These will include sports utility vehicles with petrol, hybrid and electric powertrains. The company will drive in its first electric vehicle in the second half of the ongoing financial year. Also on cards are compact and midsized SUVs, which will be manufacturer locally, Honda Cars India President & CEO Takashi Nakajima said.
“Recently we announced that we will be launching new models under two categories, that is, under 4 metres and the midsize category. Last time, in Japan, we mentioned ten (models) but currently, we are counting more than ten (models),” Nakajima said when asked how many new models Honda planned to launch in India going forward by 2030.
In the ongoing fiscal, Honda Cars India has scheduled for launch a total of six vehicles, including the City hybrid and the SUV ZR-V hybrid. He said the strengthening of the product portfolio marks the beginning of the company’s new phase of accelerated growth in the market. “India is among the top three focus markets to realise Honda’s future growth, which will be driven by a strong pipeline of new products and our efforts to achieve cost competitiveness,” Nakajima said.
He elaborated this fiscal year is a landmark year with six strategic launches that will “sharpen our competitive edge and reinforce our brand position in the market”.
Honda Motor Company last week announced that it would start introducing models tailored to the Indian market from 2028 and leverage its two-wheeler business to upgrade customers to passenger vehicles as part of rebuilding of its automobile business and the future direction. The company has positioned India along with North America and Japan as priority markets for its future growth strategy and decided to strategically allocate its resources to these markets.
From 2028, the company will begin introducing strategic models tailored to the Indian market in two vehicle categories – vehicles under 4 meters in length and the mid-size category.Nakajima said Honda is looking to participate in the two fastest growing segments, sub 4 metres and the midsize, in India with a variety of powertrains ranging from internal combustion engine (ICE), hybrids to battery electric vehicles. With policy clarity coming in towards a multi technology pathway, the company has decided to focus on the two segments.
The company, however, ruled out re-entering the hatchback segment in India. Nakajima said its sub-4 metre vehicles would be primarily compact SUVs. This year the company is looking at “double digit” growth in India, Nakajima said.