Category — Automobile

According to an executive from the company, the Indian car manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra is willing to extend their electric vehicle line. Up to now, it only has the Reva E-20 which is India’s first electric vehicle (EV) with zero emission. Reva E-20 was launch in March 2013. The company is currently developing a new electric vehicle platform in partnership with Korean car maker SsangYong, said M&M President for Automotive Sales, Dr. Pawan Goenka. Pawan was my contemporary at IIT Kanpur and is featured in my 2008 book “Doing Business in 21st Century India/”

Goenka also said that Mahindra will launch the electric version of its entry-level sedan Verito in 2014. Like most car companies, Mahindra sees EVs as being part of the future of driving. The company hopes its first mover status will give it an edge over competitors looking to develop the same technology.

According to a recent article, by 2016, the Chinese consumer durables major Haier will manufacture all of its products in India.  This will shield Haier India from the rupee-dollar fluctuations and encourage faster growth.

Their 40-acre facility in Pune currently holds imports from China such as refrigerators, televisions, washing machines, and water-heaters.  According to Haier India’s president Eric Braganza, over 70 different products have been introduced to the facility within six different categories.

The Pune facility’s refrigerator capacity will double, which will contribute to about 35% of their total revenue.  Furthermore, another facility is being built in South India, which will hold much of their washing machines, which will be exported to places in the Middle East and Africa in addition to being sold in India. Note that Hyundia Motor of Korea has adopted a similar approach to make some of its cars in India for the local market and for export to Africa and Europe.

What this means

India is increasingly become a location of choice for sourcing and manufacturing of products that are complex and have a global reach.

Kongsberg Automotive, Pune plant  in India has been awarded a contract for cable gear shift systems for manual transmissions from an unnamed Indian commercial vehicle manufacturer. The $30million contract is for four years for the New Generation Truck platform – multiple models -which the supplier says is a “breakthrough for KA in the Indian commercial vehicle market.”

Total vehicle volume in the program is expected to reach 80 000 units annually and is scheduled to be launched in the first quarter of 2013. The entire assembly will be produced at KA’s facility in Pune, India. “KA is a proven, world-class manufacturer of premium ‘man to machine’ interface systems, and this OEM recognises that,” said Kongsberg Automotive VP sales & marketing, Hakon Amundsen. “KA is now positioned for further growth with this customer having already been awarded a similar application for their rear engine buses.”

Kongsberd Automotive USA is an Amritt client. The above information is taken from public sources and we have no special knowledge of this particular deal outside of media reports.

Indian commercial vehicle maker Ashok Leyland is developing an electric variant of the Dost mini pick up truck. The Dost, which has been developed through an Ashok Leyland-Nissan collaboration could get the electric variant in 2014. Other details about the electric powered Dost remains unknown at this point in time.  Ashok Leyland isn’t the only commercial vehicle maker betting big on electric power.

Mahindra, through its electric vehicle subsidiary Reva, is working on an electric variant of the Maxximo mini pick up truck.  It has also announced the launch date for the E2O. The E2O electric four seater hatchback will be launched on the 18th of March, 2013.