Swaraj Baggonkar Moneycontrol News
A couple of new introductions and an unveiling summed up action in the new product launch space for motown this week. But the electric vehicle (EV) space witnessed the most excitement. A British car brand owned by a Chinese company announced their EV plans for India. Here is a complete round-up of all major news breaks in the automotive space this week.
MG Motors to drive in electric SUV in 2020 British car brand MG Motor said its second product for the Indian market will be a fully electric vehicle and will be launched commercially in the first half of 2020. The company's electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) is possibly the second of its kind after India’s second largest passenger vehicle maker Hyundai gets ready to retail the Kona electric SUV in the second half of 2019.
Market leader Maruti Suzuki will also launch its first EV in 2020. MG Motor’s first vehicle for India will rollout from its Halol plant in Gujarat in the second quarter of next year.
Mini SUVs on Isuzu radar for India Pick-up and SUV-specialist Isuzu could launch a mini sports utility vehicle in India to cash in on the undying demand for such vehicles in the country. A senior official of Isuzu Motors India, the Indian subsidiary of the Japanese company, said a smaller SUV is under development and it will take a final call on a possible launch in the Indian market.
Porsche launches Cayenne at Rs 1.19 crore German sports luxury car maker Porsche launched the latest edition of its highest selling sports utility vehicle (SUV) in the country on October 17, Cayenne, in three variants, with price tags ranging between Rs 1.19 crore and Rs 1.92 crore.
Of the three variants, Cayenne is priced at Rs 1.19 crore, while Cayenne E-hybrid will cost Rs 1.58 crore. The Cayenne Turbo carries a price tag of Rs 1.92 crore. The Cayenne accounts for almost 45 percent of Porsche's product portfolio in India
Mahindra to develop Bharat Stage-VI engine for Ford Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) will develop and supply a low-displacement petrol engine to Ford India for use in the latter's present and future vehicles, starting 2020. The companies have signed two definitive agreements on engine sharing and connected car solutions.
The agreements are a result of the strategic alliance between the two companies, first announced in September last year and followed up with five memoranda of understanding in March.
Building on their intent to co-develop a suite of connected car solutions, M&M and Ford also announced joint development of a telematics control unit. Once developed, the connected vehicle solution will be deployed across both M&M and Ford vehicles.
Nissan unveils Kicks SUV Nissan unveiled the all-new Kicks SUV in India with a commitment to commercially launch it in January. Kicks will compete against the segment best-seller Hyundai Creta, followed by Renault Captur.
Tapping into the India R&D centre, the Japanese brand has decided to make the India-specific Kicks proportionally bigger than its international counterpart. Nissan has had a forgettable past in India, with a market share of under two percent, despite being in operation for over 10 years.
e-bike volumes soar 138 percent in FY18 Thanks to the government's continuous support in the form of monetary sops and a series of new product launches, demand for battery powered two-wheelers more than doubled last year.
Sales of fully electric 2W rose to 54,800 units last year, an increase of 138 percent from 23,000 units clocked in FY17, according to data revealed by the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV).
Most manufacturers have started using lithium-ion batteries, which has increased the performance of electric 2W and helped gain consumer confidence.
However, absence of adequate finance, price gap between an electric 2W and petrol 2W, and awareness among citizens are challenges which need immediate redressal, SMEV said in a statement.
The surge in demand has come at an opportune time. Almost every 2W manufacturer is either working in-house for new product development or has invested in a start-up that in engaged in electric bikes or scooters.
Ather Energy, Tork Motorcycles, Twenty Two Motors, Emflux Motors, Ultraviolette Automotive and Ampere Vehicles are some of the start-ups where established companies such as Hero MotoCorp, Bharat Forge, TVS Motor Company and Greaves Cotton have picked up stakes.
Bajaj Auto, Honda, Yamaha, Royal Enfield, Mahindra Two Wheelers, Hero MotoCorp and TVS Motor Company are developing electric two-wheelers themselves. In addition, some international players such as those from China are also keen to enter India with electric bikes.
Though all these vehicles will have common mechanicals powering the machines underneath, they will come in different sizes and forms. For instance, Bajaj Auto is looking at a total disruption in the market with a fast and expensive e-motorcycle, while TVS is looking at a convenient-for-all e-scooter.
Unlike electric cars electric 2W are easier and faster to charge. Their maintenance is lower and performance will be nearly on par with cars in terms of top-speed and range.
Due to lack of adequate charging infrastructure electric cars saw a dip of 40 percent last year to 1,200 units as against 2,000 units sold in FY17. At present, only Tata Motors and M&M produce and retail electric cars in India.
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