Stellantis is preparing to make India its main electric vehicle (EV) export hub in Southeast Asia. After the nation’s government passed a new EV policy, India is slowly becoming one of the ideal countries to produce and export EVs.
Stellantis recently launched EV exports from India with the Citroen brand. The automaker exported 500 units of its Citroen eC3 EV to Indonesia, and it isn’t stopping there.
According to the CEO and MD of Stellantis India, Aditya Jairaj, the company aims to become the first multinational OEM to export EVs from the company. Stellantis’ goal is part of its “Make in India” Initiative.
Aditya shared that the company has plans to export EVs to other markets, including Nepal and Bhutan. It specifically wants to explore exporting the Citroen eC3 to other Southeast Asian countries.
The CEO of Stellantis India shared that Stellantis has already exported the C3 to Africa and the C3 Aircross to Malaysia and Indonesia. It also exported some Jeep vehicles from India to Japan. The company is considering exporting Jeep vehicles from India to other Southeast Asian markets and Africa.
Stellantis might be a step ahead of its competitors when it comes to India. Tesla has been trying to enter the Indian EV market for years with no success until this year. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is scheduled to visit India this month. He is expected to talk with Prime Minister Narendra Modi about Tesla’s plans to invest $2 billion in India. According to rumors, Tesla will build a factory in India.
Tesla isn’t the only company with eyes and ears in India. Long-time Tesla supplier Panasonic Energy is discussing a potential joint venture with Indian Oil to produce batteries in India. The Japanese battery supplier will conduct feasibility studies in India to explore potential applications for battery technologies in the Indian market.
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