Toyota will bring electric vehicles into India in future but….: Vice chairman
Toyota Kirloskar Motor's vice chairman Vikram Kirloskar said that considering the low level of energy sources in India, electric vehicles do not necessarily serve the purpose of reducing carbon emissions.
Vikram Kirloskar, the vice chairman of Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said on Friday that the automaker will bring electric vehicles into India in future, but at the moment it is focusing on hybrid vehicles keeping in mind the objective of meeting holistic carbon reduction.
Speaking to news agency PTI, Kirloskar said “I think the country's objective is to reduce carbon (emission). You have to look at it holistically and (on a) scientific basis and that's what we are doing.” This was in response to Toyota's strategy of focussing on hybrid vehicles at a time when electric vehicles have started gaining traction in the country.
Kirloskar also said that considering the low level of energy sources in India, electric vehicles do not necessarily serve the purpose of reducing carbon emissions.
Citing a study conducted by Nature which measured the end-to-end emission on the basis of the source of power in the country, Kirloskar said, “The only place where as per that (study) the electric car has lower carbon emission than a pure ICE (internal combustion engine) is in the North East where it's hydropower. Nowhere else does it reduce carbon,” PTI further reported.
On being asked if this meant that Toyota will not bring Electric Vehicles into the country in near future, Kirloskar said "If it reduces the carbon content, if the renewable electricity in India starts getting at least more than 50-60 per cent and certainly it will be all electric...we may bring earlier also."
The top Toyota official pointed out that the automaker is “focusing a lot on sustainability”.
Vikram Kirloskar's comments come as Toyota launched the Innova HyCross in India on Friday. The HyCross is the new hybrid version of Toyota's Innova.
It comes with a self-charging strong hybrid electric system with a 2-litre petrol engine along with an e-drive sequential shift system. The HyCross will also be available with an option of a 2-litre engine mated to an automatic transmission.
A few features of this newly unveiled car include a 7-inch digital driver display, a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a sunroof etc.
The bookings of HyCross began on Friday and the car will be available at dealerships in the middle of January next year.
(With PTI inputs)