Maruti Suzuki has already announced that it will launch its first electric car for India in 2020. The car, an all-electric version of the Wagon R will have big differences as compared to the standard Wagon R that will be launched in India in a few weeks to replace the aging tall boy hatchback. The new Wagon R electric will also come as a premium due to the lack of tax exemptions on electric vehicles and even though the government has reduced the GST rates on electric batteries for electric vehicles the expected price will be around Rs 10 lakh.
Also Read: New Maruti Suzuki Wagon R Launch Details Revealed
With a price tag which puts in in the same range as premium hatchbacks like the Maruti Suzuki Baleno and the Hyundai i20, Maruti is not expecting a big sales figure – especially in the private segment and is banking on fleet segments and shared mobility operators to buy them instead.
Speaking to NDTV on the sidelines of Maruti Suzuki's annual press meet, R.C.Bhargava, Chariman, Maruti Suzuki Limited said, “The electric car which we have at present in 2020 is a small car. And that small car for individual use is unlikely to sell in any large volumes because of the cost factor even with subsidy. It is more likely to be used by fleet customers and be shared mobility. “
The government has also recently announced a very good policy for establishing public charging stations across the country. The charging stations will first be set up in major cities across the country (that have a population of over 4 million) and also on expressways and major highways around the country.
