Suzuki to supply electric SUV to Toyota as collaboration expands

Suzuki Motor Corporation will supply the all-new battery electric vehicle SUV model to Toyota Motor Corporation as the companies expand their collaboration.

The new model is scheduled to be manufactured at Suzuki Motor Gujarat from the early months of 2025, Suzuki Motor Corporation said in a statement.

Maruti Suzuki India plans to launch the same model next year.

Suzuki has around 58% stake in Maruti Suzuki.

"Suzuki will supply our first BEV (battery electric vehicle) to Toyota globally. I am grateful that the collaboration between the two companies has further deepened in this way," said Suzuki President Toshihiro Suzuki.

While continuing to be competitors, the companies will deepen collaborations toward solving social issues, including the realisation of a carbon-neutral society through a multi-pathway approach, he added.

Toyota President Koji Sato said by leveraging the BEV unit and platform that the companies have jointly developed, they will take a new step in the collaboration in the field of electrified vehicles.

"This will allow us to deliver various choices that contribute to a carbon-neutral society to customers worldwide. We would like to learn from each other's strengths, compete, and further joint efforts based on a multi-pathway approach," he added.

The BEV unit and platform adopted for this model were jointly developed by Suzuki, Toyota, and Daihatsu Motor Corporation, utilising each company's strength.

Both Suzuki and Toyota's businesses have their roots in Enshu, the western part of Shizuoka Prefecture, and both companies took on the challenge of switching their businesses from looms to the automobiles industry, the statement said. Suzuki and Toyota started exploring business partnerships in 2016.

The fields of collaboration are diverse and include production and mutual supply of vehicles, and the spread of electrified vehicles.

As a result, the market launch of collaboration vehicles has expanded to Japan, India, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

The new development marks the first BEV in the OEM relationship between the two companies.

It will be launched worldwide, providing a BEV choice even in the SUV market, which is showing remarkable growth.

Toyota Motor Corporation and Suzuki Motor Corporation had signed a memorandum of understanding for a business alliance in 2017 for the sharing of products and manufacturing facilities.

Under the partnership, Toyota Kirloskar Motor sold Suzuki's premium hatchback Baleno as Glanza and compact SUV Brezza as Urban Cruiser in India. Urban Cruiser was later discontinued.

In 2022, the two Japanese firms deepened their collaboration in the fields of development and production in India.

Under the initiative, the two companies started production of a new SUV model, Grand Vitara, developed by Suzuki, at the Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd plant.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor sells it as Urban Cruiser Hyryder.

At present, Maruti Suzuki also sells Invicto which is manufactured at TKM's plant in Karnataka. Toyota Kirloskar Motor sells the model as Innova Hycross. Similarly, it sells Maruti Suzuki's Ertiga MPV as Rumion.