Nissan is planning to launch an entry- level electric vehicle for the Indian market. This development was announced during the launch of the Nissan Leaf, in Bhutan, in collaboration with local firm Thunder Motors.
The company has begun a feasibility study in India and till now the response has been positive for this vehicle. The Leaf enjoys 95 per cent satisfaction level among users in markets where it is sold and can be a very good competition to the homemade Mahindra e2o which is priced at Rs 5 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai). Nissan is co-developing a new electric vehicle with Thunder Motors that will also be sold in Bhutan. The Leaf is priced at around Rs 18 lakh in Bhutan, and the new upcoming EV is expected to be cheaper by almost 50 per cent.
“We will also use the opportunity of supplying the Nissan Leaf and our quick chargers to Bhutan to demonstrate how our electric vehicle business can be scaled in emerging markets that are rich in clean-energy,” said Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn.
On the Indian prospects he said, “We see a huge opportunity in India”.
It will be very interesting to see how the consumers in India will perceive this new electric vehicle. When it comes to overall sales, Nissan is doing average and with the reviving of its Datsun brand, the company is trying to win many customers who are looking for an affordable hatchback. But as the EV market grows in India, Nissan might benefit from its early entry after Mahindra.
