Toyota's new global EV will be a Suzuki

Japanese carmakers Toyota and Suzuki have struck a deal which will see the small-car specialist produce a new electric SUV for the automotive giant from the first half of 2025.

The two brands have been in collaboration since 2016, when then-Suzuki chairman Osamu Suzuki and then-Toyota president Akio Toyoda began conversations about each developing and rebadging vehicles between one another.

It’s likely Toyota’s new SUV will be a version of the Suzuki eVX, which is slated for a launch in early 2025 by the Indian subsidiary of Suzuki.

The new electric vehicle (EV) will also be built by Suzuki Motor Gujarat in India, and it’s the first electric vehicle (EV) to be produced in partnership between the two companies.

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Toyota says the new model was designed as an EV exclusively. It’s claimed to have “sharp driving characteristics” with “ample cruising range”, and it’s been confirmed to be available in all-wheel drive.

If it is to be a version of the eVX, we can expect a 60kWh battery pack as per previous confirmation, as well as a driving range of 550km on the Indian testing cycle – likely a lower range on the WLTP cycle.

An entry-level version with a smaller battery of around 48kWh with around 400km of range is also expected.

“The eVX is a BEV model that combines Suzuki’s strong 4×4 DNA with the advanced features of the latest BEVs. The exterior is designed to be instantly recognisable as a Suzuki SUV. In addition, it aims to carry forward the brand’s 4×4 legacy into the new electric era,” Suzuki said of the eVX concept that was revealed in early 2023.

While the new model will be built exclusively by Suzuki in India, Toyota says the “BEV unit and platform adopted for this model” was developed through a collaboration between itself, Suzuki, and Daihatsu.

Toyota president, Koji Sato, says the electric SUV will benefit from the strengths of each individual company.

“By leveraging the BEV unit and platform that we jointly developed, we will take a new step in our collaboration in the field of electrified vehicles,” he said.

“We would like to learn from each other’s strengths, compete, and further joint efforts based on a multi-pathway approach.”

The new SUV won’t be the first model built by either company to be rebadged.

In markets like South Africa, Toyota’s lineup includes rebadged Suzuki models like the Vitz (formerly Celerio) and Starlet (formerly Baleno).

In Europe, Suzuki instead offers a handful of rebadged Toyotas, like the Across – a rebadged RAV4 – and the Swace, which is a Corolla wagon.

Suzuki has previously outlined to launch five EVs in Europe by 2030, including the eVX and an electric Jimny.

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