Japan
Sustainability Report 2023The role compact cars play
Suzuki’s products created based on a manufacturing principle of “Sho-Sho-Kei-Tan-Bi (Smaller, Fewer, Lighter, Shorter, Beauty),” are compact while achieving user-friendliness, high performance and having an affordable price. By providing many people with freedom of movement, we support lifestyles in regions all over the world.
In Japan, especially in regional areas where public transport access is difficult, mini vehicles are an indispensable part of daily life because of their user friendliness and outstanding economical performance.
Moreover, in emerging countries, Suzuki’s specialty of providing affordable, high performance compact cars matches the needs of first time car buyer customers, enabling many of them to enjoy a comfortable, affluent lifestyle with an automobile.
Of the various issues confronting the automobile industry, we are making efforts in electrification toward achieving the carbon neutrality that is viewed as being of particular importance. The compact cars that are Suzuki’s specialty are a favorite of many people because of their affordability, but making these into electric vehicles will increase their price, which reduces one of the benefits of compact cars. To continue to be an indispensable part of people’s lives, we will utilize the philosophy of “Sho-Sho-Kei-Tan-Bi (Smaller, Fewer, Lighter, Shorter, Beauty),” and develop and market the right EVs for the right place by balancing cost, cruising range and equipment that respond to customers’ needs and usage styles.
TOPICSSuzuki, Daihatsu and Toyota unveiled mini-commercial van electric vehicles
Suzuki Motor Corporation (Suzuki), Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (Daihatsu), and Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) unveiled prototype mini-commercial van electric vehicles (BEVs) equipped with a jointly developed BEV system. The unveiling took place at an exhibition event that introduced the automobile industry’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality, from Thursday May 18 to Sunday 21, 2023. The exhibition event was organized by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) along with the G7 Hiroshima Summit.
The three companies jointly developed a BEV system suitable for mini-commercial vehicles by combining Suzuki and Daihatsu’s expertise in creating small-size cars with Toyota’s electrification technology to introduce this mini-commercial van BEV. Daihatsu will produce the vehicles, and Suzuki, Daihatsu, and Toyota will each release their own version within FY2023. Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies Corporation (CJPT) also participated in the planning to achieve the optimal specifications for efficient lastmile logistics. The cruising range per charge is expected to be approx. 200 km, and development is currently underway with the aim of creating a vehicle that can fully meet the needs of customers in the delivery industry.
The three companies, Suzuki, Daihatsu and Toyota will continue to promote efforts to practically achieve carbon neutrality through the provision of sustainable means of transportation.
Mini-commercial van electric vehicles (EVs) unveiled at the Hiroshima G7 Summit from May 18 to 21, 2023
Sales of models equipped with hybrid systems
We offer automobiles equipped with two types of hybrid systems: the Mild Hybrid and Hybrid systems.
■ Mild Hybrid system
■ Hybrid system
■ Hybrid system product range
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| Alto | WagonR | Spacia | Hustler | XBEE | Swift | Solio | Ignis | Escudo | |
| Mild Hybrid | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Hybrid | ● | ● |
■ Sales of models equipped with hybrid systems*
(1,000 units)
| FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Of which HEV* | HEV ratio | Of which HEV* | HEV ratio | Of which HEV* | HEV ratio | ||||
| Japan | 647 | 338 | 52.3% | 561 | 290 | 51.7% | 627 | 324 | 51.7% |
| India | 1,323 | 118 | 8.9% | 1,365 | 135 | 9.9% | 1,645 | 296 | 18.0% |
| Europe | 206 | 154 | 74.9% | 225 | 194 | 86.2% | 171 | 156 | 91.2% |
| Others | 395 | 5 | 1.3% | 556 | 7 | 1.3% | 557 | 24 | 4.3% |
| Total | 2,571 | 615 | 23.9% | 2,707 | 626 | 23.1% | 3,000 | 800 | 26.7% |
- * HEV (Hybrids) include Mild Hybrid, S-ENE CHARGE, and SHVS. Part of hybrid units in Others includes hybrid units exported from Japan and India.
Sales of CNG vehicles
Maruti Suzuki India Limited offers automobiles with CNG specifications using natural gas as fuel for 15 passenger cars and 1 commercial vehicle. The CNG vehicles are economical automobiles with better fuel efficiency than gasoline variants.
Alto K10 (CNG vehicle)
Grand Vitara (CNG vehicle)
■ Trends in CNG vehicle sales of Maruti Suzuki India (Thousand units)
Percentage of CNG vehicles in Maruti Suzuki India’s vehicle sales (%)
■ Comparison between CNG and gasoline vehicles (WagonR LXI 5MT comparison)
| Retail price | Fuel efficiency | Fuel price | In case of 10,000 km mileage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel cost | CO2 emissions | ||||
| Gasoline vehicle | 554,500 Indian rupees | 24.35 km/liter | 96.72 Indian rupees/liter | 40,000 Indian rupees | 974 kg |
| CNG vehicle | 644,500 Indian rupees | 34.05 km/kg | 73.59 Indian rupees/kg | 22,000 Indian rupees | 805 kg |
| Difference | +90,000 Indian rupees | – | – | –18,000 Indian rupees | –169 kg |
| Rate of variance | –46% | –17% | |||
- Notes:
- Retail price: As of June 26, 2023. Fuel price: Delhi price as of June 26, 2023.
- CO2 emissions: Calculated based on Indian Ministry of Power notification no. S.O. 1072(E) dated April 23, 2015
TOPICSLaunch of SUZUKI FLEET connected services for corporate clients
- Aiming for the spread of new connected services –
Suzuki and SmartDrive (Headquarters in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Retsu Kitagawa, “Smart Drive”) launched SUZUKI FLEET, a cloudbased fleet management service for corporate customers.
The two companies started collaborating in June 2021 with the aim of creating and spreading new connected services by combining Suzuki's customer-oriented manufacturing and Smart Drive’s service creation in the mobility domain. By visualization of daily vehicle use through SUZUKI FLEET it will promote safe driving and support such improvements as operational efficiency and working environments.
Because of the visualization of the vehicle usage status, the system promotes safer driving by reviewing driving practices such as sudden acceleration or breaking, as well as by taking corrective measures, which also contributes to reducing CO2 emissions.
1) Background to launching the SUZUKI FLEET services
Corporate customers using Suzuki mini vehicles and compact cars, including small-lot delivery companies handling last-mile logistics, face many challenges such as labor shortages, improving operational efficiency and safe driving measures. That prompted Suzuki and Smart Drive to launch the SUZUKI FLEET services based on the belief that there is a need to provide solutions to corporate clients.
2) Details of the SUZUKI FLEET services
SUZUKI FLEET enables vehicles to be connected by installing a dedicated device into the vehicle’s cigarette lighter socket to collect and analyze vehicle running data. The system also provides services to help customers in diverse industries, including small-lot delivery, to solve various problems such as promoting safe driving, enhancing work efficiency by reducing the workload at work sites and other means, improving work environments and operating vehicles more efficiently.
SUZUKI FLEET website: https://www.suzuki-scc.com/suzukifleet/ (Japanese language only)
Suzuki provides many products, including automobiles, motorcycles and outboard motors, keeping in mind, “Develop products of superior value by focusing on the customer,” the first principle of the Suzuki Group Mission Statement. We aim to continue being an indispensable presence in people’s lives and support regional mobility.
Smart Drive has provided various services related to mobility since its foundation in 2013 under a vision of “supporting the evolution of mobility.” SmartDrive FLEET, which the company launched in 2016, has already been installed in more than 800 companies, supporting fleet management and promoting safe driving for customers in a wide range of industries and business categories.
Suzuki and Smart Drive will leverage the strengths of both companies as they aim to build and spread new connected services.