Editorial/ The next biggest manufacturing hub for automobiles is India!

The next biggest manufacturing hub for automobiles is India!

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Don't be surprised to know that india is the largest motorcycle market in the world, with china close second and many of our proud indian manufacturers like bajaj, royal enfield sell globally to as far as columbia with semi manufacturing set up

Finally, our Indian government has started working on restructuring taxes on the basis of emission norms, and that will undoubtedly boost the adoption of Hybrid vehicles in general. I have been writing this in my editorial note for the last two months, and it's a significant step. Hybrid is the first and most intelligent step toward total electrification.

The consumers also need to be educated and aware about charging, plug-in, and mild hybrid and get a taste of electric motors from 48V to 100 KWh. I had recently gone to the hills with the super luxury premium sedan, and the battery went dead while shooting the interiors for a longer time. We had to get it jump-started and then drive back, and after about 60 km of driving, the Air-Con, Power windows etc., started working. If it was an electric car, then towing would be the only option, and this pops a business idea that someone should pick it up. It would be great to see heavy-duty mobile generators with charging bays which can reach places with 60KWh of power and charge the dead battery at their place. Surely there will be a big market for this, and it will make driving around EVs without too much planning and more hassle-free if this service could be available with 60 minutes' notice.

Maruti and Toyota have dropped aggressive prices on the Hyrdyer and Grand Vitara, but the hybrid variants are still on the expensive side of their equivalent ICE engine counterparts. All thanks to the current regressive taxation. The two-wheeler industry is seeing a lot of action, with many coming only in the EV scooters/ motorcycles space and some like Moto Morini, who are now offering their dishes to tickle the taste buds of Indian riders. Don't be surprised to know that India is the largest motorcycle market in the world, with China close second and many of our proud Indian manufacturers like Bajaj, Royal Enfield sell globally to as far as Columbia with semi manufacturing set up. India has all that it takes to be the next global manufacturing hub for cars, and the upcoming US$ 19.5 billion investment for silicon-chips manufacturing in Gujarat will be a big boost to this.

Semiconductors have played havoc with the supply side since Covid, and with the future all looking for electrification and with this manufacturing set up by Foxconn and Vedanta, the future for the Indian automobile industry is looking way greener than we can imagine. The future is electric, and India is at the cusp of owning that future. Cheers to that.


TopGear Magazine February 2024