Maruti Suzuki Gears Up for EV Revolution with 25,000 Charging Points Ahead of Concept eVX Launch

Mumbai: Maruti Suzuki India is planning to set up around 25,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points before launching its first electric car, a midsize SUV called the Concept eVX, in January 2025, according to sources familiar with the plan.

To build a strong charging network, Maruti will use its 5,100+ service centers in 2,300 cities. The company is also talking with oil marketing companies (OMCs) and energy firms to create a charging infrastructure, which is currently one of the biggest obstacles to EV adoption in India.

“They’ve started checking their service centers for spots to install charging points,” said a person familiar with the plans. “Each service center will have at least one charging bay and two charge points. They’ve already started training mechanics in Bengaluru.”

Some OMC officials confirmed that Maruti has approached them to reserve space for charging points and EV servicing at their fuel stations.

“Maruti has contacted us, but the terms are still being discussed,” said a senior official from a state-run OMC. Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum together operate over 81,000 fuel stations in India, controlling about 90% of the retail market.

Maruti Suzuki declined to comment directly. However, Hisashi Takeuchi, Maruti Suzuki’s managing director, recently mentioned during an event that they are developing solutions to address EV customers’ concerns. “We will use our network to give customers confidence in after-sales support,” Takeuchi said.

Priced between ₹20-25 lakh, Maruti plans to sell 3,000 units of the eVX in the first three months of its launch. The electric SUV will be manufactured at Maruti’s Gujarat plant and sold through their Nexa premium outlets.

This will be the first of six EVs Maruti plans to launch over the next 6-7 years.

Maruti is entering the EV market at a time when sales in India’s EV sector have hit an eight-month low. According to data from the government’s Vahan portal, EV sales in August dropped by 10% year on year to 6,335 units. Charging infrastructure, range anxiety, and high upfront costs are among the reasons cited for this drop.

It’s not unusual for automakers to build charging infrastructure before launching their first EV and then expand it through partnerships with different companies. Tata Motors, the leader in India’s EV market, has 5,600 public charging points, while Tata Power has installed 101,924 home charging points.