Bharat Mobility Expo 2025: What to expect
The fast-approaching Bharat Mobility Summit 2025 aims to create a more holistic trade fair that focuses on emerging technologies, components, supply chain optimisation and of course, new cars. Effectively,the Bharat Mobility Expo aims to bring under one umbrella, all major mobility expos in the country, which includes the most popular one – the Auto Expo.
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The upcoming Auto Expo, scheduled to take place from the 17th of January to the 22nd of January, 2025 is set to showcase a record number of electric vehicles, all of which are scheduled for launch later in the year. While there will be other powertrains including self-charging and plug-in hybrids on display, taking centre stage will be these EVs.
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Maruti Suzuki e-Vitara
Possibly the most anticipated vehicle at the upcoming Auto Expo is the Maruti Suzuki e-Vitara. Built on the brand’s HEARTECT-e platform, it marks Maruti Suzuki’s much-awaited debut in the EV space. The e-Vitara’s is expected to begin in 2025 at the brand’s first electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Gujarat. With battery options ranging between 41kWh and 61kWh, the e-Vitara is designed to cater to both EV and off-roading enthusiasts, the latter having the option to go for an all-wheel drive “AllGrip-e system" that promises to be revolutionary.
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The 49 kWh battery provides 142 bhp and 189 Nm of torque in the 2WD model, while the larger 61 kWh battery increases output to 172 bhp in the 2WD variant and delivers up to 300 Nm of torque in the 4WD version. With its price range expected to be between ₹20 lakh – ₹28 lakh, the e-Vitara will be among the more premium models offered by Maruti Suzuki.
Hyundai Creta EV
The Maruti Suzuki e-Vitara has some serious competition when it comes tocompact SUVs turned-EVs.The Creta EV, which is also expected to be priced around the ₹20 lakh mark, will be making its debut alongside the e-Vitara. Not much is known about the vehicle’s powertrain except that it’s expected to get a battery pack ranging between 50-60 kWh.
Visually, the EV will be based on the existing facelifted Creta, with a few design tweaks including a split headlamp setup, redesigned front and rear bumpers, LED light bars at both ends, and a closed-off grille.
Inside, it will offer amenities like a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, an ADAS suite, dual 10.25-inch displays, and a wireless phone charger. Although it will rival the likes of the Tata Curvv EV and the e-Vitara, the Creta EV isn’t based on a born-electric platform and instead will be based on the existing ICE Creta, featuring an updated model of the K2 platform.
Tata Sierra EV
The Tata Sierra EV was showcased at the 2023 Auto Expo but this time we will likely see a production-ready version of both the EV and the ICE models, both of which are set to be launched later in 2025. Playing the nostalgia card, the Tata Sierra features design cues from the original 90s SUV.
The Sierra EV is likely to be built on the brand's Acti.EV architecture, essentially Tata's Gen2 EV platform, which also underpins the Punch EV and Curvv EV. Although not officially confirmed, the Sierra EV might feature a dual-motor setup, similar to the one in the Harrier EV, enabling all-wheel-drive capability.
BYD Seagull
Affordable-yet-feature packed is a combination that has always worked with the Indian market. The most affordable model from Chinese EV giant BYD does garner considerable interest. Especially given the brand’s penchant for delivering more for less. With an expected price tag of ₹10 lakh, the Seagull has the potential for being a gamechanger.
However, it is expected to be launched in limited numbers, as is the case with all BYD cars. The compact and sporty Seagull will feature battery options ranging from 30 kWh to 38 kWh, offering competitive range and efficiency. With a range surpassing the segment average of 337.5 km, it is set to outpace its rivals.
The entire Vinfast brigade
It’s like the entire Fast and Furious franchise as far as Vinfast’s nomenclature is concerned, except they’re all silent. VInfast hasn’t had the most lucrative run in the past and its lack of brand equity could prove to be a challenge for the brand-conscious Indian market. The Vietnamese EV brand, which is in talks with the Adani Group for a JV. Although it’s the VF e34 that’s expected to launch first, VinFast is going all out and showcasing its entire range which includes the VF6, VF7, VF8 and the VF9 - the whole franchise, as it were.
The most promising model, of course, is the VF e34 which is a Nexon-rivalling crossover that has been spotted being tested in the country. Although there’s no confirmation regarding the VF e34’s presence at the expo – it is the model whose production VinFast intends to localise while importing the battery from Indonesia.
JSW MG Bingo
A badge-engineered derivative of the Wuling Bingo, the JSW MG Bingo is yet-another-addition to the compact EV hatch/sub-compact SUV space that appears to be heating up. With MG’s highly successful subscription plans, the MG Bingo could provide the perfect balance between the ultra compact Comet and the larger, more expensive Windsor.
Built on the same platform as the MG Comet EV, the Bingo is an electric vehicle available with 31.9 kWh and 37.9 kWh battery options. These variants offer a claimed range of up to 333 km and 410 km on a single charge, respectively, powered by an electric motor.
Kia Sonet EV
The buzz on the street is that Kia will be showcasing an electrified version of the Sonet EV at the upcoming Auto Expo. With several spy shots of a camouflaged sub-compact SUV from Kia doing the rounds on the internet, we could be looking at Kia’s most affordable EV offering in the country yet.
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The brand has thus far stuck to the more premium end of the market but the Sonet EV will directly compete with the Tata Punch EV. However, the advantage lies with the Punch as it is based on a more streamlined, EV friendly Acti.ev platform, so the Sonet would have to not only be more feature-packed, it would also need to have a sub 400 km range.
(Parth Charan is an independent automotive journalist and writer who has written on cars, motorcycles and the automotive industry for the past 12 years. He lives in Mumbai.)
Check out Upcoming EV Cars in India, Upcoming EV Bikes in India.