Lexus to launch first EV in India by 2025, set to foray into used car business

Luxury car brand Lexus is planning to launch its first electric vehicle in India by 2025, reports PTI. Known for its self-charging hybrid cars, Lexus is gearing up to roll out its first electric car in India in two years, claims the report quoting Lexus India President Naveen Soni. Currently, the automaker is conducting a market survey before launching its electric car in the country.

Lexus started its business in India six years ago and is still unable to make a strong impact in the country's luxury car segment, where German auto majors like Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi dominate the sales chart. All three German luxury car brands along with other luxury players have already introduced their EV offerings in India. Keeping an eye on that, Lexus too is thinking positively about bringing its EV here.

Watch: 2022 Lexus NX 350h: First drive review

Speaking about the auto company's electric vehicle strategy, Soni noted that Lexus had brought in a few vehicles in 2022 to test them in the diverse climatic conditions in India as well as to get customer feedback. "So we've got very good information about the behaviour pattern in these markets, like summer conditions, testing conditions, desert conditions, all that has gone back to Japan. Hopefully, by 2025 we should have our first EV product coming to this country," he said.

The launch of the pure electric car in India by 2025 will be a part of the brand's strategy to go fully electric globally by 2035. Also, being the luxury car arm of Japanese auto major Toyota, Lexus has been mandated to take the front-runner role within the group in electric technology and India being a key market for the group, this EV would be a key product from the automobile giant.

The automaker is also reportedly gearing up to enter the used car business in India, a segment where luxury carmakers like Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW are already present through their dedicated pre-owned car business wings. The Japanese carmaker, which currently sells its product range through 23 touch points across India, aims to transition some of the sales outlets to also cater to the pre-owned car vertical.

Soni said that the company will initiate the programme in select outlets after taking into account the business viability of the dealer partner. "So I think very soon, by the third quarter or maybe next year beginning, I should say," he stated. The Lexus official also said that the automaker is studying the market very keenly. "For us, the starting point would be cities where there is a sizable vehicle park," he added.