Mercedes-Benz aims for 25% of car sales in India to be electric vehicles in next three years

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electric vehicle market in India. The company anticipates that its electric vehicle (EV) lineup, both existing and future models, will constitute a quarter of its total car sales within the next three years, marking a substantial increase from the current figures of three to four percent. Mercedes-Benz recently introduced its new petrol/diesel SUV, the GLC, in Hyderabad.

Santosh Iyer, the Managing Director and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India, revealed that the automaker is gearing up to launch three to four new EVs in India over the next 12 to 18 months. Iyer noted that as new EVs are introduced, there should be a swift adoption among Indian consumers, gradually leading to an augmented market share. He further stated, "Within the next three years, we anticipate that 25 percent of our sales in India will be comprised of EVs." Iyer emphasized that many Mercedes-Benz car owners already possess charging infrastructure at their homes or workplaces, potentially streamlining the transition to electric vehicles without relying heavily on public charging stations.

He expressed optimism about the potential for certain states to provide exemptions from road tax on EVs. Regarding manufacturing capacity, Iyer mentioned that the company's plant, which spans over 100 acres in Pune, has the ability to produce up to 20,000 units annually, a capacity that can potentially be increased to 40,000. The ongoing investments in the plant amount to approximately ₹2,700 crore, with an additional ₹100 crore invested for the GLC model launch.