The Volkswagen Group is looking to introduce an entry-level electric vehicle (EV) in India by the second half of this decade, the chief executive of its local unit said at an event on Thursday.
Volkswagen has seen success with its products like Taigun and Tiguan in the Indian automobile market. However, given the EV penetration that the market is currently experiencing, the auto giant is planning to launch entry-level EVs in India.
Piyush Arora, CEO of Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, said, “We are actively working on an entry-level EV. It needs a large investment. To justify a three-figure million dollar investment for the new product, we need the volumes.” He added, “Penetration of EVs in India will not be as fast, so we are looking at the possibility of exporting that product.”
Volkswagen wants to take advantage of the tax breaks that Indian government offers for the EVs. Further, it is also expected to gain significant tax advantages if the entry-level SUV is in the sub-4-meter segment.
Pricing
We expect the pricing should be between Rs. 12-15 Lakhs. Anything above that would not make it an entry level VW electric SUV.
Range
We expect the electric SUV to have a 250-300 km real-world range.
Interior
We expect the electric SUV could feature a modern interior layout. Also, you can expect advanced features such as the ADAS. This is something that we have seen in all of the electric vehicles.
