Copy Maruti Suzuki has launched its first electric vehicle, the e Vitara SUV, in India, marking its formal entry into the fast-growing EV segment | Photo Credit: India's top car maker, ​Maruti Suzuki , launched its maiden ‌electric vehicle in the local market ​on Tuesday, along ⁠with a battery rental plan. The e Vitara SUV, developed under parent Suzuki ‌Motor's global design and manufacturing partnership with Toyota is being ‌built in India since ‌August ⁠last year. The company exported 13,000 ⁠units to 28 countries in 2025. Maruti has priced the SUV at 1.1 ​million rupees (around $12,100), ‌accompanied by a battery rental plan that will cost 3.99 rupees per kilometre. EV sales have gathered ‌pace in the world's ​third-largest auto market after a wave of launches from Tata ⁠Motors, Hyundai, Mahindra & Mahindra and Tesla over the last year. The greener vehicles ‌are more expensive than their traditional counterparts, with recent tax cuts widening the gap. EVs made up about 5% of India's car sales in 2025, ‌doubling from a year earlier. The Asian ​country aims for electric vehicles to reach 30% of all ⁠car sales by 2030. SAIC Motor's Indian ⁠venture, JSW MG Motor India, offers battery rentals to ‌lower upfront ownership costs of EVs.