NEW DELHI, Sept 16: Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz India on Monday expanded its Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) range in the country with the launch of the locally produced EQS 580 4MATIC. India is the first country outside the US to start the local production of the seven-seater electric SUV. EQS SUV 580 4MATIC is the second model, after the EQS sedan, to be locally produced at company’s Pune-based manufacturing plant.
“This will be our sixth EV in India, and the second car to be locally produced in India. We are also proud that India becomes the first market out of the US to locally manufacture the EQS,” Mercedes-Benz India Managing Director and CEO Santosh Iyer told PTI in an interaction. The move to manufacture the product locally outlines the company’s commitment to electrification and increasing product portfolio offering choices to customers, he added.
“EQS SUV’s localisation underpins our deep commitment to grow the Indian luxury electric car market and reinforce our commitment for a greener and sustainable future,” Iyer said. The move also supports the government’s vision of Make-in-India, he said. Iyer said local production has led to a significant advantage in terms of pricing the electric SUV.
The introductory price of EQS SUV 580 4MATIC starts at Rs 1.41 crore which should also make a lot of customers shift to EVs much faster in terms of transition, he said. When asked about the demand for green vehicles, Iyer said the sales of EVs were growing in .