Japanese automakers Toyota and Suzuki announced new plans to take their existing collaborative efforts up a notch. Both firms jointly announced this week that they will expand their shared line-up with a new all-electric SUV.
This expanded collaboration marks the first time that automaking giant Toyota and Suzuki have joined forces to create an electric vehicle (EV).
Whilst Suzuki president Toshihro Suzuki emphasisesed that both companies remain competitors, they are committed to “solving social issues” and advancing toward a carbon-neutral society through a “multi-pathway approach.”
“This will allow us to deliver various choices that contribute to a carbon-neutral society to customers worldwide,” added Toyota president Koji Sato further.
Specifically, Suzuki will supply Toyota with its upcoming battery-powered SUV, which is widely tipped to be an evolution of the Suzuki eVX concept revealed not too long ago. Said new EV SUV’s production will kick off sometime in 2025, with a global launch set to follow suit too.
Debuting back in Jan 2023, the Suzuki eVX concept saw an updated version bow later in Oct 2023, the latter effort bringing the concept a step closer to production. Unlike similarly-sized contemporaries, the eVX was designed from the ground up exclusively as an EV.
Toyota Urban SUV Concept EV pictured.
No details of the new joint model were disclosed, but both firms did note that the drive unit and platform that will be used was jointly developed by Suzuki, Toyota and Daihatsu. Additionally, the model promises sharp driving characteristics of an EV, ample cruising range and a comfortable cabin plus a four-wheel-drive (4WD) system as well.
Though not Suzuki’s first foray into electrification as it worked jointly with Daihatsu and Toyota prior to develop EV mini-commercial vans revealed last year. This upcoming new EV SUV however will stand as its entry into the mainstream EV passenger cars game.
