Suzuki set to supply Toyota with new BEV SUV model

MANILA: Suzuki Motor Corporation will be supplying Toyota Motor Corporation with its first-ever battery electric vehicle (BEV) model. In doing so, the two Japanese car brands have established stronger collaborative ties.

The vehicle development for the upcoming electric-powered ride is being headed by Suzuki while leveraging the expertise and technical know-how of Toyota and Daihatsu Motor Corporation. Once the BEV nameplate goes into production by 2025, the vehicle will be built at the Suzuki Motor Gujarat plant in India. 

According to Suzuki Motor Corporation President Toshihiro Suzuki, the upcoming all-electric model will be launched worldwide and contribute to the two conglomerates' vision of a truly carbon-neutral society. 

“Suzuki will supply our first BEV to Toyota globally. I am grateful that the collaboration between the two companies has further deepened in this way,” Suzuki said. 

“While continuing to be competitors, we will deepen our collaborations toward solving social issues, including the realization of a carbon-neutral society through a multi-pathway approach,” Suzuki added. 

Toyota Motor Corporation President Koji Sato, on the other hand, considers the aforementioned development to be the next stage in the two companies' collaboration. 

“By leveraging the BEV unit and platform that we jointly developed, we will take a new step in our collaboration in the field of electrified vehicles,” Sato said.

“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 join efforts based on a multi-pathway approach,” Sato shared. 

For now, no specifications were provided by the two Japanese car brands. Still, a report from Toyota Global indicated that it will come in the form of a sports utility vehicle. It will also feature sharp styling characteristics, ample cruising range, and a four-wheel-drive system. 

As a side note, Toyota acquired a significant number of Suzuki shares back in 2019. The aforementioned marked the Nagoya-based car maker's establishment of a technical partnership with Suzuki in order to meet the demands of the ever-growing global electric vehicle market. 

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