Skoda to enter EV space in India next fiscal

Pune: The Volkswagen-owned Czech premium automaker Skoda Auto’s India brand head, Petr Solc, said that the group is planning to introduce its Enyaq electric SUV in the next fiscal in the Indian market, with the group’s focus also lying in introducing other models and refreshing existing ones.In a virtual roundtable, Solc said that the Enyaq, which was introduced in Skoda’s European markets, will initially be imported.“We will initially bring the Enyaq to India as fully built units. Once we test the demand for EVs in the Indian market and evaluate it, we can consider localising the manufacturing process of the Enyaq in India as well,” Solc said. Skoda, along with Volkswagen, runs two plants in India, at Chakan on the outskirts of Pune, as well as in Aurangabad. During the interaction, he also claimed that all of Skoda’s India stable is ready for Bharat Stage-VI emission norms, as well as safety norms being notified, such as the requirement of six airbags for cars, to apply from October 2023. Solc also added that it will continue its policy to refresh existing models in the stable, such as the Kodiaq. He also denied reports that the company is planning to discontinue the production of its Octavia and Superb models.