Tesla is set to officially enter the Indian market with the launch of its first experience center in Mumbai. The move follows leasing of warehousing space and discussions with the Indian government regarding tariffs and manufacturing.
"I welcome Tesla here in Mumbai. Tesla has opened an experience centre here, and it is a statement that Tesla has arrived and it's a statement they Tesla has arrived in the right city and right state," Fadnavis said on the occasion.
"My understanding is that the rules are weighted in favour of big cars, even though smaller cars emit fewer emissions per passenger, use less material, and consume less fuel," Bhargava said in an interview with Business Standard.
Top executives from Siam and major carmakers recently met with Heavy Industries Secretary Kamran Rizvi to discuss the matter. Officials from NITI Aayog were also present.
India ranks 6th in the Asia-Pacific region for the Italian super luxury carmaker.
Luxury carmaker Lamborghini has announced that its hybrid super sports car, Revuelto, is sold out in India and globally for 2024. The strong demand for the Revuelto is driven by a growing number of new customers, including a 20 per cent increase in first-time buyers in India. Lamborghini is also evaluating the possibility of opening new dealerships in smaller towns in eastern and southern India within the next one to two years.
Sluggish urban demand, a high base effect, and weak sales of hatchbacks and sedans weigh down passenger vehicle sales in FY25.
BYD's new charging system is capable of up to 1000kW charging speeds which may be achievable in China, the carmaker's home market, but such high charging speed is not available in India.
'...the auto industry to get back to 7% to 8% annual growth.' 'High growth in the SUV segment alone will not achieve this, as it is a small market.'
The US carmaker's entry into India is expected by the last quarter of the current financial year.
'In the luxury car segment, the adoption of EVs is almost double compared to the mass market.'
The growing rift between MSIL and rival automakers has complicated the government's efforts to finalise the CAFE norms.
Tesla's official entry into the Indian market is expected in the final quarter of the current financial year.
The country's biggest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India, has raised concerns about the continuing slide in small car sales.
Auto major Maruti Suzuki India on Friday said its consolidated net profit declined by 1 per cent year-on-year to Rs 3,911 crore in the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2025, on account of higher expenses. The country's largest carmaker reported a net profit of Rs 3,952 crore in the January-March quarter of FY24.
Tata Motors (TaMo) is aiming to gain market share across its passenger vehicle (PV) and commercial vehicle (CV) businesses - targeting a 40 per cent share in CVs and a 16 per cent share in PVs by 2027. Meanwhile, it has already achieved earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (Ebitda) breakeven in its electric vehicle (EV) business at 1.2 per cent (up 830 basis points), ahead of its target of 2025-26 (FY26).
Hyundai aims to raise exports to 30% of output by FY30 as domestic sales slow; six EVs among 26 product launches planned as part of long-term growth strategy.
Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai Motor India on Monday reported a dip in passenger vehicle dispatches to dealers in the domestic market last month as the companies tried to adjust vehicle inventory amid slowing demand. Maruti Suzuki India said it "calibrated supplies" to the dealers, aligning with the industry's retail sales projections amid India-Pakistan conflict and a dip in sales of entry-level cars.
Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) said on Thursday its operations are unaffected by the global rare earth magnet shortage, but added that the situation is "uncertain and evolving". The firm said it is exploring multiple solutions to maintain continuity in operations and will notify stakeholders in case of material impact.
Major Indian carmakers are preparing for sluggish domestic PV sales growth of just 1-2 per cent in FY26.
Luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz India plans to roll out 8 new models, including battery electric vehicles, this year as it looks to sustain sales momentum having posted record sales in 2024. The company sold 19,565 units last year, registering a growth of 12 per cent as compared to 17,408 units in 2023.
Maruti Suzuki India and Tata Motors on Monday announced plans to increase vehicle prices from April, the second time in this year, in order to partially offset the impact of rising input costs. Maruti Suzuki said it plans to hike prices of its entire model range by up to 4 per cent from next month.
Carmakers Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Renault, Kia India and MG Motor on Wednesday announced plans to hike vehicle prices from January to partially offset the impact of rising input costs. They join the likes of market leader Maruti Suzuki India and Tata Motors, which have also made the year-end announcements to raise prices from next month. Audi India said it will increase prices of its entire model range by up to 1.7 per cent, while Mercedes-Benz India noted it will hike the prices by up to 5 per cent from January 1.
While sedan sales have declined in the mass-market segment in recent years, demand remains strong for BMW sedans, which account for 45 per cent of its sales in India.
Skoda Auto India, the Czech carmaker that has recently found success with its compact SUV Kylaq, says it remains committed to developing a fully localised electric vehicle (EV). The EV will be manufactured at its Chakan facility for both Indian market and exports.
Risks emerging from the US have left automotive investors worried. US President Donald Trump has announced 25 per cent tariffs on automotive imports, while global electric carmaker Tesla has taken its first steps towards entering India. While these developments are sentimentally negative for related stocks, it may be too early to conclude the eventual impact, analysts said.
Car purchases in India are largely limited to the top 12 per cent of households with an annual income exceeding Rs 12 lakh, while even small cars have become unaffordable for the remaining 88 per cent, said R C Bhargava, chairman of Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), on Friday. "How can you get high car sales growth if 88 per cent of the country are below the levels of income where they cannot afford these cars costing Rs 10 lakhs and above?
President Donald Trump has said if Elon Musk's Tesla built a factory in India to avoid that country's tariffs, it would be unfair to the US. Trump's comments came amid moves by him to increase tariffs significantly. On February 13, hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bilateral meeting with Trump at the White House, the US President announced reciprocal tariffs.
Chinese electric carmaker BYD is focusing on launching vehicles in the Rs 25-45 lakh price range in India even as it continues to evaluate customer preferences and demand in more affordable segments, its Head of Electric Passenger Vehicles in India Rajeev Chauhan told Business Standard.
For the first time, the event will take place across three locations in Delhi: Bharat Mandapam at Pragati Maidan, Yashobhoomi Convention Centre at Dwarka, and India Expo Mart at Greater Noida.
Auto parts exports from India may see a slight slowdown as US President Donald Trump's 25 per cent tariff could increase car prices for buyers by 8-25 per cent, thereby affecting demand, experts believe.
About 99,165 electric cars were sold in India in 2024, but electric car penetration -- share of electric car sales in total sales -- was just about 2.5 per cent.
Passenger vehicle dispatches from companies to dealerships witnessed an increase of 1.6 pc year-on-year in January at 399,386 units driven by robust demand for utility vehicles, industry body SIAM said on Thursday. It was the highest-ever passenger vehicle dispatch for the month of January.
Proliferation of home chargers of around 7 KWh and above, which take six to seven hours to fully charge a car depending on the model, bring running costs down by a third or so. That, coupled with the increasing range of modern electric cars, can lead to a massive increase in sales.
Many of these companies have a waiting period from 6-18 months now, indicating a rise in demand.
An ACMA-BCG report has targeted Indian auto component exports to hit $100 billion - nearly a fivefold increase from $21 billion currently
Amid mounting inflationary pressures, escalating material costs, and rising operational expenses, luxury carmakers Mercedes-Benz India and BMW India have announced price increases of up to 3 per cent on their entire model ranges effective from January 1, 2025. Mercedes-Benz India will revise ex-showroom prices by Rs 2 lakh to Rs 9 lakh, depending on the model. This adjustment will impact vehicles such as the GLC SUV and the high-end Mercedes-Maybach S 680 limousine.
German carmaker Volkswagen will be driving in its two globally acclaimed performance models Golf GTI and Tiguan R-line in India as part of its steps to enhance brand positioning in the country, a senior company official said on Monday.
American electric carmaker Tesla has opened recruitment for various roles in India, including business operations analyst and customer support specialist, in what could be a precursor for the company's entry into the country. As per the job postings on the company's website, the posts are for the 'Mumbai Suburban' area.
While Mercedes-Benz India expects 25 per cent of its India sales to come from EVs in the next four years, BMW says it estimates around 10 per cent of sales to come from those in the near future.
