logo
Hyundai India eyes rural growth, EV push and 26 new models by 2030

Hyundai India eyes rural growth, EV push and 26 new models by 2030

Hindustan Times14 hours ago
Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) is intensifying its rural commitment, premium ambitions, and manufacturing expansion to retain its momentum in the Indian automotive market. According to the company's annual report for FY 2024-25, it will employ a multi-pronged strategy for the next stage of growth by combining volume, value and future-led mobility.
Beyond the luxury segment, HMIL is implementing a full-fledged strategy to strengthen its presence in the overall market.
Deepening Rural Market Penetration
Hyundai has seen one of its greatest growth engines in recently expanding its rural presence. Its rural penetration jumped from 19.4 per cent in FY 2023-24 to 20.9 per cent in FY 2024-25. This increase is not just incremental but also strategic—rural India is now a significant consumer of alternate fuel vehicles.
Specifically, rural market sales of CNG vehicles jumped 33 per cent year-on-year, and the proportion of rural sales of CNG vehicles rose from 12 per cent to 15 per cent. These statistics indicate an unmistakable rural mobility pattern shift, wherein running expenses and affordability are dictating consumer behavior. Hyundai has also adjusted product offerings correspondingly to ensure the availability of CNG in its major models that resonate with price-sensitive but aspirational rural consumers.
Hyundai's rural penetration jumped from 19.4 per cent in FY 2023-24 to 20.9 per cent in FY 2024-25.
Genesis: Hyundai's premium ambition
As it consolidates its mass-market foothold, Hyundai also appears to be eyeing a brazen foray into the luxury segment. The automaker has confirmed it is strategically considering launching Genesis, its global luxury brand, in India. The plan is to "redefine luxury through innovation, design, and differentiated experiences," targeting a new generation of luxury buyers in India. If introduced, Genesis will enter a competitive space dominated by Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, and others—but could benefit from Hyundai's established brand equity and after-sales network.
Also Read : Hyundai planning to bring Genesis luxury brand to India
Manufacturing boost and new model pipeline
To help fuel its increasing ambitions, HMIL will start production at its Talegaon facility in FY 2025-26, increasing overall production capacity by up to 2.5 lakh units each year. Along with its Chennai plant, this increases Hyundai towards the 1 million units/year production mark.
Hyundai has aggressive launch schedule from FY 2025-26 to FY 2029-30 consisting of 26 new or refreshed models, of which 6 models are electric vehicles (EVs) and 20 are internal combustion engine (ICE) models.
The company has aggressive launch schedule from FY 2025-26 to FY 2029-30 consisting of 26 new or refreshed models, of which 6 models are electric vehicles (EVs) and 20 are internal combustion engine (ICE) models. This demonstrates Hyundai's commitment dual-track strategy to meet mainstream and future-ready segments.
Also watch: Hyundai Creta EV review | India's best-selling SUV goes electric | Range, Battery, Price expectation
Commitment to sustainability
Hyundai Motor India is not just interested in market share but is also keenly interested in sustainable manufacturing. The company has an ambitious vision of becoming carbon neutral by 2045. In displaying a commitment to sustainability, HMIL has made several new announcements to contribute to a remarkable 41.8 per cent reduction in Scope I and II emissions during FY 2024-25, not releasing into the atmosphere more than 75,282 tons of CO2 in the last three years.
The addition of 100 per cent LNG exclusively has also contributed by reducing CO2 emissions by 5,170 tonnes each year. As of March 2025, the company reported a renewable energy mix of 88 per cent and had also incorporated a 10 MW rooftop solar power plant. HMIL's sustainability journey continues as it has made group captive agreements for 75 MW of solar and 43 MW of wind power to fulfill its RE100 target of 2025.
Get insights into Upcoming Cars In India, Electric Vehicles, Upcoming Bikes in India and cutting-edge technology transforming the automotive landscape.
First Published Date:
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump tariffs trigger volatility on D-Street: What should investors do?
Trump tariffs trigger volatility on D-Street: What should investors do?

India Today

time9 minutes ago

  • India Today

Trump tariffs trigger volatility on D-Street: What should investors do?

Domestic stock markets opened on a jittery note Thursday after US President Donald Trump announced an additional 25% tariff on certain Indian exports, citing India's continued imports of Russian oil. While the move was widely expected, it has added another layer of uncertainty for investors already grappling with global Sensex slipped over 250 points at the open before paring some losses. The Nifty50 was also trading lower, reflecting broad-based caution and expectations of a volatile trading REMAINS HIGHDr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, noted that the 21-day window before the tariffs come into effect offers room for negotiation. However, the outlook remains clouded. 'There is huge uncertainty surrounding the trade policy and to what extent both nations will be willing to make compromises,' he said. 'President Trump, fresh from the successes he has extracted in deals with others,others, including the EU, is unlikely to budge significantly from his unjustified stand. Unfortunately for India, the US is bargaining from a position of strength.'He praised India's 'mature and measured' response so far but warned that the market could remain under pressure in the near term. 'Export-oriented sectors will remain weak. Domestic consumption themes like banking and financials, telecom, hotels, cement, capital goods and segments of automobiles will remain resilient,' Vijayakumar CAUGHT OFF GUARDAccording to Santosh Meena, Head of Research at Swastika Investmart, markets had already priced in this escalation to an extent. 'This move was largely anticipated by the markets, as President Trump had earlier hinted at such a development. As a result, there is no fresh negative surprise,' he noted that India has so far resisted pressure from Washington, especially in protecting its politically sensitive agriculture and dairy sectors. He characterised the tariff hike as 'part of Trump's aggressive negotiation strategy' and pointed to the upcoming US trade delegation visit on August 24 as a key moment to believes India's core economic strength lies in domestic demand, and that acts as a buffer. 'India remains a domestic consumption-driven economy, with limited direct exposure to the US, except in key sectors like IT, pharmaceuticals, and electronics,' he said, adding that these have been spared from the latest tariff list. However, textiles, gems and jewellery, and leather may come under 'sentimental pressure in the near term.'Rahul Ahluwalia, Founder-Director of Foundation for Economic Development, said, 'The main sectoral impact will be felt by labour-intensive areas which do not have tariff exemptions, like apparel, gems, jewellery and other such sectors where overall we have more than 30bn USD of exports to the US.'WHAT SHOULD INVESTORS DO? advertisementFor long-term investors, Meena advises staying invested. 'This development is part of ongoing global trade tensions and shouldn't distract from India's long-term growth potential,' he said, suggesting that short-term corrections could offer entry opportunities ahead of an expected earnings revival in the coming traders, however, may want to be more defensive. 'The short-term outlook remains uncertain due to a combination of muted Q1 earnings, stretched valuations, and global trade tensions,' Meena said. 'A selective approach is advisable.'With geopolitical tensions rising and domestic indicators turning soft, investors are bracing for a volatile ride. Export-facing sectors may struggle in the near term, but experts seem to suggest that India's underlying consumption story remains intact.(Disclaimer: The views, opinions, recommendations, and suggestions expressed by experts/brokerages in this article are their own and do not reflect the views of the India Today Group. It is advisable to consult a qualified broker or financial advisor before making any actual investment or trading choices.)- Ends

Rupee rises 5 paise against U.S. dollar in early trade
Rupee rises 5 paise against U.S. dollar in early trade

The Hindu

time9 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

Rupee rises 5 paise against U.S. dollar in early trade

The rupee traded in a narrow range and appreciated 5 paise to 87.67 against the U.S. dollar in early trade on Thursday (August 7, 2025), after U.S. President Donald Trump slapped an additional 25 per cent duty — doubling it to 50 per cent — on Indian goods over New Delhi's continued imports of Russian oil. Forex traders said Mr. Trump's aggressive move, which kicks in 21 days, threatens to raise total duties on select Indian exports to as high as 50 per cent — making them among the most heavily taxed U.S. imports globally. At the interbank foreign exchange, the domestic unit opened at 87.69 against the U.S. dollar then touched an initial high of 87.67, higher by 5 paise over its previous close. On Wednesday (August 6), the rupee rebounded from a record low level and closed 16 paise higher at 87.72 against the U.S. dollar. Mr. Trump's tariffs on Indian exports are likely to hit sectors such as textiles, marine and leather exports hard and was slammed by India as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable". With this action singling out New Delhi for the Russian oil imports, India will attract the highest U.S. tariff of 50 per cent along with Brazil. The United States has imposed this additional tariff or penalty for Russian imports only on India while other buyers such as China and Turkey have so far escaped such harsh measures. The 30 per cent tariff on China and 15 per cent on Turkey is lower than India's 50 per cent. "The escalation adds to concerns over the economic impact. If no breakthrough happens within the 21-day window, FY26 GDP growth may have to be revised below 6 per cent, factoring in a 40–50 basis point hit — twice the earlier estimate from tariff effects," CR Forex Advisors MD Amit Pabari said. Mr. Pabari further noted that amid these rising tensions and economic concerns, the rupee remains vulnerable and could see further downside as uncertainty continues to mount. Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India opted to hold the repo rate steady at 5.50 per cent and retained a neutral stance during its latest policy review. "The decision suggests policymakers are adopting a wait-and-watch approach as they weigh the uncertain trade backdrop against an already slowing global economy," Mr. Pabari said, adding that the room for manoeuvre is tightening. India's foreign exchange reserves fell by $9.3 billion to $688.9 billion as of August 1, reflecting Central Bank's active rupee defence operations amid rising external stress, he said. Meanwhile, Brent crude prices rose 0.99 per cent to $67.55 per barrel in futures trade. The dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, rose 0.04 per cent to 98.21. In the domestic equity market, Sensex dropped 335.71 points to 80,208.28 in early trade, while the Nifty declined 114.15 points to 24,460.05. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth ₹4,999.10 crore on a net basis on Wednesday, according to exchange data.

Trump's broad tariffs go into effect, hit goods from major U.S. trading partners
Trump's broad tariffs go into effect, hit goods from major U.S. trading partners

The Hindu

time9 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

Trump's broad tariffs go into effect, hit goods from major U.S. trading partners

President Donald Trump's higher tariff rates of 10% to 50% on dozens of trading partners kicked in on Thursday (August 7, 2025), testing his strategy for shrinking U.S. trade deficits without massive disruptions to global supply chains, higher inflation and stiff retaliation from trading partners. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency began collecting the higher tariffs at 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT) after weeks of suspense over Trump's final tariff rates and frantic negotiations with major trading partners that sought to lower them. "RECIPROCAL TARIFFS TAKE EFFECT AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!," Mr. Trump said on Truth Social just ahead of the deadline. Goods loaded onto U.S.-bound vessels and in transit before the midnight deadline can enter at lower prior tariff rates before October 5, according to a CBP notice to shippers issued this week. Imports from many countries had previously been subject to a baseline 10% import duty after Trump paused higher rates announced in early April. But since then, Mr. Trump has frequently modified his tariff plan, slapping some countries with much higher rates, including 50% for goods from Brazil, 39% from Switzerland, 35% from Canada and 25% from India. Tariffs on India The initial 25% tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Indian imports came into effect on Thursday (August 7, 2025). Last week, the White House announced that India will face tariffs of 25% after Mr. Trump issued an executive order listing the various duties that Washington will impose on exports from countries around the world. In addition to the 25% tariff announced last week, Mr. Trump on Wednesday (August 6, 2025) imposed another 25% levies on India for its purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total duties slapped on India to 50%, among the highest imposed by the U.S. on any country in the world. Eight major trading partners accounting for about 40% of U.S. trade flows have reached framework deals for trade and investment concessions to Mr. Trump, including the European Union, Japan and South Korea, reducing their base tariff rates to 15%. Britain won a 10% rate, while Vietnam, Indonesia, Pakistan and the Philippines secured rate reductions to 19% or 20%. "For those countries, it's less-bad news," said William Reinsch, a senior fellow and trade expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "There'll be some supply chain rearrangement. There'll be a new equilibrium. Prices here will go up, but it'll take a while for that to show up in a major way," Reinsch said. Countries with punishingly high duties, such as India and Canada, "will continue to scramble around trying to fix this," he added. Mr. Trump's order has specified that any goods determined to have been transshipped from a third country to evade higher U.S. tariffs will be subject to an additional 40% import duty, but his administration has released few details on how these goods would be identified or the provision enforced. Trump's July 31 tariff order imposed duties above 10% on 67 trading partners, while the rate was kept at 10% for those not listed. These import taxes are one part of a multilayered tariff strategy that includes national security-based sectoral tariffs on semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, autos, steel, aluminum, copper, lumber and other goods. Mr. Trump said on Wednesday the microchip duties could reach 100%. China is on a separate tariff track and will face a potential tariff increase on August 12 unless Mr. Trump approves an extension of a prior truce after talks last week in Sweden. He has said he may impose additional tariffs over China's purchases of Russian oil as he seeks to pressure Moscow into ending its war in Ukraine.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store