Plan to enter mass market EV segment in India: Skoda Auto

Mumbai: Czech carmaker Skoda Auto plans to enter the mass market of electric vehicles segment in India, for which it is exploring all options, including partnerships with local companies for economies of scale, company's management board member Martin Jahn said on Wednesday.

The company is gearing up to enter the electric vehicles segment in India this year and is currently testing its premium electric SUV Enyaq.

"We are exploring all the options. I am not at liberty to give you any details on this because no decision has been made. We are looking at everything we want to bring volume electric car to India," Jahn, who is a member of the Board of Management for Sales and Marketing Skoda Auto, said here in an interaction.

He further said, "How and when we are going to do it, we do not know yet. We are looking at the options that would be the best for India. But we of course want to participate in the growth of the electric (vehicle) market in India." When asked if Skoda Auto is looking for partnerships with Indian companies for the mass market EV foray, he said, "We are exploring all the options for the entry of the volume electric market." On how important is it to have a local partner, Jahn said, "From a strategy point of view, it's important to determine what is the best way which we're exploring at the moment. The options are (whether) doing it alone (or) doing it with a partner in various kinds of partnerships..." Earlier this month, Volkswagen Group, of which Skoda Auto is a part, and Mahindra & Mahindra announced their first supply agreement for electric vehicle components under their joint vision for electric mobility collaboration.

Under the agreement, Mahindra will become the first external partner to use Volkswagen's "groundbreaking unified cell concept", the core element of its battery strategy.

Jahn said clarity in government policies will make it better for the company to plan a roadmap for its electric mobility journey.

"I have observed globally that these policies are changing very quickly.

"The governments are changing them for many reasons. We want to have from every government as much clarity as possible, but we are also realistic and we know that these policies will be developing. So the more clarity we have, the better for us," Jahn noted.

When asked how much sales EVs are expected to contribute for Skoda in India in future, he said, "We will have to see that. The electrification just started and also there can be some presumptions. We will see." In Europe, he said, "We are now around 10 per cent of electric cars in our portfolio and according to the current plan in Europe, it should increase and we should be by between 50 per cent to 70 per cent electric in 2030 given the presumption that Europe goes full electric in 2035."