JSW-MG Motor India changed the dynamics of the pricing game with the launch of the Windsor EV earlier this year. The brand introduced a new concept called Battery as a Service or BaaS. We have detailed what it is and you can read all about it on our website.
We recently had the opportunity to interact with Satinder Bajwa, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and he shared insights behind BaaS and the reasons behind introducing this new plan in the Indian market. It comprises five verticals, namely upfront cost, resale value, battery life, charging infrastructure, and range anxiety. But how exactly did BaaS solve these issues and help achieve a lower cost? Let us now take a look at each one of them in detail.
Upfront cost
The BaaS plan has a lower price tag for a particular model as it excludes the cost of the battery. This upfront reduction in the price aids the initial investment required at the time of purchase. That said, the customer does end up paying a rental on the battery, the costs of which depend upon the choice of service provider for the same.
Resale value
The resale value of a car is one significant factor customers consider when purchasing a new car. MG has taken this into consideration and introduced a buyback offer where a customer can return the vehicle after three years of usage and receive 60 per cent of the initial cost of the vehicle in return. It should be noted though that this offer will be applicable provided that the car is serviced at an authorised MG service centre during the entire period of three years.
Battery life
Automakers commonly offer a warranty period of up to eight years or 1.6 lakh kilometres (whichever is earlier), on the battery pack. The folks at Morris Garages have gone one step ahead by offering a lifetime warranty to the first owner of the vehicle. Further, if the ownership is transferred, the warranty does not get cancelled but is reduced in terms of the timeline.
Charging infrastructure
Charging infrastructure is currently expanding at a rapid pace, and even then, it is a challenge for multiple reasons. To solve this to an extent, the eHub by MG application on mobiles takes away a good chunk of those worries. It allows you to access multiple service providers without having the hassle of remembering a password, account details, or even recharging a different app each time you have to plug in for charging. Another benefit on this front is the free charging for one year into the purchase, but it is applicable only via the said app.
Range anxiety
The next and final vertical is range anxiety. Most of the cars today come with a claimed range much higher than the real-life numbers owing to various factors such as location, temperature, speed, regen, and so on. What sets MG apart in this regard is the accuracy of the range predicted on the driver’s display. No, we aren’t saying it is 100% accurate, but it is as close as it gets to the real figure, and this is something I myself can verify after having spent a fair amount of time with the Comet EV, as have my colleagues with the ZS EV too.
