Luxury sports car maker Porsche said on Monday it plans to launch its electric car Taycan in India by the end of May 2020, joining the list of companies driving in EVs to the Indian market.
The company, which on Monday launched all-new version of its compact SUV Macan in India with price starting at Rs 69.98 lakh (ex-showroom), said it expects the overall sales to remain flat for this year.
"We have a global launch (of Taycan) some time in September and, in India, we will see the car in the first four to five months of the next year, in 2020 before end of May," Porsche India Director Pavan Shetty told PTI.
He also welcomed the government's decision to reduce the goods and services tax on electric vehicles (EVs) to 5 per cent from 12 per cent along with slashing tax rates on chargers to 5 per cent from 18 per cent.
"I think it is a positive decision, it goes with our plans of electrification," Shetty said.
Exuding confidence over Taycon, he said, "It is built on an 800-volt architecture, which means that you can charge (batteries to cover 100 km) in just about 4 minutes and it has a range of 500 km."
Porsche India has also tied up with local five-star hotels to offer charging to Porsche customers, he said adding that various steps taken up by the company "should be sufficient to maximising the benefit of Porsche electric cars".
The Taycan will also be fully imported as other Porsche models sold in India.
The Indian car market has witnessed a number of players -- from mass market to luxury makers -- either launching or planning to bring their EVs in the market, amid a government drive to accelerate the electric mobility.
Last month, German luxury car maker Audi had unveiled its e-tron EV SUV in India with plans to launch it by the last quarter of 2019, while BMW is also studying the feasibility of launching its i3 electric car in India.
On the other hand, South Korean auto major Hyundai has introduced its fully electric SUV Kona priced at Rs 25.3 lakh.
In the mass segment, Tata Motors offers its Tigor EV while Mahindra & Mahindra has Verito electric sedan.
When asked about the overall Porsche sales prospects for the year, Shetty said it is expected to be flat. Last year, the company had sold 348 units.
On the newly launched Macan, he said it "has been one of our most successful series in India and with the new generation combining even more pronounced Porsche DNA, greater performance and comfort, I am confident that the success story is sure to continue."
A more powerful version of the model - Macan S - is priced at Rs 85.03 lakh.
The Macan comes with an enhanced two-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 252 hp of power. It can accelerates from 0 to 100 km per hour in 6.5 seconds with an ability to attain top speed of 227 km per hour.
Macan S, on the other hand, is powered by a new V6 engine, which produces 354 hp of power.
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