The new Skoda Affordable Platform under development is targetted at developing markets such as India. The first product based on the new platform to launch in 2021. The platform will underpin volume based segments and to spawn 3 lakh cars per year.
Part of the Volkswagen Group, Skoda had several plans in hand to make the next master move. One such plan included focussing more on the developed markets like USA and China where the company aims to double its sales. This plan includes electrifying its entire portfolio with EV and Hybrid technology. Sighting India as a big opportunity and the need to establish itself in the mass-market, Skoda India even wanted to join hands with Tata Motors which eventually succumbed. With the new-generation products of the Volkswagen Group suffering ill fate due to the high price of its offerings as the MQB platform underpinning them cannot be produced in India right now. In order to compete in the mass market and keep its product’s price in check, Skoda announced the development of an individual platform (Skoda Affordable Platform) that will offer similar qualities to that of the MQB while being affordable enough. Read along to find more about the upcoming Skoda cars.
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Skoda Affordable Platform – How It Concerns You?
The all-new Volkswagen Polo has been launched in the international market for quite some time yet India retains the old model. Much to blame is the new MQB platform that underpins all the new vehicles by the automaker. The platform is flexible enough to support a small hatchback like Polo and can be extended for a full-size SUV like the Audi Q7. The technology available in India at the moment limits the aforementioned automaker to manufacture the MQB platform in India. Last year, Skoda announced that it is developing a low-cost platform specifically for India (Skoda Affordable Platform). While developing a platform requires a considerable investment of both money and time, Skoda plans to enter the mass-market segment to reap the benefits. The upcoming automakers like Kia, MG and PSA are coming to India over the next three years. Skoda’s CEO Bernhard Maler believes that there’s huge potential in the domestic market and that’s the reason behind the launch of new automakers.
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India’s annual car production is projected to hit six-million units by next decade. Such numbers translate to India becoming the third largest auto market in the world by 2020. The mass-market segment is ruled by Maruti Suzuki in India with around 50% share. Skoda aims to target this very segment to increase its market share to 5%. Skoda’s CEO further exclaimed that pricing a car around $5,000 (INR 3.25 lakh) will be difficult keeping in mind the stringent emission and safety norms. The automaker is also investing a considerable amount of $2.46 Billion in EV expansion and self-driving technologies for its global range intended for developed markets. Skoda also aims to double its sales in China with the introduction of two new SUV and refreshing the existing range. The plan to conquer the mass-market segment includes manufacturing over 3 million units annually using the Skoda Affordable Platform. The downside is no new product in the under INR 12 lakh bracket until 2021.
Stay tuned for more info on upcoming Skoda cars.
