The biennial Auto Expo is a big deal for India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki, and the 2020 edition of the motor show will be no different. The carmaker will have a sizeable display set up and one of the stars of the stand will be a new electric SUV concept to be called Futuro-E.
While details on the concept are limited, we can confirm it will not be an electric version of the S-Presso – as is being widely speculated online. The concept will preview a future SUV from Maruti, though the final production version is unlikely to be an electric-only model. Displaying an electric SUV will help Maruti pitch itself as a future-ready brand, especially at a time when rivals like Tata and Mahindra are charging forward with big plans in the field of electric cars. Tata Motors will reveal the Nexon EV on December 19 while Mahindra has also got all-electric versions of the KUV100 and XUV300 in the pipeline.
In the past, Maruti has used the Auto Expo as a platform to give a glimpse into its future products. 2010’s R3 concept previewed the Ertiga, 2012’s XA Alpha took final form as the Vitara Brezza, and 2014’s Ciaz concept made way for the production-spec Ciaz. The Future S Concept from Auto Expo 2018 also hinted at Maruti’s plans for an SUV-like small car, which eventually made its recent appearance in the form of the S-Presso – the home-grown brand's rival to the Renault Kwid.
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