- Maruti Suzuki has become the first Indian car manufacturer to surpass two-million production milestone in a single calendar year.
Maruti Suzuki on December 17 announced it had surpassed the 20 lakh production milestone in the country this year. This is the first time Maruti Suzuki has hit this milestone in a calendar year and first for any car manufacturer in the country, as per SIAM data.
Maruti Suzuki, the country’s leading car maker, informed that the two millionth unit rolled out was an Ertiga MPV but that the other models that were manufactured the most in 2024 so far have been Baleno, Fronx, WagonR and Brezza. As many as 60 per cent of these models were manufactured at facilities located in Haryana while the remaining 40 per cent in Gujarat. In all, the company operates three manufacturing facilities – two in the northern Indian state and one in Gujarat’s Hansalpur. Together, these facilities have the capability of rolling out 2.35 million (23.50 lakh) units each year.
Maruti Suzuki anticipates demand for vehicles in the country to grow further and as such, is expanding its annual production capability to four million (40 lakh). A new greenfield manufacturing facility in Haryana’s Kharkhoda is under construction and the first plant will have an annual capacity of 2.50 lakh units and operations will commence from 2025. In all, the facility will have an annual capacity of one million (10 lakh) units once fully functional.
Established in Gurugram (then Gurgaon) in 1981, Maruti Suzuki continues to have a solid lead in the Indian passenger vehicle space even if recent years have seen rivals up their respective game. The company, however, has hit back with a more SUV-focused lineup that now also includes Grand Vitara in the mid-size SUV segment. There are also niche models like Jimny and Invicto MPV although their sales numbers are low compared to siblings.
Maruti Suzuki’s focus on exports
Of all the cars units manufactured by Maruti Suzuki in India this year, around 40 per cent were shipped to foreign shores. This means the company now becomes the top car exporter from the country for the third year running. India serves as base for exports to around 17 Suzuki models to 100 countries. Fronx, Jimny, Baleno, Dzire and Swift are the top export models.
Maruti Suzuki: Opportunities and challenges
Maruti Suzuki is now eyeing a segment that it has thus far had no presence in – electric vehicles. The e Vitara is all set for its official unveil and launch at the Bharat Mobility Expo in January next year. Based on the eVX concept showcased previously, the e Vitara will get a 60 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and is expected to offer a range of over 500 kilometers per charge. But that’s not all. The company has also confirmed plans of launching six EVs by FY 2030-31. These are expected to help Maruti Suzuki take on Tata Motors – current leaders in India’s electric car market – head on while also battling the likes of Hyundai and Mahindra who are prepping more EV models.
But a key challenge for Maruti Suzuki has been lukewarm sales of its smaller offerings. While still forming the backbone of sales, models like Alto K10, S-Presso and WagonR are not faring as strong as each did in years gone by. Part of the reason for this is the growing popularity of SUV body type but Maruti Suzuki India Chairman RC Bhargava has also pointed in the past to lack of affordability in the sub- ₹10 lakh car segments. He, however, has expressed optimism about the small-car segments bouncing back in FY2025-26.
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First Published Date: 17 Dec 2024, 15:12 PM IST
