Auto Expo 2018: Electric Vehicles Require ‘Far More’ Support Than Lower Taxes, Says Honda

It's not just cars that are raving about electric engines. Lohia Auto launched he "high-speed" E-Auto Comfort HS at the Auto Expo 2018 also runs on a lithium-ion battery and can seat upto four people apart from the driver.

The "high-speed" auto can go upto 30 kilometers per hour and gives a mileage of over 80 kiliometers, the company said in a press release.The charger is compact and easy to use and comes with 48V-40A Multi stages SMPS Charger.

Here are its other launches at the event.

• Dual Power E-Rickshaw Humarhi Plus- the very first Solar and Battery operated E-Rickshaw designed for the rural commuting.
• Comfort Lxi (Passanger E-Rickshaw) & Narain LC (Loader E-Rickshaw)
• OMA Star Li- India’s first lithium ion battery operated Electric Two Wheeler
• OMA Star SPL- Electric two wheeler for specially-abled
• Humsafar DLX (D+5passenger) and Humsafar 2000 (loader )- Diesel Three Wheelers category

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. also introduced its first lithium-ion battery powered three-wheeler called Treo.

It’s day two of the Auto Expo 2018 and electric vehicles seem to be the continued theme of the event. But that’s not all there is. BloombergQuint reporters are camped at the multi-day event and have all the latest updates for you.

Maruti Suzuki Ltd. launched the latest version of the Swift at the Auto Expo 2018 today. The car has been introduced with a limited starting price of Rs 4,99,000.

India’s largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki is one of the few companies that is displaying new cars on the second day of the event. Most of the other companies including Honda, Renault, etc., displayed all their vehicles together on day one of the event.

Honda Cars India, like many other car makers, is waiting for the Indian government to reveal its policy regarding electric vehicles, Jnaneswar Sen, senior vice president of Marketing and Sales at Honda Cars, told BloombergQuint.

The company’s India strategy hinges on two things - customer preference and government policy. While the Goods and Services Tax on electric vehicles is lower than that on fuel-burning vehicles, that is not enough to swing customers, he said on the sidelines of the Auto Expo 2018.

Apart from that, battery technology is another challenge that the industry faces. The policy on disposal of lithium-based batteries is still not clear, Sen pointed out.

Honda Cars India introduced the latest models of their Amaze, CR-V and Civic cars, at the event yesterday.

India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki has showcased the e-Survivor concept electric vehicle. This will be the carmaker’s first vehicle with a 4-wheel drive option since the iconic Gypsy was launched back in 1983.

This will be Maruti Suzuki’s first electric vehicle and is expected to hit the roads by 2020. The showcasing at the Auto Expo comes after its parent Suzuki announced setting up a lithium ion battery manufacturing plant in Gujarat.

Toyota Kirloskar has unveiled a mid-sized sedan named Yaris which will take on the likes on Maruti Suzuki’s Ciaz, Honda’s City and Hyundai’s Verna.

The car has been launched with a 1.5 litre engine and only has a petrol variant right now. It is set to launch in by mid-2018, and will be manufactured at Toyota's plant outside Bengaluru.

Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran unveiled Tata Motors’ latest SUV the H5X. The car built on Land Rover’s L550 platform, the one used to build the old Land Rover Discovery is being touted as the Safari Storme’s replacement and will compete with the likes of the Hyundai Creta and the Ford Ecosport. It will also be the first vehicle where Tata Motors and Land Rover will share a platform.

Honda Cars India Ltd. unveiled the Next Generation Honda Amaze at the Auto Expo 2018. The car is scheduled to launch in India by the end of the next financial year, the company said in a press release.

It also displayed the 5th Generation Honda CR-V and the 10th Generation Honda Civic, in an effort to make a comeback in the Indian market.

Renault showcased its second electric vehicle at the event - the Zoe e-Sport concept. The company stands to gain significantly from the progress in electric vehicles, as India is gradually moving towards adopting newer automotive technologies, it said in a press release. Doubts regarding the government’s policy remains a constraint though.

The KWID Super Hero Edition is in association with Marvel’s Avengers. The car is offered in two versions based on heroic and powerful characters belonging to the Marvel Avengers Series – Iron Man and Captain America, Renault India said in the statement.

The car was designed and developed in its studios in Mumbai and Chennai, with a 1.0L SCe powertrain, in both manual and AMT options. It is offered with the 1.0L SCe powertrain, in both manual and AMT options.

Hyundai India launched its Elite i20 facelift hatchback at the starting price of Rs 5,34,900. The car has “premium interiors and highly advanced features,” according to the company website. Hyundai aims at launching nine products by 2020 including its electric vehicle Ioniq.

Hyundai Motors unveiled its first and only electric vehicle - Ioniq - which will be launched in India by 2020 (in competition with Maruti Suzuki's electric vehicle).

While this car won’t be manufactured in India, its parts will be brought in from South Korea and assembled here in the country, the company said.

This means that the car’s price may be on the higher end. Another car that is manufactured abroad and assembled in India is the Toyota Prius.

Renault India displayed the Trezor concept sports car which is powered by an electric motor - the same one used in Renault’s Formula E car, the company said at the event.

The company is currently evaluating the possibility of manufacturing the electric vehicle concept in India, said Sumit Swahney, managing director and chief executive officer of the company at the event, adding that they are currently waiting for clarity on EV policy.

South Korean car manufacturer Kia Motors showcased its new SP concept - a compact sports utility vehicle - at the Auto Expo in Delhi’s Pragati Maidan today.

The company has plans to commission a plant in Andhra Pradesh by 2019 with a capacity of 300,000 units and will also bring its Stinger model to the Indian market, according to Bloomberg.

Kia Motors is ready to introduce electric vehicles and manufacture in in the country once customers and infrastructure are ready, Manohar Bhat, head of sales and marketing at Indian operations, said in an interview to Bloomberg.

India’s largest car manufacturer kicked off the 17th Auto Expo in India by showcasing the concept Future-S which is one of the first cars to be designed completely in-house for the company.

The car is a break away from convention design, "never attempted on a vehicle of this size," Kenichi Ayukawa, Chief Executive Officer of the company said at the event according to Bloomberg. It marks SUV features in compact dimentions, RS Kalsi, senior executive director added.

Maruti Suzuki will introduce its first electric car in India by 2020, Ayukawa said, adding that it will be manufactured locally. Details of the clean energy car will be disclosed later on Wednesday when they display the concept electric vehicle.

India’s 17th Auto Expo, taking place in New Delhi, has kicked off with 24 car manufacturers including Maruti Suzuki Ltd., Kia Motors showcasing their latest technology and vehicles. The focus this time around will remain on electric vehicles as multiple Indian vehicle makers expand into clean technology. This includes Bharat Stage VI vehicles, electric cars, hybrid vehicles and so on.

The event organised by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has not been free of controversy though, several domestic and international players chose to stay out of the expo due to higher than expected costs to showcase their vehicles, as per media reports. The entire Volkswagen group which includes Skoda, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini, Ducati, MAN and Scania, pulled out from the event. Indian manufacturers such as Bajaj Auto Ltd and the Royal Enfield owner Eicher Motors Ltd. will also be absent.