3 New Car Brands Entering India: All You Need To Know
India is an automotive market with high potential and rapid growth rate. Many global brands are now preparing to enter the Indian market. More interestingly, a new Indian automotive brand is also preparing to start its operations here. A slew of new and interesting models are waiting to be introduced in our market. Here is a closer look…
JSW Group is setting up its own independent automotive vertical under the name ‘JSW Motors’. Instead of building everything from scratch, this company will initially sell rebranded versions of various Chery models, brought as CKD (Completely Knocked Down) kits.
These will include some globally renowned models. These are expected to come with India-specific changes and JSW badging. Eventually, JSW will increase localisation in production. JSW plans to launch three products in the initial phase- the Jetour T2, iCaur V23, and Jaecoo J5.
The first launch from JSW Motors is expected to be a badge-engineered Jetour T2. Jetour is a Chinese automotive company that is currently owned by Chery Automobile. The T2 is a rugged SUV which is already on sale in several international markets. Test mules have been spied multiple times, showing the project to be well on track.
The Jetour T2 has a bold, boxy design- something which would remind many of the Land Rover Defender. The cabin would feel modern and technology-packed. The equipment array will include ventilated seats, wireless charger, 10.25-inch fully digital instrument cluster, panoramic sunroof, level 2 ADAS, and more. The vehicle will also come with a 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system that comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Now, the powertrain department. This is where things get even more interesting. Globally, the T2 is offered with three powertrains- two turbo-petrols and a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). Just the PHEV will be brought to the Indian shores. Called the T2 i-DM, this variant will have a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine at its heart. It will be mated to two electric motors and a 26.7 kWh LFP battery pack (which is likely to deliver an electric-only range of 100 km per charge).
Together with a 3-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT), this setup will deliver a combined system output of around 378hp and 610Nm. This will also be an off-road capable SUV. When launched, the T2 will compete primarily with the Toyota Fortuner. Market launch is expected around the festive season this year.
Another launch expected from JSW is the iCaur V23. iCaur is also a sub-brand of Chery. The V23 will not, however, be a premium product. It will have a rugged, off-road-ready design. Higher variants are expected to ride on 21-inch wheels. It will possibly rival the production forms of the Mahindra Vision T and Vision SXT.
Inside, the V23 will have features like a 15.4-inch touchscreen, automatic climate control, panoramic sunroof, ventilated and powered seats and more.
Two battery options are likely to be offered on this product- 59.93 kWh and 81.76 kWh. The lower variants will come with rear-wheel drive (RWD) while the higher ones would have All Wheel Drive. The smaller battery, together with the RWD setup will deliver a range of around 401 km. The larger battery would offer around 510km per charge. The AWD variants will have 211hp and 292Nm on offer. These will have a top speed of 140kph and will do the 0-100 kph sprint in 7.5 seconds.
Another product that we expect JSW to launch in India in the near term is the Jaecoo J5. This will be a fast, premium mid-size e-SUV. Its styling would remind you of Range Rover models. It will ride on 18-inch wheels and have all-LED lighting. Like the other two products, the J5 will also have a modern, feature-heavy cabin. It will have features like a 14.8-inch vertically oriented touchscreen, 540-degree camera, level 2 ADAS, panoramic sunroof, powered and ventilated front seats, and several other features.
The J5 will likely have a 60.9 kWh battery pack and an electric motor that sits at the front. It will make 210 hp and 288 Nm. This vehicle will be able to do the 0-100 sprint in 7.3 seconds. That, if you see, is slightly faster than the Creta Electric. The J5 will have an NEDC range of 461km per charge. It will support charging speeds of up to 130kW.
After a long period of careful evaluation, Hyundai has decided to bring its global luxury brand- Genesis- to the Indian shores. The market entry will likely happen around 2027. Initially, Genesis will focus on premium SUVs. The GV80 is expected to be the first product. The coupe has already been trademarked in the country and will be brought in as CKD (Completely Knocked Down) units.
The GV80 is a good-looking SUV and will come with a tech-heavy cabin. It is offered with multiple engine options in international markets- 2.5-litre turbo-petrol, a 3.5-litre turbo-petrol, and a supercharged version with a 48V setup. Which of these would be brought to India remains unclear. When launched, the GV80 will compete with the likes of Mercedes GLE, BMW X5, and Audi Q7, Volvo XC90 and other such SUVs.
Stellantis, the company that owns brands like Jeep and Citroen, is now preparing to launch an electric vehicle brand in India- Leapmotor. Leapmotor is a Chinese carmaker, and the joint venture with Stellantis allows the Jeep parent to sell its EVs in markets like India. Initially, Leapmotor EVs will be brought as CKD imports. Localisation may increase based on market demand. Three electric models are expected to be introduced in India- T03, C10 and B10.
The T03 will be an affordable EV targetted at electric hatchbacks like Tata Tiago.EV and MG Comet EV. The T03 will come feature-packed; it will have touchscreen infotainment system, sunroof, level 2 ADAS and more.
Two battery sizes- 31.9 kWh and 41.3 kWh- are on offer in international markets. These have claimed range figures of 310km and 403 km respectively. These make it ideal for urban usage.
The C10 will be a mid-size e-SUV. When launched, it will compete with models like the Creta EV, Vinfast VF6, MG Windsor EV, Mahindra BE6 and more. In May last year, the C10 got an update in China. The cabin will have a modern-yet-minimalist design. The equipment array will have a 14.6-inch touchscreen, 12-speaker audio, and several other features.
Underpinning the C10 is an 800V high-voltage architecture. The new SUV comes with a 74.9 kWh battery pack with a CLTC range of 605km per charge. The charging speed has also gone up- 30-80 percent can be replenished in around 16 minutes on the new car. The C10 has a 295 hp electric motor that makes it sprint to 100 kph from 0 in just 5.9 seconds. A PHEV version is also on sale abroad. It is unclear if this would also be brought to India.
The B10 is the second mid-size SUV expected from Leapmotor. It will have a good-looking design and a feature-rich cabin. It will have features like powered seats, 12-speaker audio, 15W wireless phone chargers, 360-degree camera, and other features. The B10 is based on the Leap 3.5 modular platform. This is an 800V high-voltage architecture. Two battery packs are likely to be offered- 56.2 kWh and 67.1 kWh. The smaller unit will have a claimed range of 510 km while the other will have 600km.