According to reports from The Times of India, Maruti Suzuki is preparing to expand its electric vehicle portfolio into smaller car segments, but will wait for a wider charging network before proceeding. The company's MD and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi announced at the annual general meeting that smaller electric models would be added once Maruti's charging infrastructure is sufficiently developed across the country.
As reported by The Times of India, Maruti is experiencing a significant recovery in small car demand, with Chairman RC Bhargava citing GST reforms as a key catalyst for the automobile industry. The company's small-car sales grew 17% in the second half of the previous financial year and accelerated to 35% in the first quarter of the current year. Takeuchi confirmed that small-car volumes rose 63% during April-July, with the company's market share in the segment standing at 83%. The improved outlook comes after several years of weaker demand for the segment, during which Maruti Suzuki adjusted its production capacity to reflect changing market conditions.
According to The Times of India, Bhargava revealed that the company is now estimating the car industry will grow to 6.1-6.3 million units by 2031, with the small car segment's share expected to grow significantly faster than the previous five years. The company's overall sales grew 38% in the first quarter, compared with 28% growth for the industry. Maruti Suzuki is expanding manufacturing capacity as it prepares for higher demand across the market, with installed capacity expected to reach 2.9 million vehicles by the end of 2026-27 and 3.65 million by the end of 2030-31. The company ended March with 1.9 lakh pending bookings due to lack of manufacturing capacity for in-demand models.
According to the report, Maruti is building its charging network through partnerships with 13 charge-point operators and has already established more than 2,000 exclusive charging points across over 1,100 cities. The company's longer-term plan is to have access to more than 100,000 charging points by the end of the decade, including a stronger presence along highways and expressways. This infrastructure development is crucial as the company prepares for its EV expansion into smaller segments.
As reported by The Times of India, Maruti Suzuki is also working to expand its presence in alternative fuel vehicles, with CNG car sales rising 22% to 7.46 lakh units in 2025-26 and sales in the first quarter growing 58% to 2.2 lakh units. The company is targeting sales of 9 lakh CNG cars this year. Bhargava noted that the company's flexible production system is intended to allow the company to respond more quickly to changes in consumer preferences, with this approach already showing results in the increased small-car sales during the first quarter.
