Suzuki Backs Hybrid and Fuel Cell Tech Over Battery EV Production

(photo credit: bangkokpost)

While global automakers rush to expand battery electric vehicle (BEV) lineups, Suzuki Motor Corporation is charting a different course. The company has reaffirmed its focus on hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles over battery EV production, betting on a broader mix of technologies to achieve sustainable mobility.

Masafumi Harano, Suzuki’s executive general manager for automobile marketing in Asia, Latin America, and Oceania, said that BEVs alone are not the answer to cutting carbon dioxide emissions from the transport sector. “Electric mobility is just one factor in reaching net-zero,” Harano explained. “We’re focusing on the development of fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and hybrid EVs (HEVs), where demand is rising. The company remains uninterested in producing BEVs.”

FCEVs generate electricity from hydrogen-powered fuel cells, while HEVs combine an internal combustion engine with a battery system to improve efficiency. According to Suzuki, these technologies offer a more practical path toward reducing emissions in regions where BEV infrastructure remains limited.

Harano also highlighted challenges in the Southeast Asian market, where sluggish growth, weak consumer spending, and stiff competition have weighed on car sales. “These factors are affecting car markets across the region, including Thailand,” he noted, urging local governments to introduce stimulus measures and financial institutions to relax auto lending criteria to support buyers.

Despite these headwinds, Suzuki remains committed to the region. The automaker launched its hybrid SUV model Fronx in Thailand yesterday, aiming for 8,000 unit sales in 2025 — a 41% jump from 5,600 units sold in 2024 — according to Wallop Treererkngam, executive vice-president of Suzuki Motor (Thailand).

Suzuki believes its diversified approach — offering hybrids and fuel-cell vehicles alongside traditional models — will help it remain competitive while advancing its environmental goals without over-relying on battery EVs.

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