Indian Automotive Sector

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Bajaj-Renault Get Serious on Ultra-Cheap Car Project


Bajaj-Renault and Nissan have decided to bury the hatchet and are planning to make a fresh announcement soon about manufacturing of its ultra low-cost car. The project was getting delayed so far due to difference of opinion between Renault and Bajaj Auto related to branding of the car and its basic concept. While Renault wanted the car to be based on price, Bajaj Auto intended to brand the car as �more value for money.�

Both Renault and Nissan have existing partnerships in India. Nissan has a joint venture with Ashok Leyland to manufacture light trucks, while Renault has joint venture with Mahindra and Mahindra to manufacture passenger car model Logan. Renault has already announced that it intends to end up with only one partner in India.

Bajaj Auto�s MD Rajiv Bajaj had earlier announced this year that it intends to scrape the existing project and begin afresh as he does not agree with the existing views about branding of the car and its concept. The design team has come up with a new concept which has received approval from Renault chief as well
 
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Branding issues remain for Bajaj small car?


NEW DELHI: The branding of the $2,500 ultra low-cost car threw up more differences less than 24 hours after Nissan Renault boss Carlos Ghosn and his
Bajaj Auto MD Rajiv Bajaj settled all pending issues in a one-on-one meeting.

Just minutes after Mr Ghosn clarified that the small car will be badged with a Nissan Renault brand, Bajaj Auto chairman Rahul Bajaj gave a different point of view.

When asked about the branding issue and Mr Ghosn’s statement, he said: “That’s for him to say. He (Mr Ghosn) does not run my company. He does not hold equity in my company. He doesn't even have 1% equity in my company. We shall do what we want.”

The senior Bajaj, however, went on to clarify that the ultra low-cost car project was being handled by his son Rajiv Bajaj and that he would be in a better position to answer questions.
 

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Renault-Nissan's Chennai plant to be ready by Q1 next year


The Renault- Nissan chief, Carlos Ghosn, said on Sunday that the company’s new Chennai factory should be open by the first quarter of next year. The company also plans to use the facility as a global manufacturing base.

He was speaking at the World Economic Forum’s India Economic Summit. Ghosn is the Chairman and CEO, Renault France and President & CEO, Nissan Japan.


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“The Chennai plant will go on time. However, we have currently suspended the second phase — not because we do not believe in the potential of India’s market or the capacity of exports from India, but until we see where this decline in the global automotive market is ending,” said Mr Ghosn.

Nissan–Renault’s new factory at Chennai is expected to have an annual capacity of 400,000 cars. While Renault has put its plan on hold, Nissan is set to produce the small car Micra from the Chennai plant by May, 2010.

Ghosn further added the company is in discussion with Mahindra & Mahindra for bringing in new products and re-designing the Logan for the Indian market.

Logan sales have declined 69% during the April-September period to 2,901 vehicles.

Bullish about the growth of the Indian auto industry, Ghosn further said that sales should triple from two million to six million units in the next 10 years. “The whole auto industry is down globally, but India’s exports have been increasing, which is a good sign,” he said.

On the low-cost car the company is jointly developing with Bajaj Auto, he said that the company is not stuck to the USD 2,500 price tag. “The USD 2,500-car is very important for the Indian market. The price may end up being USD 2,500 or USD 2,800 or USD 3,000. We are not stuck up with that,” said Ghosn.

Nissan-Renualt currently has several joint ventures in the country – three with Ashok Leyland to design and make commercial vehicles and engines, besides alliances with Mahindra & Mahindra and Bajaj Auto for manufacturing cars.
 

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Car sales rise 34 pct y/y in Oct - industry


NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Car sales in India rose an annual 34 percent in October, boosted by festival demand and easier availability of loans, an industry body said on Wednesday.
Firms sold 132,615 cars last month compared with 99,052 units a year ago, data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers showed.

Sales of trucks and buses, a gauge of economic activity, rose 52 percent to 42,562 units in October, the data showed.
 

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Chinese automakers eye big business in India

New Delhi, Nov. 9 The entry of SAIC Motor Corporation (better known as Shanghai Auto) into the Indian market a few weeks from now is a clear signal that the Chinese are serious about going global.

SAIC is learnt to have finalised a deal with General Motors where it will pick up a 50 per cent stake in its Indian arm. In the process, the company will bring to this part of the world light commercial vehicles which will compete with established players such as Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and Piaggio.

Just a few weeks earlier, Premier Ltd (the former Premier Automobiles, one of India’s old carmakers) entered into a pact with the Zotye group of China to put together and retail its compact sport-utility vehicle in India. While the product will sport the Premier badge, Zotye will also end up building its brand here in the process.

Nissan, which is getting ready with its small car for India, has indicated that certain parts like the engine control unit and headlamps will be sourced from China. As sources say, this is not a trifling matter since the engine is one of the most critical components in a car. Nissan believes it makes sense because it has already achieved economies of scale in China which will help its other global operations, particularly India and Thailand, from the viewpoint of cost-control.

Till a few years ago, not many people took the Chinese seriously. When some Indian automakers began to fit their vehicles with parts from China, the first reaction was that these were cheap and would not last. There were concerns, though, that this cost structure could put Indian ancillary suppliers under pressure and the tyre industry, in particular, was (and continues to be) concerned about cheaper Chinese imports.

At one level, this was still not a major cause for concern as it only concerned a clutch of auto components. And even when companies such as the Aurangabad-based Endurance tied up with Wanfeng of China to manufacture alloy wheels here, there was comfort in the fact that the Indian partner would have a bigger role to play.

Global attention


However, the last few months, since the Lehman crisis broke out in 2008, have clearly shifted global attention towards China. A tottering GM sold its Hummer business to Tengzhong, a Chinese construction equipment maker. A few weeks ago, Ford announced that Geely Automotive of China was its preferred choice to buy out its Volvo Cars division in Sweden. This could have implications for India where Volvo Cars is already present.

Now, it is learnt that multinationals operating in China with local partners (the joint venture route is mandatory there for cars, unlike India, where the foreign partner will not be allowed a majority stake) will now have to set up another company with a local R&D base. Clearly, the goal is for local carmakers in China to improve their manufacturing standards to take on the world.

What does all this imply for India’s automotive industry? Sources say that the coming years will see more and more Chinese companies enter this market and compete on their biggest advantage which is lower costs. “The challenge could come in the light truck segment and even cheaper cars. There is no threat on the two-wheeler side since the likes of Hero Honda, Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor are well established,” they add.

Where the Chinese will try and make a dent is at the lower end of the pyramid where affordable products can generate demand. The Wuling trucks (from GM India and SAIC) will be the acid test as also Premier’s Rio compact SUV. The lessons learnt will be used to make products that could be even more relevant to the Indian consumer.

Indian companies such as Mahindra & Mahindra and Bajaj Auto are also using China to make tractors and two-wheelers (for markets like Africa), while component makers such as Bharat Forge and Sundram Fasteners see good business potential in terms of servicing bigger multinationals.

For the moment, the Chinese are roaring ahead with monthly car sale of a million units which is marginally lower than what India produces annually.
 

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M&M plans Rs 1,500cr car factory in Cheyyar


CHENNAI: A year after Mahindra & Mahindra pulled out of its joint venture with global majors Renault and Nissan to produce cars at Oragadam, the
Indian utility vehicle major is all set to re-enter Tamil Nadu by driving further south to set up a car plant in Cheyyar, about 100km from Chennai, in Tiruvannamalai district.

The investment, if it materialises, will be the second big ticket investment in Cheyyar after global shoe major Nike’s manufacturing unit, which was inaugurated in August. M&M’s plans in Cheyyar are likely to spur automotive investments in the area.

“The state government will allot about 400 acres for the project. The modalities are still being worked out and an MoU with M&M will happen in two months. They (M&M) will invest about Rs 1,500 crore for the car project,” state government sources said.
 

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Honda looks to China, India; no plan for Nano rival


NEW DELHI, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co (7267.T: Quote, Profile, Research) is not betting on an immediate recovery in traditional markets and will focus on bright spots China and India, although it will not build an ultra low-cost car to take on Tata Motor's (TAMO.BO: Quote, Profile, Research) Nano.

Chief executive Takanobu Ito said on Wednesday that Japan's second-largest automaker was researching a new compact car for Asian markets and more specifically for India, where it launched its first small car, the Jazz hatchback, earlier this year.

"We are still undergoing tough times in many traditional markets," Ito told reporters in the Indian capital.

"I wish I had the magic to predict these numbers," he said when asked about a recovery in these markets.

"In terms of business planning, we are not predicting an immediate recovery to their original levels."

Honda's Japan operations are expected to stay in red though demand has been brisk, helped by generous tax reductions and incentives on hybrids such as its new Insight model.
U.S. sales spiked temporarily in August helped by the cash-for-clunkers programme, but the impact was short-lived and followed by a sharp slump in demand the following month.

"Our top priority is on China and India, where we would like to grow the size of our business as much as possible," Ito said.

China has emerged as a rare bright spot for Honda. It sold 50,600 cars in the country in October, up 42 percent from a year earlier.

India is a smaller market. Honda sold 34,430 cars between April and October, an increase of 38 percent from a year earlier.

NO ULTRA SMALL CAR

Renault (RENA.PA: Quote, Profile, Research)-Nissan (7201.T: Quote, Profile, Research) and their Indian partner said on Tuesday they planned to launch an ultra low-cost car in India in 2012 that will cost less to make than Tata's Nano, the world's cheapest car at around $2,000 when it hit Indian roads earlier this year.

"We don't have any plan for ultra low-cost car," Ito said, when asked if Honda looking at such a car in India.

In June, Honda launched the Jazz in India, the smallest car in its stable, and Ito said the second small car would be targeted at the "expected and accepted" price level of the Indian customer.

Honda, which makes and sells premium sedans Honda City, Civic and Accord in India, also owns 26 percent of India's top motorcycle maker Hero Honda (HROH.BO: Quote, Profile, Research). It also has a separate motorcycle unit, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt Ltd. (Editing by John Mair)
 

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Bajaj-Renault to launch ultra low cost car in 2012




 

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WB has good potential for auto industry: study

Kolkata, Nov 11 (PTI) West Bengal, which has only one automobile company on its soil, has the potential to become a major automobile hub in the country, a study conducted jointly by CII and PricewaterHouse Coopers said.

Hindustan Motors is the only automobile company in the state.

The study said that the state could realistically capture a conservative 10 per cent of the projected size of the Indian automotive sector by 2022 which was around USD 24 billion.

To reach this target, PwC estimated that West Bengal would require direct investments in the range USD 6-7 billion.

According to the study, the basic premise of the projection was that the existing auto clusters like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai-Pune and Chennai regions would not be able to meet the targetted size, for which other states like West Bengal would have to contribute as well.
 

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Mercedes Benz launches advanced E-Class

New Delhi, Nov 12 (PTI) Luxury carmaker Mercedes Benz India today introduced a diesel version of its E-Class sedan in the country, priced at Rs 48.08 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Powered by a 2,987 cc 6-cylinder engine, the new luxury car -- E350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY -- would reduce fuel consumption, the company said in a statement.

Earlier, the German luxury car maker had said that it is likely to register lower sales this year compared to 2008.

However, with the launch of the advanced version of its E-Class sedan, it hoped to register impressive growth from next year onwards.

The company had sold 3,625 units in the Indian market last year. It had launched a special edition of its C-Class sedan in August.
 

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Royal Enfield launches 2 motorcycles in Kerala

Kochi, Nov 13 (PTI) Royal Enfield Motorcycles, the oldest existing motorcycle company in the world and a division of Eicher Motors Ltd today launched two bikes, Classic 500 and Classic 350 in Kerala.

The motorcycles are priced at Rs 1.36 lakh (Classic 500) and Rs 1.07 lakh (Classic 350) at Kochi.

"Royal Enfield has an extremely rich heritage of practical leisure motorcycling for over 100 years. We have more plans for the next year," Royal Enfield Sales and Marketing Head Shaji Koshy told reporters.

This year the company expects a total sales of around 50,000 units compared to 43,298 units last year.

"We expect to increase our sales to 60,000 units next year and to one lakh units by 2013.
 

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Michelin to invest Rs.4,000 cr near Chennai


French tyre major Michelin has signed an agreement with the Tamil Nadu government to set up a manufacturing facility on an investment of Rs.4,000 crore spread over seven years.

The plant, to be set up by Michelin India Tamil Nadu Tyres Ltd, will come up on 290 acres at the Gummudipoondi industrial estate near here and will roll out radial tyres some time in 2012.


The project is expected to provide employment to 1,500 people, the state government said in a statement Monday.

Michelin is one of the world's largest tyre manufacturers, operating 69 factories across 19 countries with a capacity to roll out 190 million tyres annually.
 

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Hyundai to invest Rs 800 cr on small car for India

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Chennai, Nov 17 (PTI) South Korean car-maker Hyundai will invest around Rs 800 crore to develop a small car for the Indian market that is likely to be launched in the next two years.

The firm, which has operations in India through a wholly -owned subsidiary, Hyundai Motor India Ltd, will manufacture the car, which will be smaller than the Santro, at its plant here.

"We are developing a small car and approximately Rs 800 crore will be invested at the Korean plant for development," newly appointed Managing Director and CEO of Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) Han-Woo Park told reporters.

He declined to give any details, but said: "It will be smaller than the Santro and the price will also be lesser. It will take at least 24 months from now to launch the car in India. Right now, it is in the design stage.
 

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Tata's Nano driving India's Detroit

"India must think small to stay big," the head of India's largest conglomerate, Tata Group, quipped recently.

It was a throwaway line by Ratan Tata, the chair of Tata Group and one of the world's richest business leaders. But despite its pithiness, it contains a kernel of truth — at least in terms of India's burgeoning auto industry.


In early 2008, Tata's automotive division unveiled its much-anticipated vehicle, the Nano, to the masses. With a price tag of $2,500 US, it brings car ownership within reach for hundreds of millions of people who otherwise would never consider buying a car.

Luxurious, it is not.

With a flat nose and sloped roof, the world's cheapest car can theoretically fit five people. Tata claims it's more fuel efficient than some motorcycles and meets all emission standards in developed countries, but to be sure, the basic version is Spartan: no radio, no passenger-side mirror and only one windshield wiper, for the driver. Air conditioning for muggy Indian summers is extra but included in the deluxe edition of the vehicle.

The company, the first Indian engineering firm to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, has numerous manufacturing centres across India and throughout the world. While the Nano is made at several of them, the city of Chennai is fast becoming the next great automaking hub


The industrial city on India's southeastern coast is a manufacturer's dream. Multinational giants such as Ford, Hyundai and Chrysler have already set up shop there, eager to take advantage of Chennai's huge deep-water port, affordable land and cheap labour.

"The existing hubs need to watch out for Chennai as an upcoming production base, and probably a Detroit for South Asia," economist V.G. Ramakrishman of auto consultancy Frost & Sullivan says.

Luxury cars becoming popular among wealthy Indians
The local Hyundai factory, the most automated plant in India, has three shifts working around the clock and closes only on Sundays. The plant makes 2,100 cars a day, and as with Tata's Nano, its best-selling model is the tiny Hyundai Getz.

The cars India is cranking out at a blistering pace are being bought locally (demand is so strong that more than 500,000 people recently entered a lottery to win the right to buy a Nano), but they're also finding their way overseas to dealerships in Europe.

Conversely, high-end European cars, such as Rolls Royce and Mercedes Benz, are finding a market among suddenly affluent Indians.

"The earlier generations might find it difficult to flaunt wealth," Mercedes dealer Mohan Mariwala says. "Today, it is: you worked hard for it, so might as well show it, and might as well enjoy it."


In 2005, Tata inked a landmark deal to produce cars and drivetrains for Chrysler's current owner, Italian carmaker Fiat. Thus far, few Indian-made cars have made it to the North American market, but that day, too, is coming.

Considering the dazzling growth India has experienced over the past few years, Canada has lagged behind in terms of investing in the country.

The combined GDP of the two countries is on its way to $4 trillion, and yet two-way trade between India and Canada is just $5 billion, Prime Minister Stephen Harper noted at a press conference on his trade mission through India on Monday.

As it stands now, there's more Indian investment in Canadian firms than the other way around. But with the breakout success of the Nano, India's entrepreneurs and politicians are hoping that trend will soon start moving in the opposite direction.

With files from The Canadian Press and Nahlah Ayed
 

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Strong local demand to drive commercial vehicle sales


Roudra Bhattacharya


New Delhi, Nov. 18

Industry expects the strong growth momentum posted by the commercial vehicle (CV) segment in October to improve over the next half of the fiscal.

This is due to the strong domestic demand created by the investments in infrastructure announced by the Government and the robust performance of the industry boosted by the continuation of the fiscal stimulus.

“More than 50 per cent growth is expected in the next half of the fiscal. In the long term, demand created by Government projects and infrastructure would be the key driver,” Ms Vaishali Jajoo, auto analyst, Angel Broking, told Business Line.

She added that exports are likely to pick up by the first quarter of the next fiscal.

52% growth


According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) data, in October the CV segment has posted a 52 per cent year-on-year growth compared with 6.5 per cent growth in September.

“As the monthly contraction rates have been moderating for some months now and have come up to a positive growth area, it signals that worst is already behind us in the commercial vehicle business. Strong investment programme in infrastructure mainly National Highway Development and Government’s decision to continue with the stimulus package for some more time, means that the growth momentum is likely to continue,” said Mr Somnath Bhattacharjee, Executive Vice-President, Sales, Marketing and Aftermarket, Volvo-Eicher Commercial Vehicles.

The segment, which was down 0.5 per cent for the first half of the fiscal, has now rebounded with a 5.36 per cent growth for the April-October period.

The growth shown by the segment in the fiscal is thus only because of the strong performance shown in October.

IIP booster


“The strong performance of the sector follows the IIP (Index of Industrial Production) numbers which show a gradual and sequential growth in industrial activity and manufacturing. There is also the low base of last year,” said Ms Jajoo.

Among the major companies in the segment, Eicher Trucks and Buses has shown the highest sales growth in October at 71 per cent.

This is followed by a robust growth of 66 per cent and 58 per cent posted by Ashok Leyland and Tata Motors. “Overall, this strong growth in demand of commercial vehicles was driven by improved industrial output, better liquidity, flat interest rate and a feel good factor due to improved economic activities,” said Mr Bhattacharjee.

Exports still low


Overall CV exports rose by about 2 per cent in the month. However, for April-October period, exports were down 31 per cent.

Among the three major companies, only Eicher posted a 27 per cent growth, while both Tata and Ashok Leyland’s exports declined.

“We have a higher ambition for our export growth by leveraging Volvo’s large distribution network and creating market specific competitive product offering in light and medium duty, heavy duty and buses,” said Mr Bhattacharjee.

Eicher trucks and buses, which exports to around 20 countries, is looking to new markets in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia.
 

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Hyundai India to see more profits than China in ’10

Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor Corporation on Wednesday said that its Indian operations will return more profits than its other big Asian market--China, next year. India and China have been Hyundai's two big growth markets over the last decade, and are largely responsible for the carmaker's climb in the top five biggest automobile companies in the world.

"During the last 13 years that we have been in India, we have never run into losses even for a single year," said H W Park, newly appointed CEO and MD, Hyundai Motor India Ltd. "Indian operations inclusive of the exports, account for 15 to 20 percent of the company's overall revenue. Our China operations are also very good and profitable. Next year (2010), in terms of profits we will be more than China."

In the first nine months of this year, Hyundai's operations in China have seen a 88 percent increase in sales volumes and a 124.5 percent increase in sales revenue. In India, the growth has been to the tune of 12.3 percent in terms of sales volume and 35 percent in sales revenue during the same period. Its US and Turkey plants have declined during the same period.

"India will continue to be a key market for us and we will concentrate on strengthening our dealer base," Park said. "From our current dealer base of 274, we plan to have over 320 dealers by 2010 to expand our footprint."

The company sells eight models across segments in the country but with the market predominantly being driven by small cars, Hyundai's success has also been limited in bigger cars. The company is already developing a car smaller than its entry level Santro to be launched in 2011.
 

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Rolls Royce Ghost Forays into India on December 5

Rolls-Royce India announced that Indians can also enjoy the pleasure of driving Dynamic luxurious Ghost from December 5. Earlier, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has showcased its new production model Ghost, at the Frankfurt motor show on 15 September 2009.

Rolls-Royce has produced an elegant yet powerful car Named Ghost. Ghost is powered by a brand new 6.6 liter twin-turbo V12 engine, which is unique to the model.

Ghost features direct injection, it produces 563bhp adequate to propel Ghost from 0-60 mph in just 4.7 seconds and on to an electronically governed top speed of 155mph. With 780 Nm of torque available at just 1,500rpm, deliverance of power is instant and tremendously smooth.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars 200EX is considered as the experimental forerunner to Ghost after getting the overwhelmingly positive reaction to 200EX during its travels; with very few changes Rolls-Royce produced ‘Ghost’.

Ghost’s flowing lines are mastered by its majestic ‘Yacht Line’ styling. “Ghost is as refined and cosseting as anything this marquee has ever produced.” Charles Coldham, Interior Designer

The car is designed with Simplicity without compromising the luxury, the interior design team of Ghost has designed contemporary ambience while staying true to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

The car offers great Comfort. The car has graceful frosted lamps and chrome door handles, traditional violin key switches and eyeball air vents
 

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Fuel-efficiency standards for automobile sector by 2011:Ramesh

The Government is in the finalstage of notifying the fuel efficiency standards forautomobile sector in the country which will be enforced from2011, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said today.

Auto special

"We are right now engaged in finalising administrativeformalities on how these standards has to be notified eitherthrough the Energy Conservation Act or the Motor VehiclesAct," Ramesh said at the inaugural session of the two-day 4thEnvironment Friendly Vehicles (EFV) conference here.

He said there is no two views that "we should move to amandatory fuel efficiency standards regime by 2011" as thetransport sector contributes about 15 to 20 per cent of thetotal greenhouse gas emissions in India. How it should be doneis being debated within the government, he said.

At present, transport sector is placed at number threeafter the power and agriculture sector as far as the nationalemissions are concerned.

Auto special

"But the rate at which the automobile sector is growingour own estimations are that by the year 2030 it could accountclose to 25 per cent of our GHG emissions. Hence not onlybecause of the air pollution point of view but also theclimate change point of view, environment-friendlytransportation assume special importance," Ramesh added.

More India business stories

Ramesh said by 2011, it will be mandatory for automobilemanufacturers to sell vehicles with energy-efficiency tags,adding the information on the labels will have to be certifiedby the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
 

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Domestic launch of electric Indica likely by early '11

New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) Tata Motors today said it could launch an electric version of its flagship passenger car Indica in the domestic market simultaneously with its European launch, in early 2011.

The company will start a feasibility study by next year for introducing the product in the domestic market.

"It (the electric Indica) will be available for launching in the country simultaneously with the global launch," Tata Motors managing director (India operation) Prakash M Telang told reporters here.

When asked if the company has initiated the market study, he said, "not at the moment. We will start (the feasibility study) closer to when we have the product ready. We will do it from next year.
 

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It is raining small cars in India!

Small is beautiful. . . Car manufacturers have realised this and are going all out to woo customers with the small cars. India has become the world's second-largest maker of small cars, overtaking Brazil. Japan remains the world's biggest small car manufacturer.

Small cars account for 80 per cent of the Indian domestic market and exports are growing at a fast pace.

According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, small car exports rose 53 per cent between April and September to 197,249 units against 129,090 units a year ago. Here's a look at the new small cars that will hit the Indian roads...

Honda 2CV

Honda Motor's small car called 2CV is another car being made for India. This car will be launched by 2011-12. Honda is looking at new models to further accelerate its market share in India.

The 2CV may come with a 1.1 litre petrol engine. The car is likely to be built at the company's Rajasthan plant. The new car will be much smaller than Honda Jazz.
 

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