‘1 in 4 Mercedes sold in India to be EV in 4 years’

MUNICH: Mercedes-Benz plans to expand its electric vehicle portfolio in India by three times in the next 18 months. In four years, the German luxury carmaker expects 25% of its sales in India to be EVs.
In Mercedes-Benz India’s current lineup of 22 products, there are only two EVs – the EQB SUV and EQS sedan. In mid-September, the company is scheduled to launch another electric SUV, the EQE. Company executives said three more EVs are lined up for launch in the next 12-16 months, which will take its electric portfolio to six.

“India is on the move. The combustion portfolio is much bigger than electric, but that will change significantly over the next few years. The future is going to be electric in India as well. If the market takes off even faster, we’re going to be there,” said Ola Kallenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz.
At IAA Mobility, a German auto show, Mercedes-Benz unveiled the electric Concept CLA Class and also showcased EQA, EQB, EQV, and the Vision EQXX, that does away with range anxiety with its range of over 1,200km to a single charge.
The CLA is scheduled to go into production in 2025 and expected to be launched in India the same year. The company plans to make three more cars on the same modular platform, two of which will be SUVs and will make their way into India. Mercedes-Benz India MD & CEO Santosh Iyer said: “We have an aggressive EV road map for India – launching desirable top-end electric cars from our global portfolio as we transition into an electric future. We are creating a robust EV ecosystem with franchise partners.”
(The writer was in Munich at the invitation of Mercedes-Benz India)