Volkswagen confirms first EV for India: What to expect
Volkswagen has its sights set on the Indian market, with plans to launch an affordable, made-in-India electric vehicle (EV) by the latter half of this decade. Piyush Arora, MD and CEO of SKODA Auto Volkswagen India, shared the company's plan with Autocar India. He stated that the brand's strategy for electrification in India would not be very different from the ICE strategy. The German automaker is looking at a localized product to cater to the entry-level EV segment.
Volkswagen may also export from India
To bring EVs to India, Volkswagen will need to invest "in triple-digit million euros." To make this investment worthwhile, the company must achieve significant sales volumes and explore export opportunities. Arora said the volume and scale have to be critical to justify the massive investment. The company is looking at opportunities to export EVs from India as well. Arora revealed, "In 2023, we produced 1.6 million cars and exported 600,000 units—around 30% of our total production."
Exploring Southeast Asian market for EV exports
Volkswagen Group views the Southeast Asian market as a prime target for made-in-India EV exports. Arora explained, "For EVs, customer preferences in India and Southeast Asia are quite similar. This is the thought process we are looking at so that we have the economies of scale." With its global reach and solid distribution network, Volkswagen Group is well-equipped to capitalize on exporting made-in-India cars to other suitable markets.
