Skoda Auto, the renowned Czech carmaker, has unveiled ambitious plans to commence the assembly of electric vehicles (EVs) in India by the latest 2027, as disclosed by a senior company official on Tuesday. Petr Janeba, Skoda Auto India Brand Director, revealed that the company is currently conducting tests on the electric SUV Enyaq, considering its potential launch in India within the year.
Janeba expressed the company's commitment to electric mobility, stating, "We are deep in e-mobility. In the next three years, we will expand to six models and out of this, one specific model we should bring to India as well." Addressing inquiries regarding the local assembly of EVs, he outlined the goal to establish full battery electric vehicle assembly operations in India by 2027.
Until then, Janeba hinted at various possibilities depending on regulations, suggesting the potential for importing completely built units (CBU) as early as 2024. This strategic move towards electric mobility aligns with the Indian government's initiative to achieve 30 per cent of new car sales from EVs by 2030.
Highlighting Skoda's growth strategy in India, Janeba emphasised two key pillars: the announcement of a compact SUV and a focus on electric mobility. He noted, "The compact SUV is next year. E-mobility strategy will probably start this year but it will be more or less a 'testing the waters' strategy for us with CBU imports and then we have to go deeper in terms of local assembly."
Discussing sales projections for the compact SUV, Janeba expressed optimism, estimating a potential market of 60,000 to 90,000 cars based on last year's 4 million sold cars in India. He suggested that this figure could rise even further to 100,000 units "if the market surprises us." Anticipating significant growth, Janeba stated, "Whatever happens, this car (compact SUV) will double the Skoda volumes in India," indicating plans to expand sales networks to tap into tier III and IV cities.