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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.

  • Sony Starts Testing Vision-S Electric Car On Public Roads

    Sony Starts Testing Vision-S Electric Car On Public Roads

    It was last year at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January when Sony Corporation surprised everyone by showcasing its fully electric car – Vision-S. The Japanese technology giant revealed the electric prototype which comes packed with high-end technologies including camera sensors, entertainment systems and much more. Sony’s Vision-S Prototype reached Tokyo in July 2020 for advancing its sensing and audio technologies. Though the car is not expected to go on sale anytime soon, the company seems to have started testing the electric car on public roads in Austria.

    Built by an in-house AI and robotics team, the Japanese company claims that it has been fully road-tested. This is just to ensure that the EV and its platform Vision-S will comply with applicable safety norms and regulations. Moreover, Sony is also working Magna-Steyr to ensure that the vehicle is well-equipped to hit the road in Europe.

    Sony’s driverless prototype comes embedded with 33 sensors which can easily sense people and other vehicles both inside and outside the car to provide driving support. It takes advantage of the brand’s expertise in the field of imaging, entertainment and sensors, which could be employed in the next-generation electric vehicles. The company is already supplying these technologies to Japanese automakers, however, it now wants to develop an individual product that can be supplied as an all-purpose solution.

    Sony hasn’t shared any details about what powers the vehicle. However, it has revealed some key specifications of the car. Dimensionally, this prototype vehicle from Sony measures 4,895 mm in length, 1,900 mm in width and 1,450 mm in height. The wheelbase and ground clearance of the car stands at 3,000 mm and 120mm (up to 135 mm) respectively. The company claims that the Vision-S can sprint from 0 to 100 kmph in just 4.8 seconds before hitting the top speed of 240 kmph.

    It is also equipped with Sony’s 360 Reality Audio offering ensuring an unprecedented and immersive audio experience. The company uses object-based spatial audio technology for recreating vivid realism. Every seat comes with built-in individual speakers so that every passenger can enjoy their music their seats with a personalised sound configuration option. Additionally, there’s a panoramic screen which offers a diverse array of content that can be accessed by driver and passengers.

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  • JK Tyre Partners With Hyundai To Supply Tyres For The Creta

    JK Tyre Partners With Hyundai To Supply Tyres For The Creta

    JK Tyre India has joined hands with Hyundai Motor India to become its official tyre partner for the Creta. JK Tyre has been introducing hi-technological products that are specifically designed for Indian roads. The top-end variants of the Hyundai Creta are equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels and JK Tyre will be supplying its UX Royale 215/60 R17 radial tyre to the Korean carmaker. The tyre has been designed to suit the dynamics of the model and bring in a good balance between handling and right comfort.

    Commenting on the partnership, VK Misra, Technical Director, JK Tyre and Industries said, “We are proud to further strengthen our partnership with Hyundai India for one of India’s best-selling SUV’s Creta. Through this collaboration, we aim to provide supreme quality tyres with cutting-edge features to complement the ride quality for the customer. JK Tyre’s best-in-class technologies in radial tyres and tyre testing mechanism will ensure safety of customers driving Creta in multiple terrains. We are confident that this association will further strengthen our market presence and we look forward to a continued and reinforced partnership with Hyundai Motors.”

    Commenting on the partnership, Hyundai Motor India said, “All New Creta has been a benchmark SUV ever since it was launched in March 2020. Offering customers exceptional performance, unparalleled comfort & convenience as well as opulent aesthetics, the Creta continues to be the customers’ brand of choice. Our partnership with JK Tyre to offer the Creta with UX Royale 215/60 R17, continues to carry forward this SUV’s premium offering with superior handling & driving dynamics.”

    JK Tyre is claiming that the UX Royal 215/60 R17 tyre is the perfect fit for Hyundai Creta. With its 5-Rib asymmetric design, variable draft groove technology, stable shoulder tread blocks, waffle groove and aero wing design, it supports the dynamics of the car very aptly. JK Tyre is also the official tyre partner of Kia Motors for the Seltos.

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  • Honda Two-Wheeler India Announces Voluntary Retirement Scheme For Employees

    Honda Two-Wheeler India Announces Voluntary Retirement Scheme For Employees

    Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India has initiated a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for the company’s permanent employees. The decision comes in the middle of challenging market conditions and a downturn in the Indian economy, although the automotive industry has seen somewhat of a bounceback after the challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. The VRS will run from January 5 till January 23 this year and cover permanent employees, barring director-level officials. Permanent employees who have completed 10 years with the company as on January 31, 2021 or who are above 40 years of age can opt for the V ₹

    In a statement, HMSI said that the Indian auto industry is going through an exceptionally challenging phase from the past three years “considering the prolonged demand slowdown and overall economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

    “The VRS scheme announcement for our associates is a part of Honda’s overall production realignment strategy across all 4 factories to improve our operational efficiency with the objective of ensuring long-term business sustainability,” HMSI said in a press statement.

    “As part of this strategy, the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) option for all eligible permanent associates. It gives a new opportunity to those associates who may wish to explore new dimensions in their life and empowers them with best among the industry financial and healthcare benefits, while helping the organisation improve its overall operational efficiency,” the statement added.

    Under the VRS, Senior Managers, Vice-Presidents and permanent workmen can get a maximum amount of ₹ 72 lakh. Managers can get ₹ 67 lakh, Deputy Manager , Assistant Manager, Senior Executive, Executive and Assistant Executive. The company is also offering ₹ 5 lakh extra for the first 400 employees who opt for the scheme.

    In December 2020, HMSI reported domestic sales of 2,42,046 units, just a 5 percent increase over the same month a year ago. Exports accounted for 20,981 units, with total December 2020 sales at 2,63,027 units. The October to December 2020 quarter stood out as the first quarter of the current financial year where Honda reported positive sales.

  • Foreign automaker says it is in talks with Apple to develop self-driving car

    Foreign automaker says it is in talks with Apple to develop self-driving car

    Late last month we discussed speculation that the self-driving Apple Car would undergo production as soon as 2024. There were thoughts about whether Apple would be able to handle the onerous task of manufacturing a vehicle. Many pointed out that it is not the same thing as producing a phone. As a result, some theorized that instead of making an automobile from scratch, Apple would provide its self-driving technology to a mainstream car developer for a price, perhaps via a royalty deal.

    On Thursday, South Korea’s Hyundai Motors said that it is in talks with Apple about working together to develop a self-driving car. News of the talks electrified investors who sent Hyunda’s shares up over 20%. CNBC’s Chery Kang was told by Hyundai earlier today, “We understand that Apple is in discussion with a variety of global automakers, including Hyundai Motor. As the discussion is at its early stage, nothing has been decided.” A report from the Korea Economic Daily said that it was Apple that suggested working with Hyundai and that the latter firm was in the process of reviewing the proposed terms of a collaboration between the two companies.

    Development of the vehicle and the battery were reportedly included in the proposal. The car could be released in 2027 said CNBC’s report. Speaking of the battery, last month we pointed out that the cell rumored to be used on the vehicle is considered to be “next level” and would feature a “monocell” design. More room would be made available inside the battery for the placement of additional active materials. This would allow a car to travel longer distances between charges.

    TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the man who knows more about what Apple will do in the future than anyone outside of CEO Tim Cook, says that everyone is getting too bullish about the Apple Car. Part of the reason why Kuo made this comment is that by his reckoning, the vehicle might not be released until 2028. The project, known as Project Titan inside Apple, has supposedly passed a review inside Hyundai. An approval is still required from Hyundia chairman Chung Eui-son.

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  • US absolves Vietnamese tire exporters of dumping

    US absolves Vietnamese tire exporters of dumping

    The U.S. has made a preliminary determination that most Vietnamese tire exporters did not dump products in the U.S. and not subjected them to anti-dumping duties.

    Six producers and exporters of passenger vehicle tires from Vietnam, who account for over 95 percent of Vietnamese tire exports to the U.S., were found to not dump following an investigation by the Department of Commerce that began last June.

    But some other companies were hit with a 22.3 percent anti-dumping duty, with the Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam saying it was because they did not fully cooperate with U.S. authorities.

    The U.S. has imposed duties of 13.25-98.44 percent on South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. A final determination will be issued on May 14.

    The U.S. imported nearly $4 billion worth of tires from the four in 2019, with Vietnam accounting for $469.64 million.

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  • Tesla Shares Set To Start 2021 At Record High

    Tesla Shares Set To Start 2021 At Record High

    Tesla Inc shares were set to open at a record high on Monday after the electric-car maker reported better-than-expected vehicle deliveries in 2020, extending a meteoric rally that has seen the stock surge more than 700%.

    It delivered 499,550 vehicles last year, above Wall Street estimates of 481,261 vehicles, according to Refinitiv data, but 450 units short of Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk’s target.

    “We are raising our forecasts to reflect higher 4Q deliveries and reports of strong demand for the Model Y in China, which is also suggestive of higher future deliveries,” J.P. Morgan analysts said in a client note.

    Tesla has reported profit in five straight quarters, defying last year’s auto industry trends of slumping sales, quarterly losses and global supply chain disruptions.

    Shares of the company, which joined the benchmark S&P 500 index in December, were up 3% in premarket trading.

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  • Polestar 2 To Get Pixel LED Headlights

    Polestar 2 To Get Pixel LED Headlights

    Polestar 2 is already gunning to be a big player in the EV scene, come this winter solstice, the company revealed insights into the advanced lighting technology it’s using in the headlamps and the tail lights of the electric car.

    Reportedly, the Polestar 2 is fitted with Pixel LED headlights as a standard in the launch edition. These feature active high beam technology which allows drivers to leave their lights on high beam, to move forward in complete visibility, without blinding oncoming drivers or having to switch between modes.

    Each lamp on front of the compact EV has 84 individual LED pixels forming a matrix – within these clusters each LED is controlled individually both while driving and when the car is unlocked. This enables Polestar 2 drivers to leave the car on high beam while maneuvering in the dark to automatically shade when a car approaches without affecting the sight of other drivers.

    Per Polestar, this active high beam technology can accommodate up to five oncoming vehicles, working fully automatically. The front fog lights are also getting a twist – the LEDs in these lamps automatically activate at low speeds and light up on turning of the steering to further enhance visibility on curves and zig-zag stretches.

    At the rear, the Polestar 2 has an exciting lighting strip running across the trunk. The full-width wrap-around light bar comprises 288 LEDs featuring adaptive lighting – in the day the LEDs shine bright for optimal visibility and automatically dim by the night to prevent drivers in the tail from being dazzled.

    Interestingly, this Pixel LED tech is available in all markets where legislation allows – this excludes the States where regulations don’t permit such fancy lighting in cars. Polestar promises to push out the feature as an over-the-air (OTA) update, when and if the regulations change in the US and other markets where Polestar 2’s extravagant lighting show is not permitted currently.

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  • Henrik Fisker Drops Hint On Next EV From The Automaker

    Henrik Fisker Drops Hint On Next EV From The Automaker

    Famous car designer and the Chairman and CEO of Fisker Inc., Henrik Fisker, recently confirmed that its next product could be a lifestyle EV truck. He is known for some of the iconic cars such as BMW Z8, Aston Martin DB9, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, and Fisker Karma. Fisker confirmed this development through his official LinkedIn profile, teasing the rear quarter shot of the EV truck, which seems to be aggressively designed. The EV maker aims to create the lightest and most efficient pickup truck in the world. However, the image is just a teaser, but the final product will be way more radical.

    Last month, the designer took to Twitter confirming that he has started designing his new vehicle, which will be radical. The company will also be launching its first all-electric luxury SUV globally next year.

    In a LinkedIn post, Fisker said, “Ok, yes, next vehicle might be a lifestyle pick up truck! But not just any truck! We want to create the lightest, most efficient EV pick up in the world! Making it, the most sustainable! image is just a teaser! Not the final: final will be way more radical!”

    We know that the upcoming electric pickup truck will be christened Fisker Alaska that was teased on Twitter last month. The company also plans to launch a range of new, advanced and radical electric vehicles, faster than any EV maker yet. We are not sure if this is the same truck that Fisker teased in December. But it’s worth noting that the CEO used the world radical for both the teasers.

  • Toyota’s e-Palette Autonomous Vehicle To Be Put To The Test In The Real World

    Toyota’s e-Palette Autonomous Vehicle To Be Put To The Test In The Real World

    Toyota Motor announced an operations management system to support the providing of services that will enable practical use of the e-Palette, a battery-electric vehicle for autonomous mobility. In collaboration with a range of partners, it is also planning to operate the vehicles in Woven City, a fully connected prototype city, while targeting commercial use in multiple areas and regions in the early 2020s.

    Toyota has developed an operations management system for e-Palette vehicles based on the Toyota Production System (TPS) ideology.

    When announcing his goal to transition Toyota to a mobility company at the January 2018 CES, President Akio Toyoda also announced the e-Palette as a symbol of mobility that goes beyond cars to provide customers services and new value. The e-Palette, with automated driving functions, had its debut at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show. It will provide a loop-line bus transportation service for athletes and related staff in the Olympic and Paralympic villages at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 that were postponed until July this year.

    Toyota has developed an operations management system for e-Palette vehicles based on the Toyota Production System (TPS) ideology. This operations management system will be provided as new functions on Toyota’s Mobility Services Platform (MSPF)*2 and will consist of the Autonomous Mobility Management System (AMMS), for connecting to vehicles and the e-Palette Task Assignment Platform (e-TAP) for connecting to people. The system will reduce customer waiting times and alleviate congestion to ensures services provide safety, peace of mind and comfort.

    With the aim of achieving the ultimate TPS-based just-in-time mobility service, AMMS is able to dispatch e-Palette vehicles when needed, where needed, and in the amount needed. Operation schedules can be changed flexibly, with vehicles automatically dispatched and returned, according to real-time mobility needs. When additional vehicles are introduced into service, the intervals between vehicles are adjusted to ensure even spacing of services. Vehicle abnormalities are also automatically detected and, if that happens, the vehicles are automatically returned to the depot and replacement vehicles are immediately dispatched on the route to ensure the stability of operation. In an emergency, the vehicles can be stopped and returned to service remotely, with an extra level of safety management, to provide passengers with peace of mind.

    Keiji Yamamoto, President of Toyota’s Connected Company, commented, “As per the Toyota Philosophy that President Akio Toyoda introduced at our recent financial results announcement, we see our vision as “Creating Mobility for All” and believe that every person working at Toyota should take action that delivers happiness to mankind in line with our mission of Producing Happiness for All. One of the platforms for executing these actions is the e-Palette. With the addition of an operations management system, the evolved e-Palette will be refined and will grow with the never-finished, ever-growing Woven City.”

    Human-centric, Woven City is a prototype city for testing and developing technologies such as automated driving, MaaS, personal mobility, robotics, smart homes and artificial intelligence, with e-Palette vehicles planned for operation there. Operating within a real-world environment where people live will provide a range of lessons through which the platform will continually evolve to enable services that provide customers with safety, peace of mind and comfort. Going forward, Toyota aims to work with partners to commercialize the e-Palette vehicles in multiple areas and regions in the early 2020s.

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  • Daimler AG And Infosys Announce Strategic Partnership For IT Infrastructure

    Daimler AG And Infosys Announce Strategic Partnership For IT Infrastructure

    Daimler AG and Infosys announced a long-term strategic partnership for a technology-driven IT infrastructure transformation. After the receipt of all regulatory approvals, Daimler AG will transform its IT operating model and infrastructure landscape across workplace services, service desk, data center, networks and SAP Basis together with Infosys. The partnership will enable the company to deepen its focus on software engineering and to establish a fully scalable on-demand digital IT infrastructure and anytime-anywhere workplace. The collaboration will empower Daimler to strengthen its IT capabilities, and Infosys, its automotive expertise.

    As software becomes modular, digital infrastructure continues to play an important role in defragmentation. Daimler will work towards a model that ensures a robust IT infrastructure across its plants and regions and supports consolidation of its data centers, scaling its IT operations, and bringing innovations to the fore. Some of the key deliverables from this partnership include – a smart hybrid cloud, leveraging Infosys Cobalt and leading cloud providers, accelerating the multi-cloud journey with a focus on open source adoption. A carbon-neutral solution, by consolidating and rationalizing data centers across all regions. Standardized technology stack by bringing in an eco-system of best of breed partners. Creation of a state of the art Zero Trust network with seamless technology upgrades. Persona-driven and cognitive, AI-powered anytime-anywhere workplace solution that empowers the end-users.

    As a part of this partnership, automotive IT infrastructure experts based out of Germany, wider Europe, the U.S., and the APAC region will transition from Daimler AG to Infosys. Infosys is well placed to realize this transition as an expert having integrated more than 16,000 employees through other partnerships in recent years with a high acceptance, retention, and satisfaction rate. The transfer will also enable Infosys to bolster and grow its automotive business while offering employees strong prospects for long-term career growth and development.

    Talking about the partnership, Jan Brecht, Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Daimler and Mercedes-Benz, said, “Software becomes modular and IT infrastructure becomes big. Daimler will take three steps at once to transform its IT infrastructure: consolidation, scaling, and modernization. We need to think of infrastructure beyond the size of our company. With Infosys we found a partner to scale, to innovate and to speed up. Moreover, this is a strategic partnership for Daimler’s IT capabilities and Infosys’ automotive expertise. Infosys wants to grow with us in the automotive industry, which gives career opportunities for our employees. With this partnership, Daimler also strengthens its overall technology investment and partnership strategy.”

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  • Tesla’s 4680 Battery Cells Are Manufactured By Panasonic

    Tesla’s 4680 Battery Cells Are Manufactured By Panasonic

    Tesla has confirmed that its new tab-less 4680 battery cells are going to be produced by Panasonic which already has a dedicated facility at the Gigafactory in Nevada. This report comes via Nikkei Asia which states,  “Panasonic will set up a prototype production line at existing facilities. The cost of the project is expected to run into the tens of millions of dollars.”

    Tesla has been working on its own battery cell chemistry for years, but it has also maintained deep ties with traditional battery cell makers as it is more focused towards the module and the pack itself.

    For years, Panasonic has been Tesla’s go-to partner but in recent times it has also started working with LG Chem and CATL. These new tab-less batteries were unveiled in September at its “Battery Day” event.

    For these batteries, the company said that it will produce them itself with production machinery designed in-house. However, Elon Musk has stated that it will continue to work with external parties and acquire as much battery supply it can so that it can fuel its ambitious growth.

    Recently, there were reports which claimed that even LG Chem was manufacturing batteries similar to Tesla’s tab-less batteries. It could be that Tesla is tapping into both Panasonic and LG Chem for the same while also doing its own thing as it scales its business to new markets. Recent reports suggest that Tesla is also planning to enter a major market like India which from a long-term point of view could be strategic for the company even if it doesn’t have the scale in the short term.

    Currently, the new 4680 batteries are only being manufactured in the Fremont facility though Panasonic has a huge facility inside the main Gigafactory in Nevada and Tesla could even scale this model to its new GigaFactory in Berlin and other locations.

  • Honda To Pull The Plug On Car Sales In Russia In 2022

    Honda To Pull The Plug On Car Sales In Russia In 2022

    Honda Motor Company has said that it won’t be supplying new cars to its authorized dealers in Russia in 2022 as the company is trying to restructure its operations. The Japanese automaker has confirmed that it would keep its presence in the Russian market with motorcycle and power equipment sales only. The news comes after a drastic drop of 50 percent in its sales operations last month in Russia.

    Even in India, Honda has shut down its Greater Noida plant and has shifted its entire production unit to the company’s other facility in Tapukara, Rajasthan. The carmaker has said that it has realigned its production operations “to maintain sustainability by leveraging production and supply chain efficiencies.” To that effect, from this month, the manufacturing operations for vehicles and components will happen at the Tapukara plant for all domestic sales and exports. Until last month, the Greater Noida plant produced models like the Honda City sedan, CR-V SUV, and the Civic sedan. While the transition will see the production of the City move entirely to the Tapukara unit, at present, the company has also stopped the production of its flagship models, the Civic sedan and CR-V SUV.

    As far as the Russian market is concerned, Honda does not have any manufacturing unit in Russia unlike its other Japanese counterparts like Toyota and Nissan. All Honda models are sold as CBUs in the Russian market and the carmaker sold just 79 units last month. Its sales from January to November were down by 15 percent at 1,383 units, while over 1.3 million new cars were sold in Russia during that period.

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  • Tesla Working On Amazon And Apple Music Integration

    Tesla Working On Amazon And Apple Music Integration

    One of the biggest influences for the massive in-dash display for the Tesla Model S was the iPad. But even though Teslas have offered this sophisticated in-car infotainment experience, what’s strange is that lack of native Apple Music and Amazon Music integration. Instead, Tesla’s offer native Spotify integration. But this is set to change.

    Tesla notably doesn’t support phone mirroring options like Apple’s CarPlay and Android Auto so if you use Apple Music or Amazon Music as your streaming service of choice you can only play music via Bluetooth but not enjoy the advances of a deep user interface integration.

    Elon Musk has already stated that Tidal, lossless high fidelity audio streaming service will be integrated into the dashboard experience of the Teslas. However, now Electrek is reporting that the world’s largest automaker is also integrating Apple Music and Amazon music into the dashboard.

    The Electrek report cites a hacker called “green” who has spotted early versions of the integration in Tesla’s UI which he has also shared in a post on Twitter. He noticed this update in a recent software update which has enabled Tidal, Pandora, SiriusXM, and Audible. TuneIn Radio, Amazon and Apple Music remain disabled. But they should be coming soon as Audible is also owned by Amazon.

    There is no timeline as to when this will become official but considering Tidal is already active, it seems to be the furthest along in development. Apple Music and Amazon Music will almost certainly have a more delayed official release.

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  • India Seeks Comment On Proposal To Make Airbags Mandatory For Car Front Passengers

    India Seeks Comment On Proposal To Make Airbags Mandatory For Car Front Passengers

    India on Tuesday sought public comment on a proposal to make airbags mandatory for the front passenger in all cars from next year, in a move that could raise costs for automakers slowly seeing a revival in demand.

    Carmakers are required to provide an airbag only for the driver, though Indian officials have been talking about the need to improve safety.

    All new models manufactured from April 1, and existing models made from June 1, will have to meet the new guideline if approved, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in the notification dated Dec 28.

    It asked for suggestions and objections from the public within 30 days from Tuesday before the rule is implemented.

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  • Tesla To Commence India Operations By Early 2021

    Tesla To Commence India Operations By Early 2021

    Tesla, the American electric carmaker is expected to make its debut in the Indian market by early next year. The company reportedly will be accepting pre-bookings for the Model 3 and deliveries will follow later in the year, probably by the end of the first quarter of 2021-22. In a recent interview with Indian Express, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and MSME, Nitin Gadkari has confirmed that the electric giant will start operations in the country by early 2021.

    Nitin Gadkari told Indian Express, “The minister underlined the push for electrical cars in the country and said a lot of Indian companies were also working on electrical vehicles that might be more affordable, but technically as advanced as the Tesla. He said Tesla will start operations first with sales and then maybe look at assembly and manufacturing based on the response to the cars. India is going to become a number 1 manufacturing hub for auto in five years.”

    It was earlier this year in October when CEO Elon Musk confirmed Tesla’s entry into the Indian market by 2021. This information was revealed by Musk while replying to a Tweet from a handle – ‘Tesla Club India’. Moreover, the electric vehicle manufacturer is also exploring options to open an R&D centre and a battery manufacturing facility in India.

    Tesla is expected to make its India debut with the Model 3, which reportedly could be a more affordable version. Moreover, it will come to India as Completely Built-Up (CBU) unit. Likely to be priced somewhere around ₹ 55 lakh, it might not be retailed in the country via dealerships as the EV will be handing direct sales. However, there is no official confirmation from the company regarding the same.

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