Can Bhavish Aggarwal upend the electric two-wheeler market, which is now overwhelmingly in favour of scooters?
Automobile exports from India rose 26 per cent year-on-year in September quarter driven by highest-ever shipments of passenger vehicles, two-wheelers and three-wheelers during the period, as per the latest data released by industry body SIAM.
Passenger vehicle wholesales saw a marginal growth of 4 per cent in June on account of high base effect and muted demand due to severe heatwave conditions in several parts of the country. Overall passenger vehicle dispatches last month stood at 340,784 units, a growth of 3.67 per cent compared with 328,710 units in June 2023.
'I always liked riding, from cycle to motorcycle, I really enjoy it.'
Hero MotoCorp, India's largest two-wheeler maker, has seen a decline in its market share in rural areas since 2018, losing ground to major competitors such as TVS Motor Company, Bajaj Auto, and Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), according to data from JATO Dynamics reviewed by Business Standard. Hero's share of rural two-wheeler sales in India has dropped from 40.4 per cent in 2018 to 33.3 per cent in 2023. In contrast, Bajaj's share increased from 12.7 per cent in 2018 to 13.9 per cent, HMSI's from 21.8 per cent to 22.2 per cent, and TVS' from 15.5 per cent to 17.8 per cent. Suzuki Motorcycle India has also seen its share rise from 1.7 per cent to 2.5 per cent.
Leading carmakers Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai on Thursday reported a dip in wholesales in July as companies reduced vehicle dispatches to dealers amid moderation in demand. Maruti Suzuki India said its total domestic passenger vehicle sales stood at 137,463 units in July against 152,126 units in the year-ago month, down 9.64 per cent.
Auto majors Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra reported robust sales in September as reduced price tags owing to GST rationalisation led to record demand in the Navaratri period. The month also saw Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra settling at number two and three positions, respectively in vehicle wholesales ahead of Hyundai Motor India.
HMSI is likely to announce a tie-up with Snapdeal for online two-wheeler sales next month.
Festivals also contribute to the rise in overall automobile retail sales, says dealers association.
Passenger vehicle sales in India kicked off on a flat note in new fiscal 2024-25 with 3.38 lakh units sold in April, impacted by high base effect and muted demand due to the ongoing general elections. Dispatches of passenger vehicles from manufacturers to dealers were at 338,341 units in April 2024 as compared to 332,468 units in the same month last year, a growth of 1.77 per cent with major players Maruti Suzuki India, Hyundai and Tata Motors reporting marginal growth in their domestic wholesales.
India may see its busiest EV festive season in 2025 with SUVs, luxury cars and scooters set to launch, but rare-earth supply bottlenecks risk delaying rollouts.
"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.
Leading automakers Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Mahindra, and Tata Motors saw a dip in dispatches to dealers in August amid dip in demand with many prospective buyers postponing their buys anticipating a reduction in vehicle prices on account of the new GST framework. The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India reported an 8 per cent year-on-year dip in dispatches of passenger vehicles in the domestic market last month.
Luxury carmakers are shifting into high gear with a mix of product launches, personalised experiences and lifestyle-led engagement.
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.
The ongoing elections and overall subdued market sentiment continue to affect the sales momentum
Long standing number two passenger vehicle maker in India, Hyundai Motor India, has slipped to fourth position in the domestic market in terms of retail sales last month behind Maruti Suzuki India, Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors, as per the latest data shared by dealer's body FADA. Hyundai Motor India clocked retail sales of 38,156 units last month, a dip of 20 per cent as compared with 47,540 units in February last year.
Is this the best motorcycle to buy in the 150cc segment in India?
Two years after it hitched a ride with Hero MotoCorp (Hero), Harley-Davidson (Harley) and the Pawan Munjal-led firm are gearing up to ride into the middleweight (midweight) motorcycle segment (350-850cc) in the world's largest two-wheeler market.
Domestic passenger vehicle wholesales were down 0.8 per cent at 3,44,656 units in May this year as compared to 3,47,492 units in the same month last year, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers said on Monday.
These bikes were all the craze on Day 1 of Auto Expo 2018's media exclusive.
The impressive riding dynamics of the Gixxer now get a sporty full fairing that makes this 155cc offering from Suzuki a lot more desirable, says Indian motoring website MotorBeam.
The Hayabusa from the Suzuki stable is an insane machine. But that is not the only motorcycle that the Japanese automaker produces. There are so many more, so let's take a quick journey through the iconic bikes made by Suzuki.
Hyundai Motor and Toyota Kirloskar Motor have announced the suspension of manufacturing operations at their respective plants amid coronavirus outbreak. On Sunday, various automakers like Maruti Suzuki India, Honda Cars, Mahindra & Mahindra and Fiat announced a temporary halt in manufacturing operations at their respective facilities.
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?
The carmaker has managed to significantly improve its product mix in the past two-three years by successfully launching sedans, utility vehicles and premium hatchbacks.
Automobile exports from India in the first six months of the current fiscal year rose 14 per cent year-on-year, led by gains in shipments of passenger vehicles and two-wheelers. According to Siam data, the overall exports in the April-September period stood at 25,28,248 units, up 14 per cent as compared with 22,11,457 units in the year-ago period. "Key markets like Latin America and Africa, which had slowed down for various reasons, have bounced back.
From premium electric motorcycles to mass-market scooters, manufacturers are rapidly expanding their portfolios to capture a larger share of the booming market.
Even as India overtakes Japan in automotive sales in 2022, moving to third place for the first time, oddly enough the country's biggest motor show is going to see some big hitters give it a clear miss. Some prominent automotive brands have cited high event costs, negligible returns on investment, poor event management, and unfavourable location as reasons for their reluctance to participate. Major pure-play electric two-wheelers, too, are riding past this year's edition of the Auto Expo.
The Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 have been game changers in the upper part of the mid-size segment, with compelling style and highway capability.
Suzuki India's Baby B-King (or GW250) is a great option for the Indian subsidiary. Production of this motorcycle -- that's designed for emerging markets -- began in China earlier this month. The muscular GW250 is expected to be priced in the range of Rs 1.6 to Rs 1.8 lakh if brought to India.
According to experts, even if an additional 5 per cent of people opt to buy new vehicles, it may bring a huge boost to the sector.
Pilot project in Bengaluru; Snapdeal got into the category last month
Honda has grown from 15% in FY12 to 27% now; Yamaha has doubled share to 5% in five years.
Cutting through the two-wheeler clutter we list the best value for money motorcycles, across categories, that burnt the Indian roads in 2015
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.
They're sexy, powerful, irresistible and very, very expensive.
Suzuki Motor Corp. of Japan on Monday said it plans to invest about Rs 1,050 crore in its Indian arm Maruti Udyog.
Not only has the additional fairing made the Suzuki Gixxer SF more appealing to the eye, it is also more aerodynamic that helps one clock higher top speed, says Indian motoring website MotorBeam.com.
The Suzuki Gixxer is a terrific effort to bring back glory to the Japanese automaker in the 150cc segment, says Faisal Ali Khan of MotorBeam.com
