EV marketing is about confidence, not just speed: Partho Banerjee, Maruti Suzuki India

Maruti Suzuki India Limited showcased the e-Vitara, its first fully electric SUV, during a long range drive experience on Monday.

In an exclusive conversation with e4m, Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer-Marketing and Sales, spoke about the rationale behind the e-Vitara and the broader approach the company is taking as it prepares to scale its electric mobility portfolio in India.

From technology choices and consumer targeting to charging infrastructure and dealer preparedness, Banerjee made it clear that this was not a hurried product launch, but a carefully constructed ecosystem play.

An ecosystem first approach to EVs

Reflecting on Maruti Suzuki’s decision to enter the electric vehicle space, Banerjee addressed the long held perception of the company as an internal combustion engine stronghold. “Fundamentally, being a market leader, we believe that we are technologically agnostic and we need to offer all the type of technologies, powertrains to our customers,” he said.

He emphasised that Maruti Suzuki’s portfolio already spans EVs, hybrids, CNG and flex fuels. “So we are having the whole gamut of the technologies which are there and we believe, let the customer decide which technology, which form factor he is going to opt for it.”

Targeting young buyers without losing Maruti’s core

When asked about the core consumer for the e-Vitara and for EVs at Maruti Suzuki more broadly, Banerjee was unequivocal. “This is a product which is going to target the young Indian customers,” he said, pointing to India’s demographic dividend.

“The demographic dividend of India is the young people, the Gen Zs and the Gen Alphas. So we believe this product has been designed keeping in mind them.”

He added that the e-Vitara brings strong tangible credentials to the table, including a claimed range of 543 kilometres, a five star rating and a seven year battery warranty. Inside, the SUV adopts what he described as a “cockpit sort of a concept”, with a fully digital interior. “At the end of the day, if you drive this vehicle, you will get further feel of it. It doesn’t run on the road, it glides,” he said.

While the target audience may be younger, Banerjee stressed that Maruti Suzuki’s core values remain unchanged. “Our basic core value always has been the trust, reliability, mileage,” he said.

However, he acknowledged that expectations have evolved. “At the end of the day, to this young Indian generation, we believe it is very important to offer the products which meets their lifestyle. So this e-Vitara is a product which is going to meet the aspirations of this young Indian customers.”

Take a look at the interview:

Building EV trust through drive experiences

Tier two and tier three markets, traditionally Maruti Suzuki’s stronghold, are also central to the e-Vitara strategy.

Banerjee cited the company’s India Goes Electric initiative as proof of intent. “What we have done is this, through the India Goes Electric, we have demonstrated, we have flagged off four vehicles to the four farthest most corner of our country. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Bhoj to Kajiranga,” he said.

The drive, undertaken by journalists, was completed in 11 days. “Throughout their journey, when they shared, when we flagged in, all these four vehicles back, their experiences were shared in front of all the invitees.”

According to Banerjee, feedback from the drive highlighted the importance of convenience and infrastructure. Participants were particularly positive about the ‘e for me’ app and the fast charging network encountered en route. “They were so gung ho about the ‘e For Me’ app, the convenience which we have created,” he said, adding that the availability of fast chargers and the peace of mind offered by the overall ecosystem would be “a big differentiator in times to come between Maruti and the others”.

On the role of experiential marketing in EV adoption, Banerjee was clear that real world engagement matters more than celebrity endorsements. “I always believe that it is the experiential thing which works much better than talking about bringing in some celebrities and talking about the product,” he said. “And if the narrative is strong, realistic, and you are able to connect with your target audience, it works much better.”

‘e For Me’ and the push to simplify charging

Digital engagement, particularly through the ‘e For Me’ app, forms a key pillar of Maruti Suzuki’s EV outreach. Banerjee noted that the objective was not merely to launch another app, but to make it genuinely useful. “It’s not the app which is important. But to really make that app user friendly and make it useful for the consumer, that was the objective,” he said.

Under the app, Maruti Suzuki has brought together 13 charging point operators on a single platform. “So starting from the discovery of the fast charging point to the booking of it and making the payment through that same app, it’s absolutely hassle free and so convenient for the customers,” he explained. Journalists who participated in the cross country drive, he added, appreciated not having to juggle “13 to 14 apps”, underscoring the value of a unified solution.

Education, Banerjee believes, is as critical as adoption in the EV journey. He said this focus comes directly from the company’s leadership, naming T. Suzuki, R. C. Bhargava and Managing Director Hisashi Takeuchi. “How EV is going to change the life of the customer, we need to show that,” he said.

While education is important, he argued that emotional relevance matters more. “If I’m able to touch the cord of the customer, that how this vehicle is going to play an important role in your day to day life and how it helps you in doing your jobs more efficiently, that is more important.” To this end, Maruti Suzuki is creating a series of video libraries, using digital platforms to communicate these stories.

Discussing the difference between launching an EV and a conventional vehicle, Banerjee addressed perceptions around the longer lead time for the e-Vitara. “Everyone is talking, why Maruti is taking so much time? My answer is very simple,” he said. “e-Vitara is just not a product which we are going to launch. We are launching an overall ecosystem.” 

He drew a parallel with the company’s early years in India. “When we started 40 years back in this country, we didn’t start with the sales outlets. We started with our service outlets. Because we wanted to give the assurance to the customer that wherever you go, we are there.” He noted that while the earlier tagline was “count on us”, with the e-Vitara the message is “we are by your side”.

Dealer readiness is another cornerstone of this confidence building exercise. “Talking about our channel partners, I think they are working hand to hand with us,” Banerjee said, revealing that 1,50,000 sales and service personnel have already been trained. Every showroom will also have a charging facility. “Maybe the customer may not be using it often. But still we feel we need to give the confidence to the customer that there is a fast charger there. Anytime you face any problem, you can come back to us,” he said.

What’s the road ahead

Looking ahead, Banerjee confirmed that Maruti Suzuki plans to introduce four more EV models by 2030, catering to different customer segments. 

On the question of features and future trends, he cautioned against drawing artificial distinctions between EVs and ICE vehicles. “Fundamentally, a difference between EV and ICE vehicle is where from you’re drawing the power,” he said. 

“But feature per se, we don’t think that the customer who’s going to buy the EV will have some more features than the ICE vehicle.” Instead, he stressed that features should align with product positioning and customer needs, regardless of powertrain.

As the conversation drew to a close, the message was consistent. For Maruti Suzuki, the e-Vitara is not just an electric SUV, but a statement of intent built on trust, preparedness and a long term view of mobility in India.