PSA Peugeot Citroen is yet to enter the Indian automobile market, for which the company had earlier announced a 2021 date. Building on this, the French carmaker has now confirmed that it will be rolling out its electric vehicle (EV) offerings with its debut.
Along with this confirmation on February 26 at PSA¡¯s annual results event, it was clarified that the brand will be entering the Indian market with its Citroen range, preferring it over the more renowned Peugeot.??
The one electric car in Citroen¡¯s range is the C-Zero, capable of running up to 150 km on a single charge and gaining a top speed of 130 km/h. Other electric cars by the firm belong to the DS Automobiles and Peugeot brands.
Citroen
Also read:?Mahindra Solves Range Anxiety By Giving XUV 300 Electric Ability To Run For 400 Kms On A Charge
As of now, Citroen makes mini and premium hatchbacks, sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and vans. So, there is no sedan in the company¡¯s portfolio. For India, however, the carmaker is expected to come up with a new range of products, in addition to its international range of course, through its locally situated vehicle and powertrain factories.
Carlos Tavares, Chairman of the board, PSA Peugeot Citroen said ¡°We have a full-fledged vehicle and powertrain factory in India. There will be a disruptive family of products in India that will be of an international product range.¡±
The parent company PSA has been focussing upon electrifying its vehicle line-up for a long time now. The company aims to have 50 percent of its offerings as electric by 2021, eventually electrifying its entire line-up by 2025. In addition, PSA has also invested in a modern vehicle platform under the name of Common Modular Platform (CMP) which is supposed to help in the manufacturing of both the fossil fuel as well as the electric cars of a particular model.
Citroen
Also read:?Patent Images Of India-Bound Renault Kwid Electric Are Here, Promises 250 Km Range
However, PSA is not the only firm to follow its debut with an EV offering soon. China-based SAIC is also gearing up to bring its MG Motors division in the Indian market with two SUVs, latter of which will be all-electric and will compete with Hyundai¡¯s Kona at around the same price point.
The following couple of years will see the Indian market embrace a host of EVs, as almost all the automakers are bringing their electric offerings. Maruti Suzuki recently showcased its all-electric WagonR at the 2019 India Future Mobility Show. While it looks nothing like the petrol variant of the car, the company might go for a different version for India, basing it upon the recently launched 2019 WagonR.