Hyundai’s first made in India EV could roll out as early as 2019

Hyundai India recently announced their plans to enter the Indian electric vehicle market as manufacturers and exporters.

The company will start production in their Irungattukottai factory in Chennai, with plans to introduce an electric SUV for the Indian market over the next couple of years. The company, however, have not released details about which SUV they’re planning to introduce across 15 cities, but it is expected that the Hyundai Kona with adjustments made to suit Indian conditions might be the planned car.

The Indian-spec based car, expected in 2019, is set to be offered with the base 135PS, 300km range electric motor with a 39.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The battery can be fully charged in six hours or gain 80 per cent charge (240km range) in an hour with a fast charger, which will be made available separately. The entry model will be priced at INR 25 lakhs.

“An electric SUV is the eight products planned to be launched here between this year and 2020. It is expected in the second half of 2019. Initially, we will import it as a completely knocked down unit,” Koo said in a company statement.

Besides, the company along with the SUV will also launch a line of newer models in the next two years once it can ascertain the feasibility of electric vehicles in the country based on their study of the market’s response to EVs. Hyundai India managing director and CEO, Y K Koo reiterated that the government should consider reducing import duties and cutting GST rates on EVs in India. Which will in turn significantly drop the price of EVs in the country. This was in response to the recent rumours of the centre planning to scrap cash incentives on privately owned electric vehicles. Click here to read that report.

Sharing the company’s target in India, he added, “Based on the current production capacity and another 50,000 being added next year, we feel that we will cross the 10 million cumulative milestones in India in the first quarter of 2021.”

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