SUZUKI Begins Building EV Batteries Plant in India, to Establish R&D Centre in Delhi

Japan's SUZUKI Motor Corporation has held a cornerstone laying ceremony of a plant for electric vehicle (BEV) batteries located in Gujarat state in India. The BEV battery plant will be established by Suzuki Motor Gujarat Private Limited, a subsidiary of SUZUKI for automobile production in India.

Investment in the battery plant is approximately 73 billion Rupees.

A new automobile plant in Kharkhoda will also be established by SUZUKI’s subsidiary in India, Maruti Suzuki India Limited (Maruti Suzuki).

It's scheduled to manufacture 250,000 units in the first year.

The BEV battery plant is scheduled to become operational in 2026, and the new automobile plant in Kharkhoda is scheduled to become operational in 2025.

The cornerstone laying ceremony was held in an event held at Mahatma Mandir international convention center to commemorate SUZUKI’s 40th anniversary of its Indian business.

The ceremony was attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gujarat Chief Minister Patel, and Ambassador of Japan to India Suzuki, while Haryana Chief Minister Khattar and Maruti Suzuki’s Executive Vice Chairman Ayukawa attended online from the Kharkhoda construction site. 

In a press statement, Suzuki says: 'By strengthening production capacity along with the growth of the Indian automobile market, SUZUKI will aim to provide diverse choices of mobility in India where there is continuous economic growth, and contribute toward realizing sustainable society'.

The company also announced the establishment of Suzuki R&D Center India Private Limited (SRDI) in Delhi, which will establish a framework to support the strengthening of SUZUKI's competitiveness by linking the development departments of Japan and India.

SUZUKI’s President, Toshihiro Suzuki, says: "Through making technology development in new fields by establishing R&D center in India wholly owned by SUZUKI, we will strengthen our competitiveness and R&D capabilities not only in the Indian market but also globally."

In March, 2022, Suzuki Motor Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the State of Gujarat, India to invest approximately 150 billion yen (approximately 104.4 billion rupees) for local manufacturing of electric vehicles (BEV) and BEV batteries.