Co. aims to introduce electric vehicles in 2020 to fight CO2 emission: Suzuki

Participating in the Summit, Japanese auto maker Suzuki Motor Corporation Friday said it will commission its third plant at Gujarat by 2020 and will introduce new hybrid vehicles in India with technical support from Toyota, PTI quoted.

Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) President Toshihiro Suzuki spoke at the Summit and sought an enabling policy support from the government to further invest in localisation of components of hybrid and electric vehicles.

Suzuki said that first vehicle assembly plant of the company was inaugurated in September last year, the second plant will start shortly and they plan to commission the third plant by 2020.

Suzuki laid down the company's plan in Gujarat and said after three plants in operations, the annual production capacity of Suzuki Motor Gujarat will be enhanced up to 7,50,000 units and the company will also start production at its engine and transmission plant in the state shortly. The SMC said in a statement that it has started production of its hatchback Swift from the second plant in the state.

Suzuki said it will enable "us to bear fruit of integrated vehicle manufacturing in Gujarat"; and the state is becoming "more and more important as a production site for Suzuki group".

Acknowledging the challenge to reduce CO2 for the prevention of global warming, Suzuki said SMC is tackling the issue from various angles and as one of the solutions, it has decided to introduce electric vehicles in India in 2020.

"In the Indian context, we firmly believe that hybrid and CNG vehicles are the most effective solution, with fastest results," he asserted.