Skoda looking at EV localisation in India
Skoda Auto India plans to launch its first electric SUV, the Enyaq iV, within the next two years. Following the pilot phase, the company will assess the possibility of localising the global EV model in India.
By Reetika Bhatt
Skoda intends to enter India's EV market with the new Enyaq iV. The SUV is expected to be introduced within the next two years.
As part of its India 2.0 strategy, Skoda Auto India has made localisation one of its primary focus areas. The brand has enjoyed tremendous success with locally manufactured vehicles, like the Skoda Kushaq and Slavia, and the company is probably going to follow the same path with EVs as well. However, the Czech automaker intends to take a slightly different course with regard to electric vehicles (EVs). Skoda will initially launch its electric vehicles as completely built units (CBUs) or import models, like most of its competitors, and will later explore local assembly in our market, after assessing the market reception.
Skoda Auto Global Chairman, Thomas Schaefer, claimed that electric mobility is the key priority for the firm internationally, and India, through its policy incentives, will also be an important market for green vehicles. By the end of the decade, the India subsidiary, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, may have approximately 30% of its domestic line-up powered by electric motors. The company intends to have a stronger presence in India by having a firmly established local manufacturing setup, even though this will still fall short of its 50 – 70% green fleet global aspirations for the same period.
The Volkswagen Group's ambitions for electric vehicles in India come at a time when brands like Mahindra & Mahindra, Hyundai, Kia, and Tata Motors are trying to dramatically expand their green initiatives and investments. While localisation is vital for significant and sustainable sales, Schaefer thinks that the government should initially decrease import duties to allow companies to test-market international products.
Meanwhile, the Skoda Enyaq iV electric SUV has already been sighted being tested in the country. The Enyaq iV, which is based on the Volkswagen Group's MEB architecture, bears many similarities with the Volkswagen ID4 and is Skoda's first dedicated electric SUV for global markets. The car under test was not camouflaged and bore the 80 insignia on the tailgate, indicating that it was the top-of-the-line variant.
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