Rajeev Chauhan, Head of Electric Passenger Vehicles (EPV) Business, BYD India
BYD India will closely observe if the momentum behind strong hybrid car sales growth continues over the next 6–8 months before deciding on launching a plug-in hybrid car in India, its head of electric passenger vehicles, Rajeev Chauhan, said on Tuesday.
“I think we will try and stick to electric cars in the short term. Maybe, six months down the line, we would be able to see (and decide). This hybrid growth story has developed very recently. So, we have to give it some time to really understand what the numbers really look like. It has to make a business case,” he stated in an interview with Business Standard.
During the last few months, strong hybrid car sales have seen sizable growth in India compared to electric car sales, which have recorded a decline. BYD India on Tuesday launched the electric multi-purpose vehicle eMax 7 in India at a starting price of Rs 26.9 lakh (ex-showroom). While it has various plug-in hybrid cars (PHEVs) in its global portfolio, it currently sells only electric cars in India.
Chauhan said, “What we really want to see is when the market would be mature enough for us to introduce a PHEV. PHEV and strong hybrid cars are poles apart.”
Plug-in hybrid cars (PHEVs) can be charged from an external power source and can drive longer distances on electric power alone before using their petrol engine. In contrast, strong hybrid cars combine a petrol engine with an electric motor but cannot be plugged in; they mainly rely on the engine and regenerative braking to recharge the battery. None of the mass-market carmakers in India have introduced PHEVs.
“So, we are waiting for the opportunity for the plug-in hybrid (and see) if this momentum is going to continue off strong hybrids…Will the market trend be shifting completely towards the strong hybrids? So, we’ll then take a call—should we disrupt or should we stay low and continue with EVs?” he stated.
“We have a very strong line-up of plug-in hybrid cars in our global portfolio that is available. We have been hearing about the strong hybrids for the last 6–8 months. There have been some rebates, some benefits. So, let the dust settle,” he added. Chauhan was referring to the July 5 order of the Uttar Pradesh government, which waived the 8–10 per cent registration tax on strong and plug-in hybrid vehicles, reducing the on-road price of these cars by up to Rs 4 lakh.
He clarified that the company is not in discussions with any business conglomerate in India to form a joint venture, which could allow it to start assembling or manufacturing cars in the country. “There is no active discussion with any of the names that you might have heard,” he added.
He mentioned that the company sees a “business case” to assemble or manufacture cars in the country. However, nothing has been decided to date. Last year, BYD, in collaboration with a local partner, submitted a $1 billion proposal to manufacture electric vehicles in India. However, the Indian government has not yet approved the plan, following heightened scrutiny of Chinese investments due to the 2020 border conflict between the two countries.
First Published: Oct 08 2024 | 7:36 PM IST
