As Mahindra & Mahindra invests Rs 12,000 crore in electric mobility to launch new ‘lifestyle’ cars, CEO Rajesh Jejurikar says Indian companies are confident of competing with any global green car maker today. are, and BYD “welcomes” players like Tesla into the market. “It’s not a question of fear. Let them come and launch something like this in India, but at these prices,” Jejurikar told TOI after the company launched two electric cars, the BE 6e and XUV 9e, priced around Rs 20 It is Rs. Million Quotes:
How long did it take you to bring these two cars to life?
From sketches to concepts, which we showed at Banbury in the UK, to now, we’ve done it all in three years flat. Now we are ready to start production of cars soon. So, this is the fastest growth and scale-up for us, packed with really advanced technologies, which makes our cars comparable to any global luxury brand. It is comparable on every possible parameter, except price where we are really aggressive.
Aren’t your cars too fancy in style and tech for a market like India where consumers tend to be traditional?
What we have experienced is that if you bring the right technologies and style, people want them. We were surprised by the popularity of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) when it was launched in the XUV7OO. The knowledge and interest about autos is growing and there is a lot of awareness about what is to come. People today wait to see what’s new and then want to own it. I don’t think our cars are ahead of time. They only become premature if they cost too much, which our cars are not.
Global electronics giants like China’s BYD already have a limited presence (via imports) in India, while the government is trying hard to acquire Elon Musk’s Tesla here. Does it bother you because they are strong and experienced?
We are capable of anything, which is the heartbeat of the world. Today we are very proud to see that mainly Indian engineers have built these two world class cars in just three years. So, when it comes to global brands, it is not a question of fear. We actually welcome them here. Let them come and start something like this in India, but at these prices… Even after they localize, let’s see if any of these players can do what we are doing.
Do you think Indian companies today are good enough for any global competition?
Yes because I think that what we are creating today is led by the local talent that we have here. More than talent, it’s passion and the ability to work hard. I don’t think it can be matched anywhere in the West. Our teams here are passionate about what they do. Their energy and passion is a competitive edge for India.
Many doubt the success of electrics in India. What is your prediction?
I think they should be around 30% of the market by 2030. As a country, once we start seeing success with good quality products, we will move very quickly in adopting EVs. We haven’t seen this kind of product in India yet.