Maruti Suzuki to showcase electric SUV concept at 2023 Auto Expo

In a bid to mark its presence in the rapidly increasing market for electric vehicles, Maruti Suzuki will be previewing an all-electric SUV concept at the Auto Expo 2023. The new electric SUV concept will be one of the show-stoppers from Maruti Suzuki at the expo and will be the carmaker’s first attempt in developing an all-electric vehicle.

Codenamed YY8 for the time being, this all-electric SUV is said to be as big as Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara. The carmaker will be displaying only the concept version, for the time being, the production version of which is expected to roll out in 2025. This production-spec electric SUV will be Maruti Suzuki’s first all-electric vehicle in India, which is expected to take on SUVs like Nexon EV Max and Mahindra XUV400.

The all-electric SUV from Maruti Suzuki is said to be developed in collaboration with Toyota, and like the Grand Vitara-Urban Cruiser Hyryder association, Toyota will also have its version of this electric SUV. The YY8 will be developed on the 27PL born-electric skateboard architecture, which will be the base of all the future all-electric vehicles from Maruti Suzuki. While the YY8 will be a global product, its production version will be locally manufactured in Suzuki’s manufacturing facility in Gujarat. This facility will also serve as the manufacturing hub for the exports of this all-electric SUV.

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All-electric powertrain

The production version of the Maruti Suzuki YY8 all-electric SUV is said to be offered with two battery pack options – 48 kWh and 59 kWh. While the 48 kWh battery pack option will compete with SUVs like Tata Nexon EV Max and Mahindra XUV400, the version with a larger 59 kWh battery pack will make the YY8 compete with SUVs like Hyundai Kona EV and MG ZS EV. This all-electric SUV is believed to get the LFP blade cell batteries from BYD, which itself has launched Atto 3 electric SUV in India recently.  both these battery packs. With the 59 kWh battery pack, expect the YY8 to give a range of 500 km, with the maximum power outputs ranging between 138 bhp to 170 bhp.

Two SUVs confirmed

Apart from the YY8 concept, which will take the centre stage, Maruti Suzuki will also display the production versions of the project YTB and five-door Jimny. Known as Baleno Cross, for the time being, the production version of the YTB will be a crossover version of the Baleno premium hatchback. On the other hand, the five-door Jimny will be an extended wheelbase version of the three-door Jimny with two additional doors and more space on the inside.

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