NEW DELHI: JSW MG Motor fired fresh competition in the electric vehicles space by driving in a mid-sized SUV Windsor with an entry price Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom), minus the battery cost which would be provided on a nominal pay-per-use rental of Rs 3.5 per kilometre.
The battery-as-a-service model (Baas), which is not there in the market so far, tries to avoid loading the hefty price of the battery on the customer, driving in affordability.
The move by MG, which wants 50% of its sales from electrics such as ZS SUV and Comet mini, comes at a time when segment leader Tata Motors is going strong with new products and aggressive pricing and others such as Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, and Mahindra & Mahindra are planning a flurry of green cars. Tata had on Tuesday announced cuts of as much as Rs 3 lakh on the Nexon EV, and Rs 1.2 lakh on the Punch zero-emission version.
Parth Jindal, director of JSW group (which has partnered MG’s Chinese parent SAIC for a JV in India), said the company wants to focus on new-energy vehicles (NEVs) as it moves towards sustainable mobility against the internal combustion engine petrol and diesel cars. “The Windsor is the first car that has come out of the JV and the team has worked very hard in developing and bringing it here… As a crossover utility vehicle, it merges the comfort of a sedan with the expanse of an SUV.”
By lowering the acquisition cost through the battery rental model, JSW MG Motor hopes to attract buyers who are still on the fringes when it comes to adoption of electrics. The Windsor comes with a lifetime battery warranty to the first owner, an assured 60% buyback after 3 years or 45,000kms, and one-year of free charging at public chargers.
Rajeev Chaba, CEO Emeritus of JSW MG Motor India, said demand for electrics remains encouraging and buyers will opt for the greens as more models get launched and affordability increases. “The Windsor will certainly invite newer sets of customers to try EVs. Enabling this, we have created a clear channel for smart and unique ownership through the BaaS program, and complemented it with additional benefits. With these initiatives, we are addressing the barrier of incremental upfront cost of owning an EV and supporting easy and hassle-free ownership.”
Industry watchers said that while companies get new electric cars, buyers are currently cautious when it comes to purchasing them. While Tata leads the market with a range of products, there has been some weakening of demand in the market.
However, officials say that numbers will pick, especially as more models come into the market with new features and price points.
The battery-as-a-service model (Baas), which is not there in the market so far, tries to avoid loading the hefty price of the battery on the customer, driving in affordability.
The move by MG, which wants 50% of its sales from electrics such as ZS SUV and Comet mini, comes at a time when segment leader Tata Motors is going strong with new products and aggressive pricing and others such as Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, and Mahindra & Mahindra are planning a flurry of green cars. Tata had on Tuesday announced cuts of as much as Rs 3 lakh on the Nexon EV, and Rs 1.2 lakh on the Punch zero-emission version.
Parth Jindal, director of JSW group (which has partnered MG’s Chinese parent SAIC for a JV in India), said the company wants to focus on new-energy vehicles (NEVs) as it moves towards sustainable mobility against the internal combustion engine petrol and diesel cars. “The Windsor is the first car that has come out of the JV and the team has worked very hard in developing and bringing it here… As a crossover utility vehicle, it merges the comfort of a sedan with the expanse of an SUV.”
By lowering the acquisition cost through the battery rental model, JSW MG Motor hopes to attract buyers who are still on the fringes when it comes to adoption of electrics. The Windsor comes with a lifetime battery warranty to the first owner, an assured 60% buyback after 3 years or 45,000kms, and one-year of free charging at public chargers.
Rajeev Chaba, CEO Emeritus of JSW MG Motor India, said demand for electrics remains encouraging and buyers will opt for the greens as more models get launched and affordability increases. “The Windsor will certainly invite newer sets of customers to try EVs. Enabling this, we have created a clear channel for smart and unique ownership through the BaaS program, and complemented it with additional benefits. With these initiatives, we are addressing the barrier of incremental upfront cost of owning an EV and supporting easy and hassle-free ownership.”
Industry watchers said that while companies get new electric cars, buyers are currently cautious when it comes to purchasing them. While Tata leads the market with a range of products, there has been some weakening of demand in the market.
However, officials say that numbers will pick, especially as more models come into the market with new features and price points.
