Mercedes Benz to launch electric SUV EQC in April

German luxury carmaker Mercedes Benz will kick off its EV journey in India with the launch of the electric SUV EQC model in April, as it mulls more such products to be introduced here. The company is analyzing which electric vehicle could be launched in India out of the ten electric vehicles (EVs) that it is planning to launch globally in the next two years. It is also considering the local assembly of some models.

"We are introducing the EQC in the (Indian) market. We are quite bullish on this segment. What we see today is a GST advantage in selling fully electric vehicles," Mercedes-Benz Cars Head overseas region Matthias Luehrs told reporters here on the sidelines of Auto Expo. The company, therefore, sees the government support in the strategy of electrification into the Indian market. "We are building on that. Our strategy is to evolve towards this segment in the future."

The goods and services tax (GST) subvention is a clear sign of the government's support for EVs, he added. When asked if the company would continue to fully import EVs to India, he said: "At the moment, yes".

He, however, added that the company's research and development unit in Germany had the plan to introduce ten different EVs worldwide in the next couple of years. "Obviously, we are also studying and always analyzing what kind of cars we could possibly bring at a certain stage and also manufacture locally. We have not determined which one or if (the company with the go ahead with it)," Luehr said.

As the company has done in the past with internal combustion engine vehicles, it will assess the viability of local assembly for EVs in the same manner, he asserted. At present, Mercedes Benz locally assembles nine models at its plant in Pune. These comprise Maybach S 560, S-Class, E-Class Long Wheelbase, C-Class, CLA luxury sedans and the GLA, GLE and the GLS luxury SUVs.