Toyota, Volvo and Suzuki Bet on Hybrid Cars in India

India is slowly welcoming hybrid and electric cars and some of the best car makers like Toyota, Volvo and Suzuki bet on hybrid cars in India. Here is how they do it.

The acceptance of hybrid cars in India is growing. It is somewhat true that as a market India until late last year had not fully welcomed EVs and hybrid cars like Toyota Prius for example, but that is changing and the acceptance is growing. This is why Toyota, Volvo and Suzuki bet on them.

Currently Mahindra e2oPlus, Mahindra eVerito, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Honda Accord Hybrid, and Volvo XC90 T8 Plug-In Hybrid are some of the most popular hybrid and electric cars in India. Apparently Volvo is very successful in selling hybrids in India this is why it may soon assemble hybrid cars in India.

Volvo Wants To Compete Against Mercedes, BMW and Audi in India

According to The Economic Times Volvo has set a vision of selling a million electrified vehicles by 2025 globally, and India will play a big role in achieving this target. “There are various studies going on and we are trying to convince the government why hybrids are an important bridge towards complete electrification,” Charles Frump, MD of Volvo Car India said.

Less than a year after setting up the plant, Volvo Car India plans to accelerate its industrial footprint in India. The company expects most of its portfolio models to be locally manufactured in the next two years. Volvo wants to work hard against its German rivals Mercedes, BMW and Audi. The manufacturer is expected to produce another vehicle at its plant in Bangalore in the second half of 2018, possibly to add more models the following year.

No Tax Incentives for EVs and Hybrid Cars in India

Volvo is also planning to double its market share to 10% by the end of 2020 in India, expanding its portfolio of plug-in hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles. The head of Volvo Car India nevertheless considers that there is "a political vacuum in India." Regretting that there is no tax incentive for this type of vehicles in the country.

Toyota also bets on mass-market hybrid cars in India.

According to the Financial Express Toyota has a vision to bring in more hybrid cars to the indian market and and is working with the various Indian state governments for mass adoption of EVs and hybrid cars in India (as you can see from Autoportal the EVs and the sales of hybrid cars in India still have some catching up to do).

Toyota Wants To Introduce PHEV Prius To Indian Commuters

While there is no national level EV and hybrid car policy in India, Toyota recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to start the feasibility study towards the introduction of Prius PHEV and Small EV Commuter. "These different state-level policies cover a range of incentives and express the commitment of the state government to provide charging infrastructure. Toyota says it's not necessary for a central EV policy overarching these individual States" reports the Financial Express.

Toyota says it needs to go hybrid first before the Indian consumers start adopting electric cars in a more broad ways.

Suzuki Too Bets on Hybrid Cars in India

Maruti Suzuki India also joins the party and plans to go full throttle to develop both Electric and hybrid cars for the Indian consumers.

"We are going to try and push this acceleration in use of CNG, hybrid and other alternate technologies. We are going to push all technologies, and not limit ourselves to one technology," MSI Chairman RC Bhargava says to The Times of India. While Suzuki's first priority is pushing the electric car adoption in India, Bhargava says they shouldn't forget ethanol and hybrid cars.

Probably they agree with Toyota that they need to go some distance with hybrid cars in India before the drivers start adopting and welcome electric cars.

If you are familiar with the hybrid car market in India, please share with us in the comments section below, how are the prices of the hybrid cars in India? Are the prices of the hybrid cars in India comparable with the hybrid car prices in the United States and Europe? Do you see more hybrid cars and EVs on streets in India? Your opinions are welcome for discussion.