If I talk about 2025, there is an era of electric cars (EV) in India, which looks very exciting. Because I went to the Auto Expo, and this year’s Auto Expo was such that every company has launched an electric vehicle.
Whether it’s a two-wheeler or a three-wheeler, or a car, or a helicopter, or two-wheelers, or bikes, you were getting to see electric-powered vehicles everywhere.
One thing I can tell you is that there is a big electric vehicle revolution in the four-wheeler industry from 2025. Where I have seen, every big company that has not yet launched its electric cars, is also launching them.
Even the company that used to launch hybrid vehicles, is now going after electric cars only. For example, let’s talk about Maruti.
Maruti
Until now, they had not launched an electric car, but now they have introduced their e-Vitara here. And Maruti is because it is India’s largest automotive player in the four-wheeler segment.
Maruti sells the most cars at night. And among them, there is a large number of hybrid vehicles.
But they also know that their monopoly is slowly decreasing, and they had to get off the electric vehicle segment. And this is what I saw here with Maruti, in their new Maruti e-Vitara.
The e-Vitara comes with a Level 2 ADAS. It is a model of 49 kWh and 61 kWh. And it is being claimed that in its top-end model, you will get a range of 500 km. Although the price is a little high, from Rs. 17 lakh to Rs. 22 lakh. Here, it is seen that you will get a guaranteed range of 500 km. Which looks surprising to see. Because so far I have seen, let me tell you what the problem was.
All the companies you get to see, car makers, their range was around 400 km. But 500 is such a thing that companies are slowly achieving. And when they are putting their long-range battery packs, and the price is around Rs. 20 lakh.
Then people will also have confidence that by going to this type of vehicle. Because in an area of 500 km, people will get to see a guaranteed charging point.
Along with this, Maruti is also trying to bring seamless charging. That wherever Maruti’s reach is, you can provide a fast charging network there. Along with this, Maruti is carrying its old service. Using the same infrastructure, give you better quality service. That is, there are no things for Maruti. But yes, being able to make a vehicle of a premium category here.
And taking it to the mass scale, this is a big thing. Let’s see, the coming years will be very exciting for a company like Maruti. And even I can tell you that I have seen Maruti’s e-Vitara.
But yes, here Toyota’s Urban BE was also named. That is, it was a born electric car. And the special thing about it is that Toyota’s car is the exact e-Vitara. And the e-Vitara is Toyota’s car.
Good thing is that Maruti and Toyota have at least done this here. That here the platform is a separate design. It is not that they took the existing petrol car, removed the engine and installed the motor.
Removed the petrol tank and installed the battery, it is not like that. They worked from the ground up here. So that one thing was good here. Along with this, the next biggest company in India is Hyundai.
Hyundai
And the thing about Hyundai here is that here they were making a lot of premium cars. Whose price was above 25 lakhs in electric.
But their most popular car in the market is Creta. And bringing Creta’s LEV version here was very smart move. The price ranges from 17-18 lakhs to 20-22 lakhs.
A 42 kWh and a 51 kWh. And yes, the battery packs above 50 kWh can give about 450-500 here. And 42 kWh will promise a range of about 400 km here. Around 390 km.
So if you see, that can also be a strong option here. And not only that, the benefits that electric cars have, you get to see all the features in them. Whether you talk about EDAS or a big touch screen. Or talk about a lot of smart features.
Because of which this thing gets a lot of benefit here. Hyundai And obviously, the creta branding in Hyundai is going to take a lot of benefit here.
But I want to tell you one thing. Maruti and Hyundai have made a new start here. But yes, Creta EV will also be a start. New models will come here.
New cars will also come in the future which will be electric powered. And a part of Maruti is that it will slowly jump into its other portfolios and segments. And they will bring their electric vehicles in the range below 15 lakhs. So this will also be an interesting thing to see.
Anyway, these were both foreign companies. But now let’s talk about our Indian companies. Like let’s talk about Mahindra.
Mahindra
A few months ago, Mahindra showcased its cars here. BE6 and XEV90. When I saw them, they were both amazing cars. They look very futuristic.
And the special thing about them was that they were born on an electric platform. That is, they have been prepared from the ground up. On the platform of an electric car.
That is, there will be no role of petrol or diesel to make an electric car here. And thinking this, they developed this car here. It’s a good thing that they are also giving a range of 600 km. They are giving a lot of features.
They are giving ADAS. There is Qualcomm chip in them. Even if we talk about it, the look and feel and features are next level.
BE6
Even the pricing of their base model is also very exciting. Let’s talk about BE6. It starts at 18.9 lakhs. In which you have a 59 kWh battery. And the range is also above 500 km. And yes, the models with a range of 600 km. Around 682. Their price goes up to 25-26 lakhs.
XEV is also their premium model. The price of which they have started at about 21 lakhs. That too can go up to 550 km. And the range that can go up to 650 km.
Its price goes up to 30 lakhs. Although Mahindra is playing in the premium segment here. But there are some things. They are making one of the safest cars.
Made in India is designing these cars. They are also making battery packs in India. The cell they are using is BYD company.
Because if you look at it, Chinese companies are also entering the Indian market. And they are making a lot of better vehicles in the affordable segment. If we talk about Jazz, one of your companies is MG.
MG If you look at MG, its specialty is that it started from the affordable segment. They launched Comet. They recently launched Windsor.
These two cars are such that they have already become number one in the electric vehicle market. And they have put a company like Tata behind.
Tata
While Tata has also launched a lot of cars. Tata’s Tigor, Tiago EV is also coming.
TATA Along with this, Tata’s new Nexon EV is also coming. And if you go to premium, you can also see Tata’s Curve EV.
Its range is also quite high here. But yes, there is a difference in Tata. The platform that Tata is using so far is such that you can also make a petrol car in it.
You can also make an electric car in it. They have to come here in their proper electric car platform. And when he comes here, a big game can change.
Along with this, Tata had a first mover advantage. But now when the competition is catching up here, Tata’s monopoly can be in danger.
MG
With MG, MG had made a small car for small cities. Where you have to drive in a small place. You don’t have to drive much in the city. You don’t have to go more than 100-150 km all day.
So a small car is fine. But yes, along with this, they know that people want a little big, luxurious space. So they brought their MG Windsor EV. Which runs up to 330 km.
Along with that, they also brought the battery as a service program. In which the upfront cost of the car will come up to 10 lakh rupees.
Because of which people can afford this car. So they also came up with a concept. Along with this, in the range of 10-15 lakhs, it also gives a very good premium experience. And if someone wants to drive in a small range, then it is. And not just that, MG is going to bring multiple electric cars here.
But MG Select is also going to open its own separate brand. In which it will launch its premium cars. In which an electric sports car is going to be brought for the first time.
Whose name is going to be MG Cyberstar. Which they will keep in affordable pricing. And see one thing, the more new companies are coming. Electric cars will provide more range. And can create a big impact. And MG is becoming one of those companies.
BYD
Along with this, a company like BYD is also slowly settling BYD in India. But there is a problem that it is a proper Chinese company.
It will also have to do a partnership with an Indian company. Only then they can play a long game.
Although I have seen BYD cars. It runs in most fleets. But the truth is that their car quality is very good. Even the seal of BYD is very premium. And gives the experience of Tesla level.
Even globally, BYD sells more cars than Tesla. And a company like Tesla, which brings most of its features in its expensive cars. They bring it in their cars at less than half the rate. Now I don’t know how BYD is doing it. By importing from outside, it is getting most of the cars. But still it is here.
Even their car has many such features. Which big big Mercedes and Indy cars also come. And yes, along with this I have seen. That the new electric and EV brands are catching up more quickly.
MG BYD is an example. But another company is entering the market.
Vinfast
That is Vinfast. Vinfast can also grow very well. Because it is a new brand, a Vietnamese brand. And slowly slowly this year it will showcase its new cars in India.
And is going on proper electric cars. What I mean to say here is this. That charging infrastructure in India has not grown so much.
Conclusion
Now slowly slowly electric cars are coming. Slowly slowly the charging infrastructure will grow. And now the cars that are coming. They will also support fast charging.
And it will also be possible to go on a long road trip. On top of that, the range of 400, 500, 600, 700 km will also be realistically available here. So you don’t have to worry about this type. You don’t have to worry at all.
That in 600, 700 km you will get to see a charger. Which will charge your car. And people are not going to travel so much in a day. So yes, we are coming to such a point. Where the range problem is also being solved. And also the problem of charging. And yes, I can tell you one thing.
Now the major problem is of pricing. Many people ask me. Will a car with a range of 300-400 km come in 10 lakh rupees? Look, it hasn’t come yet, but it is possible in a year or two.
New age companies like BYD, Winfast, MG can be seen from their side because they know that they have a price-sensitive market. And here, the innovation of the battery that was brought in China, if such an innovation comes here, then people will get to see very solid options in 10-15 lakh rupees.
Let’s see what happens then. But yes, I can tell you one thing, there is a start from 2025 and now the rest of the decade, you will see that every other company will focus a lot on their EVs and will try to make them cheaper.