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Following Honda, Maruti Suzuki and Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Renault, Nissan, Volkswagen, and Skoda showrooms in India to also have hybrid cars
Volkswagen Group is considering to capitalise on the rising demand for hybrid cars in India. The company is likely to launch its first hybrid model in our market by 2028. Amid the slowdown in EV adoption in Western markets, hybrid car sales are soaring, pushing companies like Volkswagen Group which were gung-ho about zero-emission models to rethink their electrification strategy. Like in many other international markets, the company is planning to launch hybrid cars in India.
According to a report from Autocar India, Volkswagen Group is developing an ‘India Main Platform,’ a derivative of the Compact Main Platform (CMP). Initially called ‘China Main Platform,’ CMP is a multi-energy and has been confirmed to spawn both EVs and plug-in hybrids in China. Thus, the company should have no technical problem utilising it for full-hybrid hybrid and ICE cars as well.
The report does not say which car will be the first locally manufactured, mass-market hybrid model from Volkswagen Group. However, it would be anyone’s guess the maiden HEV to be the successor to one of the four India 2.0 models, which haven’t been received as well by Indians as the company expected.
Also Read: Upcoming Skoda & Volkswagen Cars In India – Kushaq Facelift To VW Tayron
Volkswagen Group launched the Skoda Kushaq and VW Taigun as the first two India 2.0 models in 2021, so the clock is already ticking for a mid-life facelift and that revision is expected by early 2026 in both cases. That said, a two-year or even shorter lifecycle for the facelifted versions seems a little surprising.
The next-gen models of the Skoda Slavia and VW Virtus, which were launched in 2022 and don’t sell as much as their respective SUV counterparts, should arrive a year later. In the distant future, Volkswagen Group may leverage IMP to launch locally manufactured 7-seat SUVs from Skoda and Volkswagen brands, available both in ICE and hybrid variants.
Also Read: India’s Largest Volkswagen Golf GTI Delivery – 25 Units In A Single Day
There have been rumours of a Hyundai Alcazar rival in the past, with the Skoda version holding the potential to revive the Yeti nameplate. Skoda CEO Klaus Zellmer is a big fan of the Yeti and has said that the company could bring it back to India.
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