We Want To Be The Most Trusted Auto Brand In The Country: Tarun Garg, Hyundai India

Hyundai Motor India launched the much anticipated Hyundai Ioniq 5 in India at Auto Expo Motor Show 2023 at Rs. 44.95 lakh (ex-showroom). Ioniq 5 is the company’s first model to be offered on dedicated BEV platform E-GMP (Electric Global Modular Platform) and offers a claimed range of 631 km per full charge. The electric SUV supports ultrafast charging that can charge the car’s 72.6 kWh battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 18 minutes with a 350 kW DC charger and in 21 minutes with a 150 kW DC charger. 

Our Editorial Lead, Utkarsh Agarwal spoke to Tarun Garg, Chief Operating Officer of Hyundai Motor India at the Auto Expo, read the excerpt below:-

Q. What's the mission of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 launched here at the Auto Expo Motor Show 2023?

A. We believe that with the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the landscape of the electric vehicle market in India will change because this is much more than a car, this is basically your living room, this is your living space. And if you see the seating options in this car, it has a flat floor which makes maneuverability so easy. The E-GMP platform means the space is much more. It has 60+ connected features with Level 2 ADAS 21 safety features. It has a 631 km range and can be charged in 21 minutes from 0 to 80 per cent with a 150 kW DC charger. So what I'm trying to say is, this is a huge statement which Hyundai has made with the Ioniq 5 and we believe that going forward, it will really expedite the electrification in the Indian automotive industry.

Q. At the Auto Expo, we are seeing many OEMs unveiling AFVs (Alternative Fuel Vehicles). Is Hyundai also planning something similar in future?

Look, of course, Ioniq 5 has been launched and we already have Petrol, CNG in Hyundai Nios and Aura, Diesel in SUVs, we have turbo, so, we have a lot of power trains. And of course, as you know, as far as Hyundai Motor Company is concerned, we have all the technologies in the world but we have to see what the country's infrastructure is and what it wants. As far as we get the indication, the Indian government is very clearly supporting EVs whether it is through GST, the various taxation structures of the various states in terms of registration charges, so the direction appears to be BEVs. So, we are also focusing primarily on BEVs, but going forward in case the situation demands we can always launch, whether it is hybrid or other powertrain options as well. 

Q. Hyundai is one of the leaders in the segment. So, What do you think the future belongs to- Electric mobility, Hybrid or Alternative Fuel Vehicles?

I'm not an astrologer but I can say that the direction appears to be towards electric vehicles, and we are investing into that. At the same time, I think that the transition is not going to happen in a day, it will be a gradual shift. So, we will have a Petrol, Diesel and CNG for a long time.Even the Government of India's most optimistic estimate suggests that by 2030, 30 per cent of the market will be electric. Some experts say it may be around 15 per cent. We believe that yes, it should be in the range of about 20 to 30 per cent. So, I think there will be a lot of overlapping between the IC engines and electric vehicles. But yes, the direction is very right.

Q. What are the company's plans for the year ahead?

This is the first month and we have already launched a facelift version of the Nios, we have the Aura, we have the Ioniq 5. And of course, you're going to see some exciting launches in the balance part of the year as well. At the same time, the most important thing is to be the most trusted brand in the country. We want to be the most trusted auto brand in the country and all our actions are towards that. So whether it is new products, new technologies, the automatics, the kind of technologies to make the customer life easy. Today in the stall also you can see the My Hyundai app, a single app which can do so many things. The whole idea is how do I make my customer happy, How do I bring happiness into his life, a global vision of progress for humanity, I think that is what drives us and that is what we will continue to do to make more and more fans of India.

Q. The government will be presenting the budget in the coming few days. So, what are your expectations from the budget?

I am a firm believer that whatever is good for the country, whatever is good for the citizens will be good for the auto industry. The auto industry thrives on good disposable income, happiness, sentiment. So, as long as the budget is good for the country, it will be good for us. As far as specific demands are concerned SIAM takes care of that and they are our representative and I'm sure they will be in talks with the government to see how we can make sure that the auto industry contributes more and more to the economy of the country.