Maruti Suzuki seeks govt incentives to make Electric Vehicles affordable

India's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki has said that it needs more government incentives to make electric vehicles (EVs) affordable as the country moves towards the eco-friendly solution for mobility.

Maruti Suzuki, which plans to start selling electric vehicles (EVs) by 2020, has decided to commission a market survey to understand customers’ expectations from such vehicles. Starting in January, the company will conduct the survey over five to six weeks, reported Mint.

According to R.C. Bhargava, chairman of Maruti Suzuki, the aim of the study would be to find out as to what is the ground reality and the firm needs to understand what customers think of electric vehicles and expectations regarding the availability of charging stations.

Also Read: After Suzuki, Hyundai to introduce electric cars in India with Rs 5000 Cr investment plan

In November, Suzuki signed an in-principle agreement with Japanese automobile majors Toyota to consider a joint structure for the introduction of electric cars in India in 2020.

Earlier, Suzuki Motor revealed that it plans to make electric cars at its factory in Gujarat. Apart from EVs, the company will also set up a lithium-ion battery factory that will charge electric, hybrid and other vehicles from fixed kiosks. While Denso will provide technology for setting-up lithium-ion battery factory, Toshiba will power cell modules.

Collectively, Suzuki, Denso, and Toshiba will invest about $180 million for the plant, which is expected to be functional by 2020. The manufacturing unit will power Maruti and Suzuki’s electric vehicles fleet comprising of existing petrol and diesel models as well as new EVs.

The government has set eyes on 100 percent EVs for public mobility and 40 percent electric for personal mobility by 2030. However, auto industry body SIAM had proposed 40 percent of all new vehicles sold in the country to be electric by 2030 and 100 percent by 2047.