Fashionably Late

Can Maruti Suzuki's first-ever production electric vehicle (EV), the e Vitara, create shockwaves in the EV space despite being late to the party? We sampled it around Delhi to find out just that

- Gaurav Davare

EVEN THOUGH SOME MAY BE LATE TO THE party, there is the term "fashionably late". By that, we mean they still manage to be the life of the party and leave a mark on the overall environment. The same applies in the automotive space, too, albeit the instances are rare. Well, Maruti Suzuki is one of those late entrants into the EV space with its first-ever production electric vehicle, the e Vitara, first unveiled at the Bharat Global Mobility Expo 2025. Is this entry a little too late for the electric SUV to thrive, or can it be another example of being "fashionably late"? We got to spend some time with it on the outskirts of Delhi to find out exactly that.

If there is one word to describe the trend of EV designs, that is "minimalism". Fortunately, the Maruti Suzuki e Vitara bucks that trend as it looks rather butch. There are a number of sharp creases, strong character lines, the flared haunch around the rear fender, and, more importantly, a very prominent presence of cladding around the overall silhouette. The face itself looks nicely sculpted, especially around the bonnet, with the sleek three-point LED daytime running lights (DRL) wrapped around the LED headlamps, giving the SUV a menacing presence. In fact, if you look lower down the chunky front bumper, the grille has adaptive shutters to aid with cooling aerodynamics and range maximization.

The aero optimisation doesn't end there; the 18-inch wheel design also has efficiency as its focus. The rugged appeal is rounded off at the rear with a chunky rear bumper that is contrasted by a sleek set of LED tail-lamps, with a shark-fin antenna and a roof-mounted spoiler adding a smidgeon of sportiness to this e-SUV.