Two new EV brands set to drive in – OXBIG NEWS NETWORK-OxBig News Network

American electric car giant Tesla has been keeping everyone guessing on its India entry for years now. The speculation has gone up further after the recently announced EV policy by the Union Government which, among other things, has drastically cut down duties on imported cars, provided the manufacturer invests a certain amount of funds in India. However, two other electric carmakers have confirmed their India debut and that too this year itself. These are Vinfast from Vietnam and Leapmotor from China.

Vinfast, from Vietnam

Vietnam’s biggest carmaker may not be a legacy brand as it was founded only as recently as 2017, but it is spreading its wings far and wide. It now operates in some of the biggest markets in the world, including United States, China as well as the Middle East, and is set to enter the Indian market bang in the middle of the festive season later this year.

The brand, which first began by selling luxury petrol-driven cars, quickly shifted focus and now sells only electric cars, apart from electric two-wheelers as well as electric buses.

In early 2024, Vinfast broke ground on its vehicle manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu with a planned initial investment of $500 million over the first five years, and an eventual overall investment of up to $2 billion. The plant, once fully operational, is estimated to have an annual production capacity of 1.5 lakh vehicles. It will first begin by assembling completely knocked-down kits at this facility before manufacturing locally.

New mid-range cars

Earlier this year, the brand, in a special preview, showcased its entire range at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo. The smallest of these cars was the VF3, going all the way to the flagship premium SUV — VF9. However, the two cars which gained maximum attention during the show, as these will be first launched in India, were the VF6 and VF7. Sitting right in the middle of the range, the VF6 and VF7 will enter an already competitive market, and will face stiff competition from some established rivals.

The VF6 is the smaller of the two, sitting at just over 4 metres in length. This means its direct rivals will be cars like Hyundai Creta EV and Mahindra XUV400, if compared in terms of dimensions, but more importantly it will come with a bigger battery pack that will bring it at par with larger SUVs like Mahindra BE6 and Tata Harrier EV.

The front-wheel drive SUV is coming with just one (59.6 kWh) battery pack option to India, which has a claimed WLTP range of 380 km on a single charge.

The five-seater SUVs get an electric driver’s seat with ventilation, leather-wrapped steering wheel, heads-up display, dual-zone AC as well as an air purifier. The big 12.9-inch touchscreen is angled towards the driver for a cockpit-like feel. A conventional instrument cluster behind the steering is missing, while the bigger VF7 also gets a panoramic glass roof. Both SUVs get seven airbags as standard along with Level 2 ADAS functions and connected car tech.

The VF7 is around 4.5 metres long, ensuring it has more interior space than the VF6. It comes with a ground clearance of 190 mm and a boot space of 537 litres, attributes that could work in its favour. It has two powertrain options — front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, with the latter churning out a maximum of 350 bhp.

The large 70.8 kWh battery pack comes with a claimed range of over 400 km on a single charge. The SUV is likely to come with a price tag of Rs 25 lakh, with the VF6 being a few lakhs cheaper.

Leapmotor, from China

Another car brand that was first launched roughly at the same time as Vinfast but in China is Leapmotor. The EV startup also has an enhanced range of electric vehicles and will set foot in the Indian market courtesy the Stellantis group, which already sells Jeep and Citroen brands in India.

The joint venture between the two brands is called Leapmotor International, with Stellantis controlling a majority stake and having the rights to sell the brand’s EV outside China.

New launches

T03 and C10 are likely to be first launched in India as these are the models Leapmotor International is focusing on for global sales. The T03 is a small city hatch which is just around 3.5 metres long and comes with a claimed range of 265 km.

The C10, on the other hand, is a mid-sized electric SUV that offers a much longer range in comparison. The brand’s newest model is the B10 compact SUV, which is also ADAS-enabled. Just like Vinfast, Leapmotor is expected to begin India sales during the festive season.

— The writer is associated with carandbike.com