Electric vehicles and new models of conventional SUVs are in the spotlight at this year’s Auto Expo, being held here under the shadow of a prolonged demand showdown that has hit the industry.
Billboards greeting car buffs and industry professionals to the various pavilions feature the gleaming new motors, making it clear that these are the machines the big marques are placing their bets on. Industry data point to electric becoming the new buzzword, and SUVs, the major vehicle segment in top gear when it comes to sales.
The biggest biennial automotive extravaganza is evidently feeling the ripple effects of the demand slowdown, with the majority of two-wheeler makers and many car makers skipping the event. These include market leader Hero MotoCorp, Honda Motorcycles, TVS Motors, Royal Enfield, BMW, Audi, Toyota Kirloskar Motors, Honda Cars, Ford and Fiat.
There is a minority of two-wheelers on display, including some from Suzuki.
The mood is also dampened by the global coronavirus outbreak, with the top leadership of all Chinese participants staying away. Industry executives believe that this is likely to adversely affect the attendance at Auto Expo 2020, which will open for the public from February 7, until February 12. As the show got ready to open its doors, delegates wearing masks were a common feature on Wednesday.
The event was kick-started by the country’s largest car maker, Maruti Suzuki, globally premiering its Futuro-e concept — an electric SUV with nuances of a coupe and flexible swivel travel seats. Kenichi Ayukawa, the company’s managing director, said the new decade will be marked by new trends in the automobile sector, with customers seeking unique, futuristic and environment-friendly mobility solutions.
French automaker Renault unveiled the AMT version of its SUV Triber , while South Korean manufacturer Hyundai Motor presented the 2020 Tucson .
EV concept car
Tata Motors is showing off a mix of SUVs and electrics , led by the latest version of its Harrier, along with an array of other SUVs, including Hexa Safari edition, Gravitas and a near-production version of HBX Show. It also took the covers off the Sierra EV Concept, drawing a lot of eyeballs.
Taking aim at the affordable segment under the EV banner, Mahindra and Mahindra unveiled its eXUV 100 hatchback with a price tag of ₹8.25 lakh.
The company is betting big on electric mobility with two more of its electric vehicles — the Atom, a small urban shared mobility option for last-mile connectivity, and e-XUV300, with a commercial launch of both products promised in the next financial year. The show-stopper at the Mahindra and Mahindra corner was a new concept EV named Funster, which features a convertible mode.
Kia Motors, a relatively new entrant, adds to its heft with a multi-purpose vehicle, the Carnival, with a sticker price of ₹24.95 lakh to rival similar large MUVs from other automakers. A gold coloured Kia Sonet concept made a global debut as a compact SUV, to be developed ahead of a launch in the Indian market in the second half of 2020.
Volkswagen has already announced plans to launch four SUVs in India in the next two years, and on Wednesday commenced pre-booking for two up-coming SUVs which it plans to launch in the first half of the year.
