Here’s a look at all the major developments in the automotive industry during the week gone by.
When the government first mooted the idea of going all-electric by 2030 in terms of mobility, there was widespread criticism and skepticism from all quarters of the automotive industry.
Manufacturers, suppliers of parts and even town planners had their doubts, since electric vehicles (EVs) have been quite slow in gaining acceptance across the world.
Domestic automotive giant Maruti Suzuki too raised concerns, stating it was important to bring down the acquisition cost of EVs to make them mass-market successes.
But six months later, the chairman of the company’s parent Suzuki is ready with a thorough plan to get electric vehicles to find more takers in India. Let us now take a look at all the major developments in the automotive industry during the week gone by.
Bajaj trumps Honda in bike sales
A stellar rise in domestic volumes helped Bajaj Auto regain the number two spot in the motorcycle segment by unseating Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India.
Bajaj Auto ended the April-June quarter with sales of 594,234 motorcycles, more than the 578,488 sold by Honda.
End of the road for Nano?
The Nano, which has long been one of Tata Motors’ most troubled projects, has begun its journey towards the sunset. With dealers refusing to stock up on it for the past several months, the company manufactured one unit of the mini car last month.
The Nano will now be built to order, which means the car will be produced only if the manufacturing facility receives a confirmed order from a buyer.
TaMo and JLR are ready to grow despite headwinds
Tata Motors and its British subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover are facing a lot of pressure, but both of them are getting future-ready, according to Tata Motors Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran.
Addressing shareholders in the company’s recently-released annual report, Chandrasekaran said the Indian automotive industry is fraught with medium-term and long-term challenges such as a shift to electric vehicles, new safety and emissions norms, and shared mobility.
BMW launches 3 series GT Sport
German luxury car maker BMW on Thursday launched its new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo Sport in India, priced at Rs 46.6 lakh (ex-showroom).
The model, which will be manufactured at the company’s Chennai facility, is powered by a two-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine and further diversifies its diesel portfolio, BMW India said in a statement.
Mercedes-Benz India gets new head
India’s largest luxury car maker, Mercedes-Benz, announced the appointment of Martin Schwenk as the new Managing Director and CEO of its India operations with effect from November 1.
Martin Schwenk is currently the Chief Financial Officer of Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service in China. He will replace Roland Folger, who will assume a new position for Mercedes-Benz’s Thailand and Vietnam markets.
Suzuki head wants to sell 1.5 million EVs a year in India by 2030
Osamu Suzuki, the 88-year-old Chairman of Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), has asked the company’s executives to target sales of 1.5 million electric cars a year in India by 2030 through its subsidiary Maruti Suzuki.
The Indian subsidiary of the Japanese car maker is yet to launch its first battery-powered car.
Sales of cars, SUVs rise 38% in June
Domestic sales of passenger vehicles (cars and SUVs) rose 37.54 percent on year to 273,759 units in June, according to data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).
Total two-wheeler sales for the month were 22 percent higher than in the corresponding month last year at 1,867,884 units. Sales of commercial vehicles jumped 42 percent to 80,624 units.
Tall task on Maruti Suzuki to sell EVs
The first fully electric car from Suzuki will hit Indian roads in about two years from now. It will be developed jointly with Toyota Motor Corporation and sold under the Maruti Suzuki brand through the latter’s network.
Suzuki expects to sell 5 million cars in India by 2030, of which about 30 percent will be battery-powered. In effect, it has just 10 years to reach its target of selling 1.5 million EVs a year in India.
Chairman Osamu Suzuki is overseeing the development and progress of this challenging venture himself.
Maruti Suzuki, which controls around half of the domestic passenger vehicle market, was among the companies that had expressed doubts over India going fully electric by 2030. The Delhi-based company had raised some valid points to back its apprehensions.
Some of these points of concern pertained to the high cost of acquisition, impractical daily running conditions, disposing methods for batteries, charging mechanism, and product development ecosystem.
Product performance was one of the key factors too. Recent reports about underperformance of electric cars run by government servants and cab aggregators supplied by Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra have raised doubts about EVs being an alternative to petrol/diesel cars in the future.
Nevertheless, Maruti Suzuki hopes that there will be support from the government and the required infrastructure for charging stations and uninterrupted power supply will ensure a smooth roll out of EVs on Indian roads.
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