INDIA. Maruti Suzuki may install 25,000 EV charging points in India

Gearing up for the debut of the Concept eVX, Maruti Suzuki’s first EV, in January 2025, the carmaker is looking into setting up an EV charging network with oil marketing companies (OMCs), including a state-run enterprise, The Economic Times reports. It is also examining the service centres of its dealerships for charging points. The manufacturer wants to install at least one charging bay with two charging points at every location. Additionally, the company is training service mechanics in Bengaluru (Karnataka), as per an earlier moneycontrol report.

State-run Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) are leading OMCs in India, with a total network of 81,000 retail outlets. Together, they are already setting up thousands of EV charging stations in the country. IOCL alone has installed over 10,000 EV charging stations, while HPCL operates 3,050 chargers and plans to increase that figure to 5,000 by December. BPCL runs more than 1,000 EV charging stations and wants to grow to about 7,000 by March 2025.

Maruti Suzuki’s plans for an expansive EV charging network indicate that it has big ambitions for its electric cars. As its first model, the company will launch a small electric SUV with dimensions similar to the ICE Grand Vitara (and even closer to Suzuki’s ICE S-Cross). During the Q1 FY2025 earnings conference call, Chief Investor Relations Officer Rahul Bharti said that “the second one is close behind” and that the company “will practically be launching one model every year.” The carmaker aims to build an EV lineup of six models by 2031.

Moreover, the manufacturer wants to sell 3,000 units of its first EV within three months of launch. It will be built in Gujarat, in the western part of the country. However, Maruti Suzuki will initially export the model to European countries and Japan and then commence local sales.