According to Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer (Marketing & Sales) at Maruti Suzuki India, the development of public charging infrastructure is crucial for the faster adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the country. Despite a 100% growth in electric passenger vehicle sales, the overall base remains small, contributing only 4.5% to total passenger vehicle sales. Banerjee attributes this to driving range anxiety, which deters customers from accepting EVs as their primary car. He notes that while automakers have addressed range concerns by offering 500 km driving ranges, public charging infrastructure remains a concern, particularly on highways.
Maruti Suzuki is set to introduce its first electric model, the e-VITARA, this fiscal year and is working to establish charging infrastructure in 100 cities. However, Banerjee emphasizes that the choice of vehicular technology should be left to the consumer, and no single technology should be given more weightage than others. He also highlights the need for a level playing field in terms of taxation, with battery electric vehicles currently attracting a 5% tax incidence, compared to 43% for hybrid models.
Banerjee also discusses the decline in sales of entry-level cars, attributing it to cost escalation due to new regulations, which has affected affordability. To address this, Maruti Suzuki is offering financial packages, such as a Rs 2,999 ownership package for the Alto. However, Banerjee notes that the company cannot put money in the customer’s wallet and can only provide assistance. He believes that measures to reduce acquisition costs would enable growth in the entry-level segment, which may take a couple of years to recover.
The company has unveiled a special edition Grand Vitara PHANTOM BLAQ to commemorate a decade of its Nexa sales network. The edition features a matte black color wrap and is part of the company’s efforts to boost sales. Overall, Banerjee emphasizes the need for a supportive ecosystem, including public charging infrastructure and favorable taxation, to drive the adoption of EVs in the country. With the introduction of new models and financial packages, Maruti Suzuki aims to make electric vehicles more accessible to customers and promote sustainable mobility.