With its Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model Tata Motors just redrew the EV battle lines, says Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com
Indian car buyers care more about affordability than technology, keeping ICE vehicles dominant while hybrids emerge as the preferred transition option and EVs struggle in the mass market.
Speculation about rising competition from global majors has led to shares of major Indian automobile manufacturers such as Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), Maruti Suzuki India, and Tata Motors taking a hit on the BSE.
Passenger vehicle dispatches from companies to dealers raced to the highest ever sales mark in a calendar year in 2025 as a reduction in prices due to GST reforms led to robust sales in the festive season, industry body SIAM said on Tuesday.
The New Tata Punch is a fantastic deal for first-time buyers. You get SUV capabilities and premium features like Clima Touch Automatic Temperature Control, an integrated air purifier, and rain-sensing wipers, says Rajesh Karkera.
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles is the latest to come forward to honour them as the company has decided to present the team members with the soon-to-be-launched Tata Sierra.
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd on Tuesday said it delivered over 1 lakh vehicles in 30 days from Navratri to Diwali, a growth of 33 per cent over the same period last year. The deliveries were led by SUVs with electric vehicles also showing strong traction, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd managing director and CEO Shailesh Chandra said in a statement.
After a record-breaking year, India's automobile industry is entering 2026 on a relatively strong footing, with sales growth expected in the 6-8 per cent range. The outlook is underpinned by policy support, including GST rationalisation, easing monetary conditions, and income tax relief, which together are likely to improve affordability and sustain consumer demand across vehicle segments.
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd expects contribution of SUVs to its overall sales to go beyond 70 per cent with it making foray into the fast growing mid-sized segment with a premium positioning of its Sierra model, according to its Managing Director & CEO, Shailesh Chandra.
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.
Companies with "gas guzzlers" are trying to set up the wrong narrative against small cars getting relaxation in the proposed corporate average fuel efficiency (CAFE-III) norms on the basis of weight, Maruti Suzuki senior executive officer corporate affairs Rahul Bharti said on Monday, bringing to the fore deep division among carmakers regarding the upcoming rules.
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV) on Friday reported a 13 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) decline in consolidated revenue from operations for the second quarter of 2025-26 (Q2FY26), largely due to the cyberattack on its subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) in late August that forced a shutdown of its manufacturing operations for over five weeks.
Passenger vehicle dispatches from companies to dealers rose 4 per cent year-on-year in September to 372,458 units, industry body SIAM said on Wednesday. The overall passenger vehicle dispatches last month rose 4.4 per cent to 372,458 units, as against 356,752 units in September 2024.
The passenger vehicle (PV) business of Tata Motors, which also includes the electric vehicle and Jaguar Land Rover businesses, post-demerger is now valued at Rs 1.45 trillion.
In absolute terms, both types of cars must cut emissions by about 28-29 g/km. But in percentage terms, the lighter 900-kg car must reduce emissions by 27 per cent, while the 1,500-kg car needs a 22 per cent cut. And the target becomes progressively stringent for both -- but, once again, the tightening is sharper for the 900-kg car than for the 1500-kg car.
Electric passenger vehicle (PV) retail sales jumped more than twofold in September with Tata Motors (TaMo) leading the pack having over 6,000 registrations and a 40 per cent market share.
India must act decisively to fully leverage the vast opportunities that exist in India for developing the entire rare earth magnet ecosystem, SIAM president Shailesh Chandra said on Thursday. The government is considering incentives for the production of rare earth minerals and magnets in response to China's restrictions on its global supply, which have disrupted the supply chain.
The demand for passenger vehicles (PVs) is expected to sustain even beyond the ongoing festival season as a new set of customers, those who gained confidence to buy cars following the recent GST rate cuts, will begin to visit dealerships now, said Shailesh Chandra, president of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam), on Wednesday.
Tata Motors on Friday said it will cut passenger vehicle prices ranging between Rs 65,000 and Rs 1.45 lakh effective September 22 to pass on the full benefit of GST reduction to customers. The Mumbai-based auto major said that its small car Tiago will see a price drop of Rs 75,000, Tigor Rs 80,000, and Altroz Rs 1.10 lakh.
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.
Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers breathed a sigh of relief after the GST Council on Wednesday night retained the concessional 5 per cent rate on EVs, though they now face competition from small petrol and diesel cars, which will attract a lower 18 per cent levy.
Tata Motors on Friday reported a 62.2 per cent decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 4,003 crore in the June quarter, impacted by volume decline across segments, drop in JLR profits due to US tariffs and high base effect due to gain from sale of discontinued operations. The auto major had posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 10,587 crore in the April-June quarter of the previous fiscal, Tata Motors Ltd (TML) said in a regulatory filing.
'The reported deal between the European Union and China should mitigate it (shortage) for the medium to long term. Let's wait and watch how this plays out.'
Despite the benefits of hybrid technology, a lack of government backing and few launches have kept the segment from gaining ground.
Automobile exports from India rose by 19 per cent to over 53 lakh units in the last 2024-25 fiscal year driven by robust demand for passenger vehicles, two wheelers and commercial vehicles in the overseas markets. Overall exports last fiscal stood at 53.63 lakh (53,63,089) units as compared with 45 lakh (45,00,494) units in 2023-24 fiscal ending March 31, 2024.
When it comes to the "all-new" Tata Altroz unveiled on Thursday, one might wonder if it's truly a complete overhaul or just a refreshed take on the familiar.
Fada estimates that global supply chain headwinds like scarce availability of rare earth elements for electric vehicle components and geopolitical tensions may affect urban consumer sentiment in June as well.
Sluggish urban demand, a high base effect, and weak sales of hatchbacks and sedans weigh down passenger vehicle sales in FY25.
Passenger vehicle dispatches in India from factories to dealers rose to record levels at over 43 lakh units in FY25, with utility vehicles accounting for 65 per cent of the total sales in the segment, industry body SIAM said on Tuesday. Passenger vehicle (PV) dispatches rose to 43,01,848 units in the last fiscal year, marking a 2 per cent increase compared to 42,18,750 units in FY 2023-24.
Why is Shailesh Chandra, managing director of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, not worried about the competition?
Tata Motors on Wednesday reported a 22 per cent fall in consolidated net profit to Rs 5,578 crore for the third quarter ended December 2024, impacted by s decline in revenue from its passenger and commercial vehicles divisions. The company had posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 7,145 crore in the same quarter last fiscal, Tata Motors said in a regulatory filing.
As battery prices drop, early customers of Tata Motors, which was the first mover in the passenger EV market, could feel let down.
While Maruti held the top spot for four decades, the Ambassador was the best-selling car in post-Independence India for three decades.
'Every Indian should move to an EV, and the government should not buy any fossil fuel cars. The government should become the first driver of EV adoption.'
Automobile dispatches from companies to dealers rose 12 per cent last year compared to 2023 on the back of positive consumer sentiments which aided robust demand for two-wheelers, industry body SIAM said on Tuesday. Total wholesales across categories rose to 2,54,98,763 units in 2024 against 228,39,130 units in 2023, a growth of 11.6 per cent.
Manu Bhaker is on a three-month break from shooting following her triumphant campaign at the Paris Games.
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.
With nearly 100 launches and unveils, the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, held in Delhi from January 17 to 22, made one thing clear to automobile enthusiasts: Electric vehicles (EVs) are the way ahead for the Indian auto market for years to come.
Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hyundai and MG Motors are gearing up to introduce EVs in India.
Indian passenger vehicles market registered record wholesales of 43 lakh units in 2024, with companies like market leader Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata Motors, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, and Kia posting their best-ever annual domestic sales. The continued growth of SUVs, along with rural markets playing a key role in driving up car sales, helped the industry better the previous best of nearly 41.1 lakh units posted in 2023.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances