No plans to bring electric vehicle platform to India in near future: Volkswagen

German automotive major Volkswagen Group on Thursday said it has no plans to bring its MEB platform, the backbone of its global electric vehicle (EV) offensive, to India in the near future as the market is not yet mature and the EV infrastructure is not developed.

The Group said it is observing the developments in the Indian automotive market and will bring its EVs as and when the market is ready.

"We always have an observation on what happens in India. We have a plant in India with our company Skoda. We have combined 'production society' there, where we want to produce combustible cars for India. At the moment, there is no decision taking to bring the MEB to India," VW Brand CEO Ralf Brandstatter told reporters in a video conference.

Asked if the Group would wait for infrastructure to improve in countries like India or if the increasing customer base in bigger car segments is good enough for VW Group to bring its EVs such as the electric car ID.3, he said, "We are observing all countries if they are mature for electro-mobility."

Stating that the group will go there when the market is ready, Brandstatter said, "At the moment, we do not see this market is mature."

These markets need to develop their infrastructure, Brandstatter said adding that in markets like India, e-mobility is still expensive.

He said EV infrastructure development and pricing "need to go close together" but "we are monitoring, when they are ready, we will also go to these markets".

The VW Group is starting the global roll-out of its MEB (modular electric brand) platform with its upcoming ID.4 compact electric sports utility vehicle.

"The (electric car) ID.3 is taking to the road at the moment (in Europe) and will be soon followed by the ID.4. These are the two trailblazers of the new climate friendly mobility. Further model, ID.5 will follow next year," Brandstatter said.

While the world premiere of the ID.4 will be held in a few days, deliveries to customers are scheduled to begin before the end of this year, he said.

"The VW Group plans to produce 26 million EVs by 2029, some 20 million alone based on the MEB platform," Brandstatter said adding by 2024 the group "we will be investing 33 billion (euro) in e-mobility throughout the group".

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