SUVs and EVs to hog the limelight at Auto Expo'23

After a hiatus of three years, the 16th edition of the Auto Expo is all set to kick off on 13th January at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida.  The first post-Covid auto expo will see the participation of 70 exhibitors, including 45 vehicle manufacturers from different segments.

Like the 2020 Auto Expo, this edition will see the participation of mass market Original Equipment Makers (OEMs) such as Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai Motor, Kia, MG Motor, etc., which have decided to participate and showcase their product capabilities.

As many as 30 electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers spanning two-, three- and four-wheeler segments will showcase their product portfolios at the event. There will be serious focus on Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) too.

As per TechSci Research, there will be 14 SUV unveils or rollouts at the expo, of which 9 will be petrol-powered and six will be EVs.

While no participants were willing to share the model names, there is some buzz about models such as the Maruti Suzuki Jimny, Hyundai Casper and Ioniq 5 & 6, EV variants of Tata Motors’ Altroz and Punch, MG Air EV (5-door version), etc.

Passenger vehicle market leader Maruti Suzuki has revealed that it will launch two SUVs for the Indian market at the expo. It will also unveil a concept e-SUV as part of a range of 16 vehicles it will display at the motor show.

A senior official of the company, who requested anonymity, confirmed that the Jimny will be one of the SUVs unveiled at the expo. Positioned as a lifestyle SUV, it is estimated to be priced somewhat above Rs 10 lakh, and will be taking on the Mahindra Thar (currently available in a 3-door version) and Force Gurkha. It is also speculated that Maruti Suzuki is planning to unveil an SUV based on the Baleno platform (Maruti YTB), though there is no official confirmation on that.

"Auto Expo ’23 is yet another opportunity for us to showcase our commitment towards the future of mobility through our range of sustainable and technology driven products," said Hisashi Takeuchi, MD and CEO, Maruti Suzuki, in an official statement.

Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) is also preparing a wide range of new cars and SUVs for the Indian market. While there is a  lot of buzz on the new Hyundai Verna, Ioniq 5 and 6 EVs, Kona and Creta facelifts, all eyes are on the Casper micro-SUV that will be taking on the Tata Punch. The product is being globally unveiled and was supposed to be rolled out in India.

In response to queries sent by Moneycontrol, the HMIL spokesperson stated: “Hyundai Motor remains steadfast in its commitment towards the Indian market. We hope to redefine segments and continue challenging the status quo year-on-year.”

Tata Motors is expected to unveil electric variants of the Altroz and Punch, Harrier and Safari facelifts, and the Avinya and Curvv concepts, at the expo. It has revealed plans for hydrogen-powered passenger vehicles on its social media platform.

The tight-lipped Tata Motors spokesperson said, “We confirm our participation in Expo. Apart from that we will not be able to confirm any speculation.”

While there is a lot of buzz about Kia rolling out facelifted versions of the Seltos and Sonet SUVs, the company spokesperson refused to share any details. A company official, on condition of anonymity, said that no new models would be unveiled or launched.

SAIC-owned MG Motor India will be unveiling its Air EV at the expo. This is in addition to showcasing the Marvel R e-SUV and the MG4 EV at the event.

The MG Motor spokesperson said: “We will be displaying various cars. The model line-up to be showcased is still under discussion.”

Without sharing product details, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) said that it is all set to showcase its  'advanced technology' and product line-up based on the theme of ‘The thrill and joy of moving together.’ The company said that its display area would be divided into three zones —the technology zone, the emotional zone, and the environment zone — representing the overall theme.

Atul Sood, AVP, Sales and Strategic Marketing, TKM, said, “At Toyota, we are working towards bringing models which are environment friendly and based on customer feedback.”

New entrants 

While the upcoming Auto Expo may see record exits by top brands, there are many new entrants this time around too.

For instance, BYD is participating for the first time and will be showcasing its already-launched Atto3 and EV6 models.

Sanjay Gopalakrishnan, SVP, BYD India, said, “Auto Expo is an ideal platform not just for showcasing our product lines, but also to demonstrate our EV technologies to prospective customers.”

Toyota’s luxury car arm Lexus is also participating for the first time at the expo,  and has so far only confirmed that it will be unveiling the  new Lexus RX.

“The expo offers us an opportunity to connect with auto aficionados and have a dialogue, which is not possible otherwise with such a wide-ranging audience. We will be displaying a host of concept vehicles and some new models that will be launched towards the later part of the year,” said Naveen Soni, President, Lexus India.

Small players upping the ante

If there are big players at the exhibition, there are also emerging ones looking to make their presence felt.

Omega Seiki Mobility (OSM) has said that it will be showcasing its new electric passenger three-wheeler, the M1KA 1.0.

“We will be introducing an exciting range of green vehicles in diverse segments.  We will be launching one of the world’s best powertrains in terms of efficiency and  technology, and the latest in battery technology,” said Uday Narang,  Chairman, OSM.

Greaves Electric Mobility, the EV arm of Greaves Cotton, has said that it would be introducing five new products across electric two- and three-wheelers at the upcoming show.