Date: 25th September 2026

Technology Strategy Briefing 2026

Strategic Direction and Multi-Pathway Approach

  • Suzuki Motor Corporation presented its Technology Strategy 2026 briefing, continuing the initiative started in 2024
  • The company maintains its multi-pathway philosophy of 'minimizing energy' while offering products tailored to unique circumstances of each region
  • Each country has different generation mix, fuel conditions, and infrastructure development states, requiring region-specific optimal power sources

Global Production and India Expansion

  • Suzuki has production bases in Japan, Hungary, and Asia (mainly India)
  • India is positioned as an important global production hub with ongoing capacity expansion
  • Following Gurgaon and Manesar Plants, the company launched Hansalpur Plant in 2017 and Kharkhoda Plant in 2025
  • Production capacity target: 4 million units per year from fiscal year 2030 onward

Biogas Business Initiative

  • Three biogas plants have started operating in the past year in cooperation with India's National Dairy Development Board and dairy cooperatives
  • CBG (Compressed Biogas) made from cow dung promotes carbon neutrality while utilizing existing CNG vehicles and infrastructure
  • In July 2026, Japan and India governments agreed to launch Japan-India CBG Initiative to introduce 1,000 biogas plants across India

Efficiency Improvement Goals

  • Target to halve new model development period
  • Improve development efficiency by 30%
  • Increase production efficiency by 50%
  • Shift from sequential to simultaneous and parallel development approach involving planning, design, production, quality, and procurement from beginning

Electrification Technology - e SKY BEV

  • BEV created by Team Suzuki with 'e SKY' branding
  • Single charging range: 310km (improved from initial 230km estimate through cross-departmental optimization)
  • Features: High-efficiency electric technology, sufficient batteries as needed, strong lightweight safe body
  • Lowest electricity consumption cost among domestic EVs
  • Light vehicle weight and short charging time
  • Represents Suzuki's 'Smaller, Fewer, Lighter, Shorter, Beauty' concept

Battery and Powertrain Strategy

  • Develop battery systems in-house including battery pack, thermal management, and charge/discharge control
  • Common battery systems across vehicles while selecting optimal battery for each region and application
  • 'Lean-battery' approach matching battery capacity to actual customer usage patterns
  • e Axle technology: 3-in-1 unit for mini BEV, evolving to 6-in-1 unit of same size for next generation mini and A-segment vehicles
  • Two specifications (large and small) covering mini vehicles to D segment
  • Working to make motors free of heavy rare earths to avoid geopolitical risk and improve recyclability

Hybrid and CNG/CBG Technology

  • New hybrid for mini vehicles reduces CO₂ by 15% versus ICE vehicle
  • Series HEV for compact cars with external charging capability creating 'REEV Light' (light range extender)
  • CNG vehicles account for about 40% of sales in India
  • CNG vehicles emit about 155 kg less CO₂ than gasoline vehicles when driving 10,000 km per year
  • Cut fuel costs by about 40% compared to gasoline
  • New Victoris model moves cylinder from cargo area to under floor, expanding cargo capacity by 100L
  • Replacing 60 kg steel cylinder with 20 kg resin cylinder, saving about 40 kg
  • Studying mono-fuel system running on CNG alone instead of bi-fuel system

Internal Combustion Engine Development

  • Targeting 50% thermal efficiency beyond current 40% range
  • Developing DITC (next-generation direct-injection turbo engine) for growth markets like India
  • Focus on reducing cooling loss, exhaust loss, mechanical loss, and pumping loss

Weight Reduction and Safety

  • Target: 100 kg weight reduction by 2030, studying up to 120 kg reduction
  • 'Controlling crash energy' approach optimizing crash stroke and deformation space
  • Using high-tensile steel sheet with strength up to 1,470 MPa versus ordinary steel at 270 MPa
  • Bolt optimization saving 1g per M8 bolt (over 2,000 bolts per car)

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)

  • India traffic accident context: 177,000 deaths in 2024, fatality rate 6x Japan
  • 'SDV Right' concept deploying 'just-right ADAS' across all vehicles including affordable price ranges
  • Autonomous emergency braking and lane departure prevention as standard features
  • Cost reduction through high-resolution cameras and AI chips, removing front radar, integrating DMS/OMS camera
  • Next-generation electronic platform consolidating functions into 'Central Zone ECU' reducing cost by 30% and weight by 15%

Circular Economy Initiatives

  • Mono-material floor mat design: 'all-polyester' replacing combined materials
  • Cuts CO₂ emissions from floor mat raw material production by about 70%
  • Reusing production offcuts as raw material, aiming for horizontal recycling of used floor mats
  • Easy-to-disassemble designs for recycling

Carbon Capture Technology

  • 'CARBON CAPTURE CARRY' mobile CO₂ capture system based on Super Carry mini truck
  • Captures about 1 kg of CO₂ from 2 kg emitted when driving 20 km per day (50% capture rate)
  • CO₂ used in agricultural greenhouses for crop growth promotion
  • Combined with carbon-neutral fuel, aims for true carbon negativity

Team Suzuki Approach

  • Cross-departmental collaboration culture pursuing overall optimization rather than partial optimization
  • CN Challenge endurance race participation with 14 members from non-racing departments through internal recruitment
  • Global Team Suzuki including sales, planning, design, production, and global partners