EV conversion kit designed by Pune-based startup makes this Maruti car faster than Mercedes at 200kmph top speed
Maruti Suzuki vehicles are well-known for their high fuel efficiency. But what if we told you there’s a Maruti car in India that outperforms most luxury and sports cars? You wouldn’t believe us, right? Well, Pune-based Northway Motors, a leading name in EV R&D and EV conversion kits, has developed a Maruti Ignis EV capable of reaching 200 kph. A passion project that began in 2021 has resulted in Maruti’s fastest car yet.
Northway Motors, which specialises in creating custom made EV conversion kits, has decided to create a one-off EV kit for the Maruti Ignis in 2021. This conversion, based on the Ignis’ Alpha variant, is the first of its kind manual EV. A representative for Northway Motors told MotorOctane, “Our kit for the Ignis was prepared and fitted onto the Ignis back in 2021, but was just lying idle.” The Ignis was designed with a simple goal in mind: to create an extremely powerful electric vehicle.
The car was built in 2021 with only minor modifications, such as coil-over suspension and brake upgrades, and is currently idle in the workshop. Furthermore, the company used four battery packs in its design, which are housed beneath the front and rear seats. The batteries used in the project are tested and certified by AIS standards.
According to a 2021 report, the Ignis EV is equipped with a single front electric motor capable of producing 170 Nm of peak torque and a range of 240 km. However, at the beginning of 2024, the company decided to go all out and release a minor software and cooling update for the hatchback. This update enabled the company to increase the overall power output of the EV and maintain a speedometer-indicated top speed of 200 kph. While most EVs have an automatic transmission, Northway Motors has managed to keep the 5-speed manual on the Ignis EV, which provides extra torque on demand and makes the 200 kph top speed easy to achieve.
Check out the video from the conversion kit manufacturer
The EV’s lower gears are ideal for city driving and provide faster acceleration, whereas the higher gears allow the vehicle to cruise at high speeds with ease. Furthermore, the gears aid in regen braking, which, when done correctly, eliminates the need for brakes altogether.
Northway Motors does not intend to release the Ignis EV kit for sale anytime soon. For the time being, the company wishes to focus solely on its B2B business. However, in 2021, the company offered the Ignis EV kit starting at Rs 12.5 lakh for the short-range model and Rs 14.5 lakh for the long-range version. All of Northway Motors’ EV conversion kits are legal, ARAI-certified, and homologated in India.
In addition to the Ignis EV conversion, the company developed a low-power EV kit for fleet operations on a Maruti Swift Dzire and EV kits for the Tata Ace.
While EVs are still in their nascent stage, we hope that such unique EV kits help increase interest more people towards electric vehicles.
Disclaimer: This information is obtained from the YouTube Channel and Website of Northway Motors. PuneNow goes not guarantee accuracy of information or the commercial availability of such a conversion kit as mentioned in this article. Please contact the vendor for further information.