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Mercedes-Benz sees surge in customisation; luxury EV sales up 66%
Santosh Iyer, managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of Mercedes-Benz India, said this trend is being driven by a small, exclusive community of TEV owners who seek to differentiate their cars within their social circles. Customisation options include bespoke colours, personalised engravings on grab handles, and edition-specific branding. Mercedes also offers personalisation kits priced around ₹10 lakh.
The company believes the appetite for customisation is growing — and not just among younger buyers. For models like the G63, nearly 75 per cent of units sold are personalised. For others, such as the Maybach S-Class, the figure is around 60 per cent.
Iyer also highlighted the strong performance of luxury electric vehicles (EVs) this year, with industry volumes rising 66 per cent to cross 2,000 units in the first five months of 2025. Mercedes-Benz India's own EV sales grew 73 per cent, with EVs now accounting for 11 per cent of the luxury segment.
As for the AMG G63 collector's edition, just 30 units will be offered in India. Bookings opened on Thursday. The special edition was developed in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz Research & Development India (MBRDI).
'At MBRDI, we are proud to have played a key role in shaping this India-inspired collector's edition of the AMG G63. With this edition, we aimed to go beyond performance and create a vehicle that resonates with India's unique identity,' said Manu Saale, MD and CEO, MBRDI.
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The Hindu
12 hours ago
- The Hindu
India can match oil-producing nations with cheap hydrogen: Nitin Gadkari
Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday (August 20, 2025) said India can transform from being an energy importer to a global exporter if it can cut the cost of hydrogen production to one dollar per kg. Delivering the 24th Darbari Seth Memorial Lecture at The Energy and Resources Institute, the minister said that at present, hydrogen costs about $5-6 per kg, making it expensive compared to conventional fuels. 'If we succeed in bringing it down to $1 per kg, India will be in a position similar to today's oil-producing countries,' Mr. Gadkari said while stressing that hydrogen would play a decisive role in shaping the energy future. The minister said the biggest hurdle lies in setting up hydrogen filling stations and developing systems to transport the fuel. 'These areas need urgent and extensive work,' he said. Explaining the potential of using waste for energy, Mr. Gadkari said municipal solid waste could be a game-changer. 'If we segregate waste, extract organic matter and feed it into biodigesters, it produces methane. Instead of converting methane into CNG, if we use it to produce green hydrogen, the country's municipal waste alone could generate very cheap hydrogen,' he said. He predicted that in the years ahead, disputes may even arise over waste as it will become a valuable resource. 'If technology works in our favour, this transformation will happen. Hydrogen is the fuel of the future,' he said. Mr. Gadkari said the key to large-scale investment lies in economic viability. 'If the internal rate of return is strong, investment will never be a problem. What we need is proven technology, raw material availability and a market for the final product. Without cost-effectiveness, new technology won't be useful,' he said. Mr. Gadkari said hydrogen will replace fossil fuels. 'It would not only be critical for transport but also find applications in pharmaceuticals, chemicals and steel. Trains will run on it, airplanes will fly on it and dependence on fossil fuels will end,' he said. He said the future of transport and industry would be built on electric vehicles, biofuels and hydrogen. 'If these are adopted on a wide scale, we will steadily move toward carbon neutrality. This will create jobs, protect the environment and accelerate development,' he said. Highlighting India's rise in the global automobile market, the minister said the country recently moved up from the seventh to the third position, overtaking Japan. 'The American automobile industry is worth ₹78 lakh crore, China's ₹49 lakh crore and India's ₹22 lakh crore. A few days ago, the global chairman of Mercedes told me they will manufacture electric Mercedes cars in India,' he added. Mr. Gadkari said 17% of India's land is classified as wasteland and it could be used to plant bamboo. 'Bamboo can be used as a substitute for coal in power plants. It is not only cheaper than coal but also cleaner. This will provide employment to crores of people,' he said. Mr. Gadkari said such green initiatives could drive India towards self-reliance. 'A green revolution can make Atmanirbhar Bharat a reality. We can become a five trillion-dollar economy and the third-largest in the world. This is within our reach,' he said.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Time of India
India can match oil-producing nations with cheap hydrogen: Nitin Gadkari
Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said India can transform from being an energy importer to a global exporter if it can cut the cost of hydrogen production to one dollar per kilogramme. Delivering the 24th Darbari Seth Memorial Lecture at The Energy and Resources Institute , the minister said that at present, hydrogen costs about USD 5-6 per kg, making it expensive compared to conventional fuels. "If we succeed in bringing it down to USD 1 per kg, India will be in a position similar to today's oil-producing countries," Gadkari said while stressing that hydrogen would play a decisive role in shaping the energy future. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Secure Your Child's Future with Strong English Fluency Planet Spark Learn More Undo The minister said the biggest hurdle lies in setting up hydrogen filling stations and developing systems to transport the fuel. "These areas need urgent and extensive work," he said. Live Events Explaining the potential of using waste for energy , Gadkari said municipal solid waste could be a game-changer. "If we segregate waste, extract organic matter and feed it into biodigesters, it produces methane. Instead of converting methane into CNG, if we use it to produce green hydrogen , the country's municipal waste alone could generate very cheap hydrogen ," he said. He predicted that in the years ahead, disputes may even arise over waste as it will become a valuable resource. "If technology works in our favour, this transformation will happen. Hydrogen is the fuel of the future," he said. Gadkari said the key to large-scale investment lies in economic viability. "If the internal rate of return is strong, investment will never be a problem. What we need is proven technology, raw material availability and a market for the final product. Without cost-effectiveness, new technology won't be useful," he said. Gadkari said hydrogen will replace fossil fuels. "It would not only be critical for transport but also find applications in pharmaceuticals, chemicals and steel. Trains will run on it, airplanes will fly on it and dependence on fossil fuels will end," he said. Highlighting India's rise in the global automobile market, the minister said the country recently moved up from the seventh to the third position, overtaking Japan. "The American automobile industry is worth Rs 78 lakh crore, China's Rs 49 lakh crore and India's Rs 22 lakh crore. A few days ago, the global chairman of Mercedes told me they will manufacture electric Mercedes cars in India," he added. He said the future of transport and industry would be built on electric vehicles, biofuels and hydrogen. "If these are adopted on a wide scale, we will steadily move toward carbon neutrality . This will create jobs, protect the environment and accelerate development," he said. Gadkari said 17 per cent of India's land is classified as wasteland and it could be used to plant bamboo. "Bamboo can be used as a substitute for coal in power plants. It is not only cheaper than coal but also cleaner. This will provide employment to crores of people," he said. Gadkari said such green initiatives could drive India towards self-reliance. "A green revolution can make Atmanirbhar Bharat a reality. We can become a five trillion dollar economy and the third-largest in the world. This is within our reach," he said.
India Today
a day ago
- India Today
Why India remains wary of China despite talks
For centuries, India and China have shared a long and uneasy border, a frontier defined by mountains, rivers and the scars of repeated conflict. In recent years, both nations have made attempts to talk peace. Leaders have met, ministers have travelled, and disengagement has been announced. Yet, the shadow of mistrust lingers. Behind every handshake, however, lies another partnership, one that binds Beijing with Islamabad. From military hardware to political backing, from economic corridors to disputed valleys, China and Pakistan remain iron-clad allies. And often, this partnership comes at India's As Washington embarks on a new tariff war with Beijing under former President Donald Trump, global alignments are being redrawn. Some believe this could push India closer to China. Yet the question is not simply whether the elephant and the dragon will dance together, but whether they Yi Arrives in Delhi Amid Sensitive TimesChinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's two-day visit to India raises an uncomfortable question for New Delhi: can India really trust China, even as Beijing deepens its embrace of Pakistan? The visit is officially framed as a chance to reset ties, but beneath the handshakes and formal statements lies a harsher reality-India must decide whether dialogue with China is diplomacy or five years after the Galwan clashes, India and China continue to maintain between 50,000 and 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The standoff has not ended; it has merely frozen into a tense watchfulness. During his visit, Wang Yi is meeting External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the two officials tasked with managing the boundary question, and will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ahead of Modi's potential first visit to China in seven Shadow of PakistanTrust, however, does not come easily. Behind the veneer of engagement is Beijing's parallel partnership with Islamabad. Wang Yi's next stop after India is Pakistan, a move that undermines any illusion of a singular focus on India. At the very moment Beijing speaks of stabilising ties with Delhi, it strengthens the military and diplomatic muscle of India's most entrenched recent months, Pakistan has received Hangor-class submarines, J-10C fighter jets, and diplomatic cover from Beijing following India's anti-terror strikes. Beijing even hosted Pakistan's army chief, General Asim Munir, shortly after his visit to Washington. For India, the optics are striking: China presents itself as a peace partner on the Himalayas while bolstering Pakistan's military DistrustThe challenge is not limited to Pakistan. India has observed Beijing's unilateral actions with suspicion: the mega-dam on the Yarlung Zangpo threatens water flows into the Brahmaputra; Chinese survey ships dock in Sri Lanka and the Maldives under the guise of research; and Beijing engages Indian media and intellectual circles to soften perceptions even as mistrust has not forgotten 1963, when Pakistan handed over the Shaksgam Valley, part of Indian territory under illegal occupation to China. The valley remains under Chinese control today. Such historical precedents make separating dialogue from deception exceptionally Brahmaputra dam, approved in late 2024 and touted as the 'project of the century,' is the largest hydropower dam in the world, at an estimated cost of US $167 billion. While celebrated in China, downstream India and Bangladesh see it as a strategic weapon, with potential ecological, food security, and geopolitical China-Pakistan AxisWhenever India takes decisive action against cross-border terrorism, Beijing appears to side with Islamabad. Pakistani forces have deployed Chinese-supplied fighter jets in air defence, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently inaugurated a Rocket Force Command underpinned by Chinese support. The Shaksgam cession of 1963 remains a stark reminder of the enduring Sino-Pakistan Without IllusionsIndia's scepticism is not paranoia; it is grounded in repeated patterns. Along the LAC, Chinese troops maintain forward positions. In the Indian Ocean, Chinese research vessels carry out surveys with potential military applications. In South Asia, Beijing bankrolls Pakistan despite regional instability. At multilateral forums, China blocks India's efforts to blacklist Pakistan-based terrorists. The message is clear: China's friendship with Pakistan undermines genuine trust in argue engagement is necessary, not because China is trustworthy, but because disengagement carries risks. Trade worth over $100 billion, and cooperation in global forums like BRICS and SCO, necessitates continued dialogue. But engagement does not equal trust — it is pragmatic risk management, not from HistoryHistory offers sobering lessons: the 1962 border war, the 1963 Shaksgam cession, the 2020 Galwan clash, and the 2022 denial of Wang Yi's meeting with Modi all warn that trust without verification is Modi prepares for a possible visit to China and Jaishankar hosts Wang Yi, the stage is set for another chapter in an uneasy relationship. Handshakes will be polite, communiqus diplomatic, optics carefully managed. Yet the underlying question remains: can India trust China while Beijing maintains its close ties with Pakistan?- Ends
