Suzuki’s unveils its first electric car in South Africa

Suzuki has officially unveiled its first electric car, the e Vitara, and it may be coming to South Africa.

The new vehicle is currently on display at the Festival of Motoring, which is taking place this weekend at the Kyalami Raceway in Gauteng.

The e Vitara is one of several Suzuki models on display at the festival, alongside the recently launched Across, and fan favourites like the Jimny and Swift.

The Japanese carmaker stated that the e Vitara at the event represents the proposed local specifications for our market, and shows that Suzuki has an electric vehicle (EV) ready for our market.

However, Suzuki said that this represents a “potential introduction, should market conditions allow it,” meaning that the car hasn’t been confirmed yet and the company is still doing research to decide whether South Africa is ready to justify an EV rollout.

That being said, while the e Vitara hasn’t been locked in just yet, we reckon it has a pretty good chance of getting the green light.

While companies have cancelled their EV plans in the past, South Africa’s hybrid and electric market has come a long way in the last few years.

Case in point is BYD, which recently started reporting its sales to the Automotive Business Council, revealing that it is the 15th best-selling brand in the country.

BYD exclusively sells new-energy vehicles, which shows that there is a growing demand for hybrid and electric models in South Africa.

If Suzuki, South Africa’s second-best-selling brand, were to launch a competitively priced EV, it’s reasonable to assume it would be very popular.

What does Suzuki’s first EV bring to the table?

The e Vitara on display at the festival is a four-wheel-drive variant that has two electric motors, one over each axle.

Combined, they generate a total of 137kW and 307Nm. This would make it by far the most powerful Suzuki model in South Africa if it hit showrooms, since most of the brand’s cars are fitted with a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine with 77kW and 138Nm.

The e-motors are linked to a 61kWh battery, which gives the SUV a WLTP range of 395km.

Thanks to the dual-motor setup, this version of the car also has Suzuki’s ALLGRIP e-four-wheel-drive system that adjusts power to each axle to gain traction when needed.

It also has three driving modes – Eco, Normal, and Sport – as well as a Trail mode, and hill descent control.

While the full spec sheet will only be confirmed if and when the car launches, Suzuki said it comes with a 10.25-inch digital driver display, a 10.1-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 12-colour ambient lighting, heated front seats, a glass roof, a wireless charger, and an Infinity sound system.

Furthermore, it has an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) suite with a 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, seven airbags, and Suzuki’s Dual Sensor Brake Support II.

Suzuki e-Vitara