Renault Kwid EV Being Studied For India; New Duster Could Be In Line

Renault City K-ZE (Kwid EV) 13

Renault Kiger helps India in becoming the brand’s fifth-largest auto market in the world; midsize SUV and electric vehicles are considered

Renault India introduced the Kiger compact SUV early last year and it has been well received amongst customers due to its affordability, fuel-efficient powertrain and a packed list of features. The Kiger has played an instrumental role in the Indian market becoming one of its top five auto markets in the world and is heavily localised to carry aggressive pricing.

The Indian operations have helped in the French company climbing from thirteenth to fifth in a span of three years courtesy of the good reception for the Kwid entry-level hatchback, Triber MPV and Kiger as the trio are driving in high volume sales. Their combined sales stood at more than one lakh units in the 2021 calendar year despite chip shortage.

It is worth noting that India stands behind France, Germany, Russia and Brazil and the introduction of more volume-based offerings could aid in moving up the ladder but the market trending is definitely changing lately. Renault is looking at the bigger picture as it will bring in more premium products and electric vehicles in the near future.

In a recent interview, Fabrice Cambolive, Senior Vice President, Renault Brand Sales and Operations, told that the sales volumes have steadily recovered recently helping the company to post good numbers. The Kwid, Triber and Kiger are based on the CMF-A+ architecture and up next, Renault will explore ways to enter B and C segments.

Dacia Bigster Renault Duster 7-seater rendering rear

Renault is currently working in two directions with its alliance partner Nissan as electrification and the capacity to sell cars in the higher segment will be key according to Cambolive. The brand is aware that having high local content for its electric vehicles will be pivotal in driving growth and is closely studying what Nissan is doing.

The Japanese manufacturer looks to be setting up a gigafactory in India and it will allow for full integration and localisation of electric vehicles in the future. Renault is currently studying the possibilities of bringing in the Kwid EV and the report indicated that the plans are put on hold. In the global markets, the latest generation Duster has gained tremendous attention.

The report further noted that the second generation Duster will arrive in India but the launch timeframe has not been finalised yet.

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