Suzuki electric car plans uncertain due to competition and slow demand

Suzuki’s plans to launch five pure-electric models in Europe by the end of the decade now seem uncertain, with the company’s president Toshihiro Suzuki citing the slowdown in electric car sales and fierce competition from China as contributing factors. 

Last year it was announced Suzuki would invest 4.5 trillion yen (approximately £23billion) in research, development and new facilities for EVs through 2030. So far, its first EV, the all-new Suzuki e Vitara, has been unveiled, but is not due to go on sale until next summer.

Speaking to Auto Express and other media at the reveal of the e Vitara, Toshihiro Suzuki didn’t confirm whether the company still intended to launch five EVs by 2030, nor could he provide a timeframe for when the company might launch a second zero-emissions model.  

“Sales of EVs are slowing down, and on the other hand, affordable and cheap EVs from China are coming into the market,” he said, “so it’s a very difficult time to introduce BEVs.”

He added: “The government incentives for the BEVs are going out and there are Chinese EVs which have a very strong cost competitiveness [in their segments], so Suzuki has to think carefully about what kind of BEV should be introduced to the market in which time.”

According to Toshihiro Suzuki, the company’s next EV will potentially be smaller than the e Vitara, but that was all he would reveal. Any hopes of it being a Jimny EV were dampened when the boss said an electrified version of the baby 4x4 would “ruin the best part of the Jimny”. 

Suzuki has developed an all-new, EV-dedicated platform called ‘Heartect-e’, with the help of Toyota and Daihatsu. But when asked if the same architecture will be used by future models, Toshihiro Suzuki said, “As we see how the sales transform, then we may also think about the further models that will use this platform.” 

Toshihiro Suzuki added the company isn’t solely focused on EVs; it’s also working on hybrids and e-fuels, because “from [the company] Suzuki's point of view, EV is not the only solution.” 

He added, “Maybe I said that you have to carefully monitor the situation, but that does not mean that we are leaving the [EV] technology development, so we want to keep up these developments.”

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