Maruti questions duty hike on imported EVs

Greater Noida, Feb. 5: Maruti Suzuki India on Wednesday questioned the rationale behind the government’s move to hike customs duty on imported electric vehicles, saying it isn’t easy to localise in a short period.

The company, which earlier planned to launch an electric vehicle (EV) based on WagonR this year, is reviewing the decision as it is finding it difficult to

India at the moment.

The eKUV100 uses a 40kW electric motor which sends power to the front wheels. The liquid-cooled battery provides the EV with a claimed 150km range on a single charge, and it can be charged in just 5-hour and 45 minutes on a regular charger, or 55 minutes on a fast charger.

Many automakers also unveiled their new car models at the motor show bring EV to the market at an affordable price.

“I don’t understand, why. Why they are increasing the tax?,” Maruti Suzuki India MD and CEO Kenichi Ayukawa told PTI when asked about the hike in customs duty on imported EVs, as announced in the Budget. He further said, “We have to localise but the point is that it is not easy to localise in shortterm basis.”

to excite the car market. These are the second-generation Mercedes-Benz GLA SUV, Maruti Suzuki Futuro-E, Hyundai Tucson SUV facelift, sportier Hyundai Grand i10 Nios, concept car Le Fil Rouge (HDC-1), the Hyundai Nexo fuel cell EV (FCEVs), Skoda Superb facelift, Skoda Kodiaq BS6, VW Tiguan AllSpace SUV, VW T-Roc SUV, MG Motor’s Marvel X SUV, electric

As per the Budget announcement, import duties on fully imported commercial EVs will go up to 40 per cent from 25 per cent, while that on semi knocked-down electric passenger vehicles will go up to 30 per cent from 15 per cent.

Completely knockeddown units of EVs will attract import duty of 15 per cent, up from 10 per cent earlier. autonomous driving car and MG Motor’s 360M MPV, Tata Sierra EV concept, the Hexa Safari Edition, the HBX microSUV concept, the Gravitas SUV, and the BS6-compliant Harrier, Force Motors’ new off-roader Gurkha.

New Chinese entrants such as Great Wall Motor’s Haval sub-brand, the H9 SUV, Haima Automobile’s Haima E1 EV were also on display.