Based on the interaction conducted by Arpit Mahendra.In 2022, the Indian automobile industry tape-recorded its highest ever domestic sales by offering 37.93 lakh units, a gain of 23.1 percent over 2021.

Producers such as Tata Motors (58.2 percent), Toyota Kirloskar Motors (22.6 percent) and Kia India (40.2 percent) were among the top gainers but they were surprisingly left behind on pure development portion terms by Skoda Auto Volkswagen Group that leapt ahead, recording a growth of 86 percent and 125 percent for the Skoda brand separately.

TOI Auto just recently contacted Piyush Arora, Managing Director and CEO, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited, to enquire how this development was achieved on the back of Skoda and VWs INDIA 2.0 vehicles, what is their long-lasting strategy and if cost effective EV is on the cards to continue with the momentum.

Of course, we also asked him about the return of the Polo! Heres what he needed to say.

Arora validated to TOI Auto that 2022 remained in fact an excellent year for the group as they ended the year with a 4 percent market share in December and 3 percent for the whole year.

Overall the group offered a total of 1,34,667 cars and trucks out of which 1,01,270 were for the domestic market and 33,397 were for export.

It is essential to keep in mind that when we discuss the group, all brands consisting of Skoda, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini are being accounted for.

Addressing this rate, Arora decently stated, I do think that 2023 for us would be the year where we wish to more expand our market and inch towards our aspiration of getting closer to 5 percent market share by 2025.

Arora was happy about the remarkable development posted by luxury brands Audi, Lamborghini and Porsche.

He expects these brand names to continue growing at double-digit rates and long-lasting plans will be assisted by the truth that both Audi and Porsche now have electric designs on sale in India and have already got an excellent reception from the market.Mr.

Piyush Arora, Managing Director and CEO of SÌŒKODA AUTO Volkswagen India Private Limited.However, the groups high-end brands still represent a smaller sized share of total volumes.

That implies the hefty muscle work of volumes was put in by the brand-new models introduced by Skoda and Volkswagen.

I believe 2022 for us was a year of brand-new launches and we now have 20 plus products, across the brand names, Arora added.The portfolio in between Skoda and Volkswagen started growing in 2021, when the group revealed its INDIA 2.0 method and generated the Volkswagen Taigun and the Skoda Kushaq into the mid-size SUV segment.

Both products received positive reactions from the masses and for the second instalment, the group released the Skoda Slavia and the Volkswagen Virtus premium sedans into the country.

Deemed an unreasonable step by some at the time, the investment in sedans seems to have paid off and the numbers show it.VW Taigun and Skoda Kushaq released in 2021While Arora praised the car manufacturers MQB A0-IN platform for its versatility and how it was important in bringing back the spotlight on the VW and Skoda brand names we might not assist however ask if the platform will be utilized to establish a hatchback.

The death of the Volkswagen Polo has actually definitely left a big hole in the hearts of lovers in the country.

To this, Arora said, If you see, today in India, the hatchback section is one which is losing its sheen to the SUV body style.

Even in the lower-end sections, customer choices are moving more in the SUV direction.

We believe that this pattern is not simply a fad however it will continue to stay that way.So having said this, having examined what locations we wish to concentrate on, the SUV, notchback and sedan section is where we see development capacity.

While we keep examining the possibilities and our platforms flexibility provides us a chance in future to look at other choices too, today idea procedure and focus are extremely clearly on the SUV body styling and the sedan body styling.

On that dreadful disappointment, we steered the discussion with Arora, towards cleaner mobility.VW Virtus and Skoda Slavia introduced in 2022Of late, major makers in the nation have set their sights on releasing budget friendly Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid lorries offering high-efficiency.

Without any budget-friendly hybrid or EV vehicles on sale or perhaps in medium-term strategies, are we seeing a circumstance where the group has actually been left behind by its rivals in the location of mass-market electric vehicles?Arora fasted to clarify that first off they havent been left behind and that the Volkswagen Group has actually zeroed in on electrification and artificial fuels as the right direction globally.

This is based upon the belief that while cars will end up being cleaner, ICE engines will continue to have an existence for at least two more years and synthetic fuels can help keep them running efficiently.

From a worldwide perspective, an inexpensive EV for the masses is a vehicle that costs under 20,000 euros (Rs 17.77 lakhs roughly) from the groups point of view.

BEVs are a focus for the group in European markets at present and would perhaps migrate to other markets eventually, India being one of them.

While he did not disclose a strong timeline, he guaranteed some action would be taken throughout the early 2nd half of this years.

While Arora didnt offer any further timeline details we expect the planned timeline for a cost effective Made in India EV to be in between late 2026 to mid 2027.

An EV with a 350 km WLTP range and above appears to strike the sweet area.

All these elements, consisting of the current infrastructure in India, is what we are examining at this moment in time, to decide when we actually want to enter into the marketplace.

While the development rate is quickly, it still stays between 1 or 2 percent, so there is still 98-99 percent of the Indian market which we want to, I would say, take advantage of at this moment of time.

However, when asked what the perfect VW/Skoda BEV for India might look like.

Arora told TOI Auto that an EV with a 350 km WLTP variety and above appears to strike the sweet spot.

He stated, I believe that these are the products which would stay appropriate in the market and I believe we have to focus on something comparable and even better than that.

Driving Volkswagen Taigun on an Airfield!|TOI AutoSpeaking on the groups global expansion method, Arora confirmed that in 2023, the Skoda brand will enter Vietnam with a partner.

Vehicles such as the Kodiaq, Karoq, Octavia and Superb will be imported into Vietnam from Europe.

There is excellent news for India in Skodas South Asian expansion.

Towards completion of 2024, INDIA 2.0 designs such as the Kushaq and Slavia might also start getting exported to Vietnam.

In addition, other markets will be explored for the INDIA 2.0 models later on, contributing to the export business.Combined with the Volkswagen Groups current INDIA 2.0 technique, could the export expansion assistance Skoda and the group maintain its lead and protected double-digit growth? Tell us what you believe in the remarks.