New Delhi, Jan 20 (IANS): In the last 40-50 years, the auto industry was treated like a luxury sector burdened by too many taxes, and it is only in the last couple of years that the government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has realised the multiplier effect that the auto sector has, Dilip Chhabria, founder of automotive customisation company DC2 Design, said on Monday.
Speaking to IANS on the sidelines of the ‘Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025’, Chhabria said that PM Modi’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative is an excellent one.
“Any developed country, the worth of the nation, is measured by its auto industry — be it the US, Japan or China. I expect India’s growth to mirror that. The aspiration levels are really high and the penetration level is very low, so I expect high growth in the sector,” he noted.
In India’s electric vehicle (EV) goals, he said that it is only logical that every country will have to majorly go electric because of the emission norms.
“it will become difficult for the ICE vehicles to conform to the emission norms. This will reduce our dependency on West Asia for fossil fuels,” said Chhabria.
“Also, with government support and subsidies, we do expect that at least 30 to 40 per cent of the vehicles on road would be electric in next 10 years,” he told IANS.
At the auto expo, DC2 unveiled two groundbreaking products: e-TANQ, a futuristic off-roader, and Europa, an ultra-luxurious showroom on wheels.
Designed in-house by DC2 in a joint venture with Mercury EV-Tech Ltd, e-TANQ is an all-electric commercial vehicle designed to revolutionise urban and commercial transportation.
Equipped with a 180 kWh battery delivering 650 BHP, the futuristic off-roader combines performance with sustainability.
“While we will continue to be in the customisation business, with this partnership, we plan to deliver extreme electric vehicles,” Chhabria emphasised.
DC2 also unveiled Europa, a bespoke, one-of-a-kind showroom on wheels, in collaboration with Goldmedal Electricals, one of India’s leading Fast Moving Electrical Goods (FMEG) companies. The state-of-the-art mobile showroom was designed at the cost of Rs 18 crore.
“We will continue to stay in the niche segment as we do not want to be in commodity business, and we believe there will be enthusiasts who would want our products,” said Chhabria.