• The iconic Suzuki Jimny may never become an EV.
• Electrifying the small SUV would “ruin” it, the carmaker’s boss has said.

Suzuki’s It hasn’t sold a new car in the United States since 2012, but it’s still alive and running in other parts of the world. However, the venerable Jimny, arguably the Japanese automaker’s most recognizable model, isn’t the shining star it once was.

In Europe, Suzuki has been forced to sell its subcompact off-roader as a commercial vehicle only in a two-seat configuration, limiting its already shrinking market. As fun and interesting as the Jimny is (and it excels in both categories), it’s a slow, boxy off-roader sitting on an old-school ladder-frame chassis and using solid axles front and rear. It doesn’t help that it’s powered by a relatively asthmatic 1.5-litre petrol engine.

I think the Samurai’s successor, the Jimny, is an excellent candidate for electrification. A cheap, small and fun off-roader could be a great alternative to convertible side-by-sides or UTVs, but Suzuki boss Toshihiro Suzuki begs to differ. Speaking during the new launch eVitaraAs the automaker’s first EV, the automaker’s chief executive suggested that a battery-powered Jimny is out of the question.

“If you talk about the Jimny EV, I think it would ruin the best part of the Jimny,” Suzuki said. Car. “I think Jimny’s main strength is the right weight.” He added that the company plans to continue offering the Jimny to “professionals” (i.e. commercial customers) and that using e-fuel or biofuel will ensure the off-roader remains on sale for longer.

Let’s solve this weight problem. The latest-generation gas-powered Jimny tips the scales at an impressively low 2,414 pounds for the two-door version and 2,612 pounds for the four-door version. (Yes, there’s a four-door, too.) The new eVitara, a unibody crossover by comparison, starts at 3,752 lbs and goes up to 4,186 lbs for the standard-range two-wheel-drive trim. long-range, all-wheel drive version.

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That’s a big difference, but an all-electric Jimny could get by with a smaller battery. eVitara can be purchased with a 49 or 61 kilowatt-hour battery, but let’s not forget that there is also an entry-level model. Nissan Leaf It comes with a 40 kWh pack, so why shouldn’t the Jimny go the same route? Obviously, range will take a hit, but there are plenty of people commuting around the 249-mile Leaf base. Add some Jimny fun to the mix and a potentially winning formula emerges.

The gas-powered Jimny isn’t a highway cruiser anyway, with a rather bumpy ride and noisy interior. Making it electric would make it better, but what do you think?