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Category: Automotive

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest Auto and Car news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Isuzu To Increase Prices Of The D-Max

    Isuzu To Increase Prices Of The D-Max

    Isuzu Motors India has announced to increase the prices of its commercial pick-up range- the D-Max Regular Cab and the D-Max S-Cab. The company has decided to increase the prices by 2 per cent which will be effective from April 1. Following a series of price hike by carmakers like Mahindra, Tata Motors, Renault and Nissan, even Isuzu has made the price hike announcement citing similar reasons. The company has cited rising input costs and distribution costs as the reason for the increase in prices.

    It has become a common practice for automakers to adjust prices of select models at the beginning of a financial year in a bid to sustain their margin. Isuzu has increased the prices of its commercial range which means only the D-Max pick-up trucks will get more expensive. The Isuzu D-Max V-Cross which is more of a lifestyle vehicle will see no change in the prices.

    The D-Max Regular Cab and the S-Cab are priced at ₹ 7.40 lakh and ₹ 8.89 Lakh, respectively (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi). Both the pick-up trucks are powered by a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine which churns out 78 bhp and 176 Nm of peak torque and is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox as standard.

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  • Honda Motorcycle And Scooter India Inaugurates Its 1,000th Dealership

    Honda Motorcycle And Scooter India Inaugurates Its 1,000th Dealership

    Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India recently inaugurated its 1,000th dealership in India at Zirakpur in Punjab. The 1,000th Honda Exclusive Authorised Dealer is a 4S facility. With an aggressive expansion plan, Honda has added 3,300 touch-points in the last five years across the country. At present, HMSI has a total of 6,000 touch-points in India, one of the highest for a two-wheeler manufacturer. Recently, Honda also achieved another milestone, with customers in north India crossing the 60 lakh sales mark in the company’s 18th year of operations. The 60,00,000 sales milestone has been driven by demand for Honda two-wheelers in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and in Delhi and Chandigarh. For Honda, the first 10 lakh customers were added in the initial 9 years (from 2001 to 2010), but the next 50 lakh Honda customers took the same duration (2010-2019). The most recent 10 lakh Honda customers were added in a little over a year.

    Minoru Kato – President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “I am delighted to be present here on milestone 1000th Honda dealer inauguration. Honda also fulfilled its commitment of providing 6000 network touchpoints to our valuable customers by the end of current financial year. This landmark achievement brings Honda closer to the hearts of its customers, who have reposed their trust in the brand.”

    Honda’s increasing customer base in India is attributed to the growing acceptance of scooters in the region. And the growing sale of scooters in the past decade has also led to a huge spurt in automatic scooters contribution to overall two-wheeler sales. In the last 10 years, automatic scooter sales have nearly doubled from 10 per cent to 19 per cent. This trend is attributed to more women joining the workforce, faster expanding road network in rural areas, and increasing demand for unisex two-wheelers which fulfil the needs of every family member. HMSI currently is the largest seller of scooters in India, and the Honda Activa is one of the highest selling two-wheelers in India.

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  • Renault Samsung XM3 Unveiled At The Seoul Motor Show

    Renault Samsung XM3 Unveiled At The Seoul Motor Show

    Renault and Samsung who operate in a joint venture in the South Korean market have unveiled a new C-segment coupe SUV at the 2019 Seoul Motor Show. The Renault Samsung XM3 Inspire concept was first showcased at the Arkana concept last year at the Moscow Auto Show and has been rebadged for the South Korean market. To be specific, the second party in the JV- Samsung Motor is different from Samsung electronics which manufacture electronic goods and smartphones. The company was commissioned in 1994 and started market operations in 1998.

    The key difference between both the show cars is limited to the grille which has been tweaked and sports the Renault-Samsung logo instead of Renault’s diamond logo and is finished in white paint shade. The Renault Samsung XM3 Inspire being a coupe concept sits high up the ground wearing the top hat of a sedan. It gets a tapering roofline and a panoramic glass roof along with massive wheel arches that cover the 19-inch alloy wheels. It is also equipped with LED headlights with C-Shaped daytime running lights.

    The XM3 Inspire concept is a part of Renault Samsung Motor’s future product line up. The production model of the Renault Samsung XM3 Inspire will be launched in the South Korean Market in 2020.

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  • Tesla Supplier Agrees To Buy GM’s South Korean Plant

    Tesla Supplier Agrees To Buy GM’s South Korean Plant

    A South Korean supplier of Tesla Inc said on Friday it had agreed to buy a shuttered auto factory from General Motors’ local unit to start contract manufacturing of electric vehicles. The deal comes after GM closed one of its four South Korean plants in late May and let go thousands of workers, as part of a global restructuring drive which culminated in a major financial support package from the South Korean government. GM did not disclose the sales price of the Gunsan factory, but auto parts maker Myongshin said it would buy the land and buildings of the GM facility for 113 billion won ($99.5 million)on June 28.

    Myongshin, also a Hyundai Motor supplier, is part of a consortium which would initially spend a total of 200 billion won on the factory to produce 50,000 EVs starting 2021 and 150,000 EVs in 2025, according to a statement by a provincial government.

    “We aim to close this deal as soon as possible to ensure that there will be ongoing economic activity,” GM Korea said in a statement.

    The consortium was in talks with an unidentified global automaker to manufacture electric vehicles at the facility, a source with direct knowledge of the matter earlier told Reuters, adding that it was not Tesla.The plant could take advantage of South Korea’s free trade deal with the United States and Europe, as well as the country’s electric car supply chain, he said.

    The electric car factory would create 900 jobs and another 2,000 at suppliers and other firms, the North Jeolla Province government said.

    GM’s loss-making South Korean operation used to be a key manufacturing base for the company in Asia but it has been hit hard by the U.S. automaker’s exit from Europe, a major export market. GM executives have also complained about labor costs and disputes.

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  • BMW X5 Launch Details Revealed

    BMW X5 Launch Details Revealed

    We had exclusively reported that BMW will be launching 12 new models in India this financial year. The Bavarian carmaker will be beginning with the launch of the 2019 BMW X5 and will be launching the all-new SUV in Indian on May 16. The new-generation BMW X5 is spawned by the same CLAR platform which also underpins several other BMW models like the 5 Series, 7 Series and the X3. Upfront, the new BMW X5 gets a wide BMW kidney grille with single-piece surround. The new model is also equipped with BMW’s latest LED headlights which have new blue X-shaped beam what split the light inside the headlights. At the side, there is not much change in the design to point out, however, the new X5 has grown in dimensions which is quite apparent when you look at it from this angle. It also gets the new LED tail lamps which have a three-dimensional layout and is sharply sculpted at the edges.

    The cabin of the new BMW X5 is equipped with a 12.3-inch all-new digital instrument cluster with a control display. The layout of the cabin is also in-line with other new BMW models with a revamped central console which integrates the controller and the new gear knob along with the new driving mode selector. The design of the air-con vents too has been tweaked. Moreover, it gets the four-zone climate control system and the panoramic glass roof which is 30 per cent larger than the outgoing model.

    The current BMW X5 is sold in India only in the 30d iteration, however, the new model is also likely to be offered with petrol variants. The diesel will be the same 3.0-litre, turbocharged, six-cylinder unit which develops 335 bhp and 450 Nm of peak torque. The petrol in the 540i variant is also likely to be the 3.0-litre, turbocharged, six-cylinder unit. Both the engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox and also get the xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system as standard. The BMW X5 range in some of the global markets also gets a 4.4-litre V8 engine which makes a whopping 456 bhp and a heavy peak torque of 650 Nm. However, we are not sure if BMW will consider it for our market. BMW engineers have also shared that the new X5 also has better off-road abilities than before while keeping its handling prowess intact. In terms of safety features, the BMW X5 gets the collision warning and pedestrian warning system. It is also offered with an Active Cruise Control system as an optional feature.

  • New Honda Accord For ASEAN Markets Revealed

    New Honda Accord For ASEAN Markets Revealed

    The tenth generation Honda Accord has been revealed for the ASEAN markets and the all-new sedan is more compact than its predecessor while offering more generous cabin space. Interestingly, the new generation ASEAN-spec Accord is similar to the North American version in design that has been on sale since 2017. The latter model has usually been bolder and sportier in terms of appearance, and it’s nice to see the ASEAN model borrowing those traits. This is also the version of the new Honda Accord that India will get, possibly by next year.

    With respect to dimensions, the 2019 Honda Accord is shorter in length, while the wheelbase has gone up over the ninth generation version. The new Accord is 13 mm shorter at 4920 mm, while the wheelbase stands at 2830 mm, up by 54 mm. The new version is also 10 mm wider than the previous gen Accord while the roofline has been lowered by 15 mm that lends a coupe-like appearance.

    The tenth generation Honda Accord gets an imposing design language with the thick chrome bar on the grille with the giant ‘H’ in the centre. The car gets full-LED headlamps with daytime running lights and the fog lamps too are LED equipped. The coupe roofline takes prominence at the sides with a chrome lining running through, and also gets the diamond cut alloy wheels. The rear sports the new C-shaped LED taillights that we first saw on the new generation Civic globally and the boot comes with an integrated spoiler for the sporty appearance.

    Inside, the ASEAN-spec 2019 Honda Accord gets a familiar treatment with the flat-bottom, multi-function steering wheel, floating infotainment system and a semi-digital instrument console. The seats are upholstered in leather and are finished in brown, creating a nice contrast over the black dashboard. The leather upholstery also extends to the door panels and centre console in the car. Like the current version, the new Accord is loaded on tech and comes with climate control, electric sunroof, heads-up display, front and rear parking sensors, 360-degree camera, cross traffic monitoring, wireless smartphone charging, Honda Smart Parking Assist System with auto parallel and perpendicular parking. The car also gets the Honda Sensing Suite that adds a bunch of safety aids to the sedan.

    The all-new Honda Accord will be offered with two engine options including the 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that churns out 188 bhp and 243 Nm of the peak torque, while there is also the 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol motor that is paired with electric motors on the hybrid version. The combined output on the new Accord Hybrid is rated at 213 bhp. It is the hybrid version that India is likely to get and will replace the current Accord Hybrid already on sale here.

  • Volkswagen To Improve Production With Amazon Cloud

    Volkswagen To Improve Production With Amazon Cloud

    Volkswagen on Wednesday said it has teamed up with Amazon Web Services to link up and integrate the data from 122 VW Group plants, machines and systems, as a way to improve its production systems and processes. Amazon will help Volkswagen join up its plants and supply chain with over 30,000 locations and 1,500 suppliers using a data platform known as the “Volkswagen Industrial Cloud”, the company said in a joint press release with Amazon.

    The cloud platform could be made available to other car manufacturers and specific negotiations with major industrial companies interested in migrating to the Volkswagen Industrial Cloud are already underway, VW and Amazon said.

    The cloud helps VW to detect supply bottlenecks and process disruptions early as well as to optimize the operation of machinery and equipment.

    Amazon’s machine learning analytics and production know-how will be extended to the requirements of the auto industry, VW and Amazon Web services said.

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  • 2020 Mercedes-AMG A35 Sedan Breaks Cover

    2020 Mercedes-AMG A35 Sedan Breaks Cover

    Mercedes-Benz dropped the curtains on the Mercedes-AMG A35 performance sedan ahead of its public debut at the Paris Motor Show in October this year. The sprightly luxury compact sedan gets the Affalterbach treatment sharing its underpinnings and powertrain with the A35 AMG hatchback, albeit now gets that small boot, making it slightly more practical. The good bit is that the A35 AMG sedan retains the performance of the hatchback churning out an identical 301 bhp from the same motor.

    Visually, the Mercedes-AMG A35 sedan looks similar to the hatch, complete with the bold grille with the massive logo up front, and the sweptback LED headlamps. The wheelbase too remains the same at 2727 mm, while the extended boot is met with a coupe-like roofline that adds to the striking appeal of the model. The rear sports twin exhaust and a lip spoiler integrated into the boot, while the wraparound LED taillights are distinctive and light up the boot’s appearance, quite literally.

    The cabin too is a direct lift from the A35 AMG hatchback. The sedan comes with the AMG flat-bottom, multi-function steering wheel and the extended digital cockpit with the split screen setup for the infotainment system that also uses the MBUX system. The A35 AMG comes with five driving modes, which changes the colour scheme inside the cabin according to the mode you select.

    With respect to performance, the Mercedes-AMG A35 uses 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine that churns out 301 bhp on offer. The motor is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, while there are wheel-mounted paddle shifters for manual shifts. The A35 also comes with 4MATIC All-Wheel Drive system that sends power to the front wheels but can distribute power to the back as well for a 50:50 split. Furthermore, the A35 comes with individual braking for each wheel, while the suspension is adjustable and can be tuned for comfort on the streets or for attacking corners on a race track.  The performance sedan can do the 0-100 kmph sprint in 4.7 seconds, which is the same as the hatchback.

    The Mercedes-AMG A35 is slated to hit a number of markets by the end of this year including the US. However, it’s not clear if Mercedes-Benz will be bringing the performance sedan to India.

  • 2020 BMW 1 Series Details Revealed

    2020 BMW 1 Series Details Revealed

    The 2020 BMW 1 Series is all set to be revealed but before it does, the company  is still testing the car at the BMW proving ground in Miramas, Southern France. Of course, it’s taken 5 years of development before this to change to the modern BMW front-wheel drive architecture.  The company says that the front wheel drive layout will improve the driving dynamics of the cars and it will be agile too. A crucial element for the car’s agility is ARB technology (actuator contiguous wheel slip limitation) known from the BMW i3s, which we’ll get to see for the first time in a car with a combustion engine.

    The ARB technology will be standard on the 2020 BMW 1 Series and will feature a slip control system positioned directly in the engine control unit instead of in the control unit for the DSC function (Dynamic Stability Control). BMW Performance Control will also be part of standard equipment on the 2020 BMW 1 series. This will help enhance the torsional stiffness of the body structure by the targeted use of additional struts such as a standard rear-end boomerang strut.

    Under the hood of the 2020 BMW 1 series will be a powerful 4-cylinder motor for the top of the line model. The BMW M135i xDrive will feature the most powerful  2-litre 4-cylinder engine from the BMW Group BMW TwinPower Turbo technology. This engine churns out 302 bhp and it gets a reinforced crank drive, new pistons and cod rods, a larger exhaust turbocharger as well as optimised fuel injection valves.

    Inside, BMW says that the 1 Series has more to offer thanks to the new front-wheel drive architecture with transverse engines and a low centre tunnel. Legroom for rear-seat passengers has increased by 33 mm and headroom at the back by 19 mm. Access to the rear compartment is now easier and luggage compartment capacity has increased by 20 litres to 380 litres. The company will reveal more details closer to the reveal of the car

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  • Ford To Exit Russian Passenger Car Market

    Ford To Exit Russian Passenger Car Market

    Ford Motor Co’s Russian joint venture Ford Sollers will close two assembly plants and an engine factory in Russia, exiting the country’s passenger vehicle market. The move is part of a restructuring that will see Russia’s Sollers assume control of the venture, which is currently led by the U.S. automaker, the companies said in a statement on Wednesday. Industry sources told Reuters this month that Ford was considering closing Russian plants as it was reviewing operations in unprofitable regions.

    The U.S. carmaker said the closures would lead to “significant” job losses, without giving details. A restructured Ford Sollers will focus on commercial vehicles, while passenger vehicle production will cease by the end of June, the companies said.

    “The new Ford Sollers structure supports Ford’s global redesign strategy to expand our leadership in commercial vehicles and to grow the business in Europe in those market segments that offer better returns on invested capital,” Steven Armstrong, president, Ford of Europe, said in the statement.

    Ford was the first international carmaker to launch vehicle assembly in Russia, opening a plant in St Petersburg in 2002. In 2011, it set up a joint venture with Sollers in which Ford and Sollers each hold a 50 percent stake, but Ford has controlled the business since buying up preferred shares.

    Sales of new cars in Russia are expected to rise 3.6 percent this year, marking a slowdown from last year, according to an estimate from the Association of European Businesses lobby group.

    “The Russian passenger vehicle market has been under significant pressure in recent years, with recovery slower than expected and a shift to lower-priced passenger vehicle segments,” Ford said.

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  • Bentley Continental GT To Summit Pikes Peak

    Bentley Continental GT To Summit Pikes Peak

    Bentley Motors is all set to return to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with the Continental GT. Well, of course, it’s going there with a purpose, as the company aims to capture the production car record with the car. Joining forces with Bentley is former ‘King of the Mountain’ Rhys Millen who has already helped Bentley set the record for the fastest SUV up the hill by driving the Bentayga up the 19.99 km course in just 10:49.9s – nearly 2 minutes faster than the previous record averaging 107 kmph and climbing almost 5,000 ft through 156 corners.

    The expectations with him behind the wheel of the Continental GT are no different. Powered by the world’s most advanced 12-cylinder engine, the car develops 626 bhp and 900 Nm of torque. 0-100 kmph is done in just 3.7 seconds and it’s complimented by an advanced 48-volt roll control system for extraordinary dynamic ability. Twin-scroll turbochargers minimising turbo response time coupled with high and low pressure direct fuel injection optimise power and torque delivery. The Bentley Motorsport team – based at the company’s headquarters in Crewe, England – will prepare the car over the coming months.

    Bentley’s Director of Motorsport, Brian Gush, said, “Bentley’s success last year along with the experience we gained will prove to be instrumental in preparing for our return to the mountain. The challenge to set the outright record for production cars is not one we underestimate, but we are confident in the combination of our W12 engine, the dynamic ability of the new Continental GT and the outstanding skill of Rhys Millen.”

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  • Tesla Model 3 Outsells C-Class and 3 Series In Europe

    Tesla Model 3 Outsells C-Class and 3 Series In Europe

    February has not been a great month for carmakers in Europe as the market registered its sixth consecutive month of decline as 1.14 million vehicles were registered. This was largely because February marked a month of uncertainty for many of the bigger European markets, such as Spain and the Netherlands. However, according to a report by Jato, pure electric vehicles or BEVs showed a big growth in sales. Although their market share remained marginal at 1.9 per cent, their volume increased by a huge 92 per cent to 20,000 registrations.

    BEVs continued to gain traction in markets like Norway, where they counted for 40 per cent of overall registrations, and the Netherlands, where they counted for 7 per cent. Demand also increased by 81 per cent in Germany, which was the largest market for BEVs in February. This increase can be explained by the introduction of new models – most notably the Tesla Model 3. The hotly anticipated car excelled during its first full month on the European market and became the best-selling BEV. The Model 3 quickly outsold other big players like the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe, despite being more expensive and only available for a short amount of time.

    In fact it also was the top-selling premium midsize sedan in Europe – outperforming the popular Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4 and BMW 3-Series which speaks volumes about the success of the car. It’s also notable that most of the Model 3’s volume in February came from private registrations, which breaks the usual trend of a new vehicle’s volume being made up of business/fleet registrations.

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  • BMW Previews iX3, i4 and iNext EVs

    BMW Previews iX3, i4 and iNext EVs

    BMW i is preparing to launch the next generation of pure electric models and three of its cars are currently going through a key phase of their series development process at the BMW Group’s winter test centre in Arjeplog, Sweden. In fact the company is so kicked about this, that they couldn’t help but share a teaser of the cars undergoing some winter testing at the edge of the Arctic Circle. Seen here in the picture are the BMW iX3, i4 and the iNext  all-electric vehicles.

    Together with the BMW iX3 already due to go on sale next year, the BMW i4 and the BMW iNEXT, will be brought to market in 2021. These are currently completing an intensive test programme. The drive and suspension components of these electric cars are being put to the test under extreme weather and road conditions. On the icy surfaces of frozen lakes, on snow and in the bitter cold, the electric motors, the high-voltage batteries and the power electronics of BMW eDrive technology as well as the suspension control systems will be put to the test in terms of durability and reliability.

    The BMW iX3 will already feature the fifth generation of BMW eDrive technology for the first time. It’s a powerful electric motor and a high-voltage storage unit featuring state-of-the-art battery cell technology facilitate purely electric driving pleasure in a new dimension. With a range of over 400 kilometres and the possibility to use DC charging stations with a capacity of 150 kW to charge its battery, the first all-electric SAV is ideally suitable for day-to-day use and long-distance travel. The BMW iX3 will be the first model produced for the entire global market by the BMW Brilliance Automotive Joint Venture at the Chinese production location in Shenyang.

    The BMW i4 is a four-door coupe positioned in the premium midrange segment  and will use the fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology. This will give the car an all electric range of over 600 kilometres. The BMW i4 sprints from a standstill to 100 km/h in a mere 4 seconds and reaches a top speed of over 200 km/h. The BMW i4 will be produced at the BMW Munich plant starting 2021.

    The BMW iNEXT is based on the Group’s future modular construction system, it combines the latest innovations in the areas of design, automated driving, connectivity, electrification among others. The BMW eDrive ensures a range exceeding 600 kilometres and the car is equipped with the latest connectivity features and designed for Level 3 automated driving. The BMW Group’s new technology flagship will be produced at the BMW Dingolfing plant as from 2021.
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  • Hyundai Venue Subcompact SUV India Debut

    Hyundai Venue Subcompact SUV India Debut

    Hyundai India will be entering the subcompact SUV segment later this year with an all-new offering. The company recently confirmed that the new model will be called the Hyundai Venue upon launch, carandbike can now confirm that the new SUV will be unveiled on April 17, 2019. The Venue is a Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Ford EcoSport and the Mahindra XUV300 rival, and will be positioned below the Hyundai Creta in the automaker’s line-up. Interestingly, the India unveil coincides with the world debut that is slated to take place at the New York Auto Show. The Venue nameplate is also what the subcompact SUV will be called globally, and not Styx as it was previously perceived.

    Hyundai says the Venue subcompact SUV will come loaded with features because the big USP of this car to stay connected with the rest of the world. The Korean giant is generous with its vehicles on the feature front and we do expect to see some segment first tech including wireless charging and possibly ventilated seats too. The car was also spotted on a number of occasions recently, revealing what to expect on the design front.

    The boxy proportions of the test mule promise a small yet imposing design on the Hyundai Venue, and will come with an upright cascading grille, along with led daytime running lights that are positioned above the headlamp assembly. The fog lamp housing is rectangular and the car gets dual-tone alloy wheels that lend a nice stance.

    Expect to see wide wheel arches, lower body cladding and large glasshouse area, with the latter bringing more light into the cabin. Under the hood, the Hyundai Venue is expected to be offered with 1.2-litre and a 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines. Transmission options will include a manual, while an automatic is also likely.

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  • Mercedes-Benz Is Evaluating Electric Vehicles In India

    Mercedes-Benz Is Evaluating Electric Vehicles In India

    The FAME 2 scheme has brought cheers to the automakers in India. The Union Cabinet on February 28 allocated ₹ 10,000 crore to speed-up the development of the EV infrastructure in the country a major chunk of which will be channelised to set up fast-charging stations on a large scale. Many carmakers had already announced launching or at least evaluating the viability of electric vehicles in India beforehand. For instance, Audi has already decided to launch the e-Tron in our market and Porsche will be bringing the Taycan. While Mercedes-Benz was uncertain of EVs prospects in our country, FAME 2 has come as a silver lining for the company.

    The German carmaker is finally doing a feasibility study for the EQ range in India and is looking at it as a potential product in the future. “We do the feasibility studies because we have to think of the future. The feasibility study is done for our entire portfolio. And the same happens now for the battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, we look into which models could be appealing to the customers, we look into where we think is the momentum developing and based on that we also start assessing our options. So it’s not that we wait and see, we look into the options by evaluating and that’s happening right now,” Martin Schwenk, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India told carandbike.

    Schwenk agrees that the FAME 2 scheme is a step taken in the right direction but Mercedes cannot completely rely on the infrastructure and be late to the party. “Looking into the infrastructure, we cannot fully wait for the infrastructure because if we do that, it will take quite some time,” Schwenk said. That said, the newly appointed India head also feels that the FAME 2 scheme completely misses out on the plug-in hybrid models which have immense market potential given the fact that it brings the best of both the powertrains. “Electric infrastructure has sometime in India to develop which leads me to the question that should it be electric or plug-in? I would say that the plug-in has some opportunities here because you can do your daily commute basically by charging the car at home and then if you want to go on longer drives, you’re not limited by any infrastructure,” Schwenk added.

    Mercedes-Benz has also been working extensively on plug-in hybrids as the company finds electrified models more flexible to own and run. The German carmaker has already expanded the electric range in its hybrid models to up to 70 km and is intending to take it over 100 km which should be sufficient for intra-city commutes. It doesn’t mean that the company has diverted its focus from electric vehicles and will have 10 electric models in its portfolio by 2022 including an electric iteration of the recently launched V-Class MPV.