Martin Jahn, Member of the Board for gross sales and advertising at Skoda, says India is an important marketplace for the corporate, having damaged into the highest three markets for the model globally. The firm shall be coming into the mainstream compact SUV market in 2025, which can assist the model cater to new prospects and convey in additional gross sales.

Jahn instructed Autocar India that electrification is a key pillar of its future development together with India, and the corporate is exploring all choices to get into the mainstream EV market right here.

Q. Skoda CEO Klaus Zellmer has introduced one other section of funding in India. Can you share what this funding goes to ivolve?

Jahn: We are very enthusiastic about our presence within the Indian market. We are dedicated to the expansion in India, and now we have simply introduced our subsequent product – the compact SUV – made in India, for India.

So after the Kushaq and the Slavia, that is going to be our third child, we’re going to a section that’s extraordinarily robust and essential. A compact SUV, the sub-four-metre. We introduced the car is coming within the first half of subsequent yr, and it ought to assist us construct volumes.

Q. The subsequent section of funding is one other billion Euros? It’s clearly going to be electrification, so simply wished to get your ideas on that.

Jahn: Electrification goes to be essential. Enyaq shall be our first car in the marketplace after which we’re exploring the probabilities of what ought to come subsequent.

Q: What are your ideas on the amount EV play in India? Should you do it with a associate?

Jahn: We should convey a quantity EV product in India and we’re exploring the probabilities. There was loads of hypothesis and I can’t remark. I hope you perceive. There is cooperation with Mahindra on the Volkswagen Group degree – that, I might say, is outdoors of the scope of Skoda. For India, so we’re choices, we wish to make the precise choices once we are prepared.

Q: Are alliances the best way ahead to fund the longer term? Some individuals are doing IPOs, some individuals are speaking personal fairness, and others are doing alliances. What is your take?

Jahn: We discover all of the choices so earlier than we finalise any choice. We don’t wish to make any remark or give any suggestion, as a result of we don’t know but. Volkswagen and Skoda have completely different methods in several continents, and now we have to seek out the most suitable choice for India, proper?

Q: We’re going to be the final market standing in ICE, clearly.  That’s a chance for Skoda as a result of, you realize, you have been given the event of a number of the ICE engines, that are localised over right here as effectively. Is that a chance for India?

The reality is that inside combustion engines are going to be fairly lengthy over right here. It might not be so in different components of the world. No nation is assured that they are going to go one hundred pc electrical, not even China, not even the United States. So we are going to see what the way forward for ICE shall be in India.

Q: On the sub-four-metre, what’s the potential for the mannequin? The export potential could also be restricted as a result of the sub-four-metre could be very distinctive to India. Also, you do not have Volkswagen to share the dimensions with. Is {that a} little bit of a problem? How are you going to construct volumes with this?

Jahn: We now reached 1,00,000 cars over the past two years after which by the yr 2026, we wish to obtain 1,00,000 in a single yr and that is our imaginative and prescient in the meanwhile. Also with that, we’re increasing our dealership community. We are actually at over 260 touchpoints, which is important.

Over the final two years, now we have elevated the service factors, so our cars could be serviced. So now we have to have a look at the model wholly: the manufacturing, gross sales, after gross sales, customer support. So that is actually our focus in the meanwhile and we all the time go step-by-step.

Q: Do you suppose compact SUVs have a restricted world attraction?

Jahn: The markets are very risky; now we have to see which markets are extra inclined in direction of ICE and which section can go extra electrical. Where can we promote this car profitably? We’re exploring that however no main choices have been taken on that, as a result of it’s not straightforward. If we will export this car with a revenue, we are going to accomplish that.

Q: You are clearly very invested right here but it surely’s very onerous to generate profits on this market. How are you able to maintain onto your place and even develop it?

Jahn: India is a vital marketplace for us. It is amongst the highest three worldwide markets. We now should make it possible for now we have good service for our prospects, that they love our cars. For me, buyer satisfaction is essential. So, we’re centered on having the precise dimension of the vendor community, together with an satisfactory service community, and bringing the model to India, which relies on human contact.

So, we wish to be a humane model that makes folks smile. How we set up the model, how we develop model consciousness; as a result of the concept is to make a model that’s beloved. It’s nonetheless not identified in all of the components of India and that shall be essential for us. So, we’re studying extra in regards to the Indian buyer, and studying extra in regards to the market by bringing new merchandise.

WITH INPUTS FROM KETAN THAKKAR

Also see:

Skoda targets 1 lakh annual gross sales by 2026 with new compact SUV

Skoda Kushaq Explorer Edition revealed

Skoda Octavia facelift revealed