e VITARA – Suzuki’s first electric car

In Brief - Main Features of the e VITARA model

Exterior Design 

The e VITARA stands out amongst its competitors for having a truly authentic ‘High Tech and Adventure’ SUV design with familiar Suzuki styling cues. It features deeply sculpted body lines, a long wheelbase of 2,700mm and short overhangs that help portray a unique silhouette. This was achieved thanks to a flat floor construction and the use of a compact electric motor with two motors utilised for the ALLGRIP-e model. 

New design machined wide spoke 18-inch alloy wheels with resin garnish are fitted as standard for Motion models with 19-inch fully garnished cast alloy wheels offered for Ultra models.

Suzuki Granted.

In response to UK Government communication regarding the Electric Car Grant (ECG); Suzuki has it fully covered for its retail customers looking to go electric with Suzuki Granted, its self-funded and very attractive offer for the highly specified e VITARA range.

Taking the 49kWh Motion model as an example, this now takes the launch price from £29,999 to £26,249, representing a customer saving of £3,750. The offer is applicable across the five-model e VITARA range and equivalent to the higher-level Government grant.

This offer is available immediately and will continue until 31st December 2025. Additionally, Suzuki will offer a free Ohme home charger to customers ordering their e VITARA in this period.

Launch pricing for the range including Suzuki Granted is as follows:

49kWh Motion 2WD
£26,249
61kWh Motion 2WD
£29,249
61kWh Ultra 2WD
£32,049
61kWh Motion ALLGRIP-e 4WD
£31,249
61kWh Ultra ALLGRIP-e 4WD
£34,049

Driving range of 264 miles (WLTP Combined regulation) for 61kWh 2WD model.  

61kWh Motion offers heated driver’s and front passenger seats, heated steering wheel and heater outlet for rear seat occupants.

Moving up to 61kWh Ultra models adds 19-inch alloy wheels, wireless phone charger, Adaptive high-beam system, Infinity audio system with subwoofer, 360-degree camera, glass roof panel, LED front fog lamps, 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat and half-synthetic leather seat material.

Additional standard equipment for Motion and Ultra models when optioned with ALLGRIP-e includes dual-motor electric 4WD system with Trail mode and Hill descent control.

e VITARA is 4275mm long, 1800 mm wide and a height of 1635mm. With a wheelbase of 2700mm, it is 200mm longer with wider tyres when compared with hybrid Vitara although it still retains the same compact turning radius of just 5.2metres.

HEARTECT-e platform and Safety 

An-all new HEARTECT-e platform was designed specifically for e VITARA to maximise cabin space and driving range. The front underbody structure provides a short overhang and is designed to distribute collision impact energy across multiple load paths.

e VITARA has a very high level of safety features fitted as standard which include Dual Sensor Brake Support (DSBS), Rear Crossing Traffic Alert (RCTA), Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR), Lane Keep Assist (LKA), Driver Monitoring System (DMS), Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), Lane Departure Prevention (LDP) and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC).

NB: The full press pack, equipment list and technical specifications are listed on the media website.

All-new EV Powertrain system for optimum driving performance
e VITARA features an all-new EV powertrain, charging and power supply system along with Heat Pump battery thermal management system fitted as standard equipment for optimal battery range.

e VITARA is driven by an eAxle powered by a lithium iron-phosphate (LFP) battery pack with configurations of 49kWh and 61kWh available for 2WD models. For optional ALLGRIP-e models 61kWh capacity is utilised.

Electric motor output is rated at 106kW for 49kWh models and 128kW for 61kWh 2WD models; ALLGRIP-e versions add a rear eAxle with 48kW motor power, with a combined max output of 135kW, due to front and rear motor power delivery phasing, and 114Nm of additional torque available. The rear eAxle also helps boost traction when required in slippery conditions.

ALLGRIP-e

e VITARA is one of very few cars in the EV SUV segment that offers the option of 4WD. Available on both Motion and Ultra with 61kWh, ALLGRIP-e is an electric 4WD system that employs separate motors (eAxles) for the front and rear which allows each motor to be independently controlled. The two motors enable dynamic driving with a maximum torque of 1.5 times more than the 2WD version.

4WD mode takes advantage of the very quick response of electric motors to assist acceleration by precisely controlling torque distribution to the front and rear wheels. In normal road driving conditions, acceleration is assisted by evenly distributing torque front/rear. In slippery conditions, driving torque is optimised to front and rear wheels according to where slippage is detected. The system has two separate driving modes, AUTO and TRAIL.

Battery Packs

The lithium iron-phosphate (LFP) battery packs deliver class-competitive cruising range while minimising weight as much as possible and, for optimum safety and security, have built-in safeguards to protect against overheating and short circuits. 96 separate cells are used for 2WD models and 120 cells for ALLGRIP-e.

Up to 10 years / 100,000 miles vehicle and EV battery warranty comprising of three years manufacturer / seven-year vehicle service activated plus eight years manufacturer battery warranty and two years’ service activated warranty.

Charging

The charging port is located on the passenger side front wing and charging times under initial development were targeted as:

DC rapid charging time of 45 minutes from 10%-80%
11kW AC 3-phase 230V/16A power supply - fast charge of 5.5 hours from 10%-100%
7kW AC single-phase 230V/32a power supply - charge of 9 hours from 10%-100%
(Charging times are for both 49kWh and 61kWh models)