Suzuki Backs Multi-Pathway Route to Carbon Neutrality, Says Only BEVs Not Practical

Suzuki Motor Corporation has reaffirmed its multi-fuel strategy for to carbon neutrality, with President Toshihiro Suzuki emphasizing that a single-minded push towards battery electric vehicles may not be practical across all markets.

“Considering the regulatory requirements and carbon neutrality goals of each country we operate in, Suzuki will bring appropriate carbon-neutral technologies,” said Toshihiro Suzuki. 

“Our philosophy is that each vehicle that Suzuki sells must contribute towards carbon neutrality goals of respective markets. Considering this, it may not be practical to have only BEVs in the entire fleet.”

Suzuki Motor is pursuing a multi-fuel strategy for decarbonization, especially in India. This approach includes vehicles powered by various fuel types — battery electric, hybrid, CNG, and flex-fuel — tailored to the specific needs of different regions.

Suzuki said that meaningful carbon reduction demands the need to address the large base of internal combustion engine vehicles that will remain on roads for years. The company is pursuing a multi-technology pathway that includes BEVs, strong hybrids, flexible-fuel vehicles, hydrogen, and biogas-based solutions to do this.

“Strong hybrids significantly help reduce carbon emissions without the need for charging infrastructure and have the potential to scale up quickly,” Suzuki added.

Localized Solutions and Indian Partnerships
Highlighting India’s central role in this transition, Suzuki said the company is building compressed biogas (CBG) plants and adapting its CNG vehicles to carbon-neutral fuels, helping advance India’s energy security and climate goals.

Suzuki Motor Corporation and India’s leading dairy cooperatives — Banas, Amul, and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) — will establish nine biogas plants in Gujarat by 2027.

“Keeping in mind the energy circumstances of each market, we are adopting a multi-pathway strategy,” Suzuki said. “This approach allows us to make real progress toward carbon neutrality while contributing to each country’s local energy ecosystem.”

The strategy underlines Suzuki’s pragmatic view that no single technology fits all — and that decarbonisation must balance affordability, scalability, and local energy realities across markets from Japan to India.

The largest contributor to Maruti Suzuki's powertrain mix by FY31 is expected to be CNG models, including compressed biogas, with a share of 35%. This reflects the robust uptake of CNG cars in the cost-conscious Indian market. Traditional internal combustion engines and hybrid vehicles are each expected to contribute 25% to the powertrain mix.