To show what its future direction is like, Suzuki is presenting its eVX concept model at India’s Auto Expo 2023 in Delhi this week. The eVX is the carmaker’s first global strategic electric vehicle (EV) which will be the basis of an all-new SUV model to be launched in 2025.
The design of the eVX draws on models like the Grand Vitara and S-Cross while moving the brand forward with new elements that brings its 4×4 legacy into the electric era. With no need for air to cool the radiator, the front end is closed off and a large Suzuki badge is mounted in the centre. The futuristic lights are likely to be just for the showcar as they would unlikely be able to meet regulations.
The blocky profile of traditional SUVs is maintained but towards the rear end, there is a sportier look. The roofline slopes downwards while the fender behind the door rises to narrow the C-pillar. At the back, following current trends with other EVs, there is a light bar running the full width of the body. It’s a clean design but we’re not sure how the door would be hinged. Perhaps something more conventional might be designed for the production model.
The overall length of 4.3 metres and width of 1.8 metres would make it almost the same size as the Grand Vitara, with the typical high stance of a SUV placing the roofline 1.6 metres above the ground.
Not much is said about the powertrain of the eVX, which is being developed largely by Maruti Suzuki, the carmaker’s subsidiary in India. What has been revealed for now is that it has 60 kWh battery pack and based on an Indian test cycle, the range is 550 kms.
Marketing plans for the production model are also unknown. It would likely be built in India and exported overseas. But whether the markets will go as far as Europe remains to be seen although the manufacturer would need an EV later in the next decade when the European Union bans the sale of vehicles with combustion engines in 2035.
