“Even I Can’t Afford Your Car”: Nitin Gadkari To Mercedes-Benz
On Friday, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari requested that German luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz create more vehicles domestically, emphasising that doing so will lower costs while also improving affordability. Gadkari, the Minister for Road Transport and Highways, stated that there is a sizable market for electric vehicles in the nation while speaking during the unveiling of Mercedes-Benz India’s first locally produced EQS 580 4MATIC EV from its Chakan production facility in Pune.
“You increase the production, only then it is possible to reduce cost. We are middle-class people, even I can’t afford your car,” the minister said. The most recent electric vehicle from the German automaker costs 1.55 crore.
The most recent electric vehicle from the German automaker costs 1.55 crore. The company’s EQC SUV and AMG EQS53 4MATIC flagship EV are joined by the EQS 580.
With the release of its fully imported all-electric SUV EQC in October 2020, Mercedes-Benz India began its electro-mobility crusade in India. The SUV is priced at 1.07 crore. According to Mr. Gadkari, there are currently 15.7 lakh registered electric vehicles in the nation.
According to him, there is a sizable market for electric vehicles, with overall sales increasing by 335%, and Mercedes-Benz India will have a healthy demand for these vehicles when express motorways are built throughout the nation.
The current size of the Indian automobile industry is 7.8 lakh crore, with exports amounting to 3.5 lakh crore, and he stated that his ambition was to grow it to a 15 lakh crore business.
Additionally, Mr. Gadkari suggested that Mercedes-Benz form collaborative ventures to develop auto recycling facilities, which would enable the company to cut the cost of its parts by up to 30%.
“We have 1.02 crore vehicles ready for scrap, according to our records. There are just 40 of us. I think we could set up four scrapping facilities in one district. We can easily open 2,000 of these units “added he.
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