During the presentation of the e Vitara, the CEO of the Japanese brand made it clear that electrifying the Suzuki Jimny would be unnatural.
When announcing its strategic plan at the start of 2023, Suzuki announced that “by the financial year 2030, in Europe, no less than 5 100% electric models (would) be launched”. An image was even shared in which we discovered the silhouette of the 5 zero-emission models in question (see below). We now know one of them, it is the e Vitara presented at the beginning of November 2024. Another vehicle is making a lot of talk and generating enthusiasm, a cubic silhouette reminiscent of furiously the Jimny. Unfortunately for those who were hoping for the arrival of such a model in the more or less near future, it seems that plans have changed somewhat…
Too heavy
During the presentation of the electric Vitara which our colleagues from Autocar attended at the beginning of the week, the president of Suzuki, Toshihiro Suzuki, spoke about the fate of this vehicle. For him, total electrification of this vehicle would “spoil the best part of the Jimny”. A vehicle of this size should not be too heavy. You have to do everything to get the “right weight”.
It is true that one of the main characteristics of this model is its compactness. With 3.64 meters longthe Jimny is one of the most compact vehicles in France and Europe. And again, these 3.64 m are understood with the spare wheel. Without it, the length falls below 3.50 m. For comparison, it is less than a Kia Picanto, the Korean brand's smallest model (3.60 m). Who says great compactness says contained weightbarely above the ton despite its all-wheel drive.
The maintenance of the Jimny as a utility vehicle seems established
Conversely, Toshihiro Suzuki made it clear that it was entirely possible to keep the 4×4 in a thermal version intended for professionals as is the case today. Except that he mentions the question of biofuels to meet future standards. This would not definitively condemn the smallest 4×4 on the market, phew!
France
