is that people are not buying EVs as the primary car. “If you do not have a good public charging system, you will not be able to use the vehicle when you are going outside the city,” he said. The third factor is product quality and after sales service. “At the end of the day, you need to offer a good product and a strong after sales service network. This is very important,” he noted. The fourth concern is resale value, Banerjee said. “With conventional vehicles, you get at least 50 per cent of the value after five years. So what value can I expect after five years if I buy an EV? In an EV, people generally know it is all about the battery.” “Until we are able to address all these four concerns, customers will hesitate to shift to electric vehicles. So Maruti is working on all these aspects, we want to address them...," Banerjee said. VIDEO
Times Network's India Economic Conclave 2025
Times Network's India Economic Conclave 2025 is happening at New Delhi on Dec 17 and Dec 18 where Union Ministers, policymakers, captains of industry and doyens of academia and intelligentsia, socio-cultural influencers have converged to delve, discuss, deliberate and define India’s trajectory and how that is on one hand impacted by the economy, while on the other hand is a catalyst for the economic complement to becoming the 3rd largest superpower and the vision of Bharat 2047.
At a time when unprecedented geopolitical conflicts, trade realignments and economic uncertainties are reshaping the world order, India stands as a stabilizing force - navigating complexity, exercising conviction and flexing strategic autonomy.
At this year’s Conclave, IEC focuses on ‘Navigating GeoEconomics’ and how India will continue to anchor prosperity, resilience, and leadership in a rapidly changing world.
WATCH LIVE STREAMING: India Economic Conclave Day 2 - Navigating Geoeconomics | Policymakers, captains of industry to discuss India’s trajectory
The conclave is held on the 17th and 18th of December in New Delhi.
INDIA ECONOMIC CONCLAVE 2025: NAVIGATING GEOECONOMICS | IEC 2025
In an era of shifting power equations and economic realignments, India finds itself not just participating in the global conversation but often setting it in motion. Its policy choices - from trade and technology to energy and geopolitics are creating ripples that major economies, including the US and China, must respond to.
This fusion of power and policy is what defines “geoeconomics.” And today, India is not merely reacting to global change — it is catalysing it. With its blend of economic dynamism, digital innovation, and diplomatic balance, India is shaping global reactions, redrawing alliances, and redefining the contours of global geoeconomics.
Over 10 editions, Times Network India Economic Conclave has championed the most pertinent economic agenda of the nation, with the themes of the conclave going on to become a crucial subject in national discourse.
Steered by the leading editorial voices of Times Network, thinkers, policymakers, economists, business leaders and global influencers converge at this landmark forum, to discuss the roadmap for accelerating India’s economic trajectory.
IEC OVER THE YEARS:
-$5 Trillion - Aspiration To Action in 2019
-India’s Decade: Reform. Perform. Transform in 2021
-The Great Indian Democratic Dividend in 2022
-India: The Emerging 3rd Superpower in 2023
-Fast-Track To Top 3 in 2024
