JSW MG Motor India Private Limited, the newly formed JV between MG Motor and JSW Group, is betting on plug-in hybrids as the way to spread the use of EVs.

The JV, which plans to launch models every three months from September, will manufacture the hybrids at its factory in Odisha.

“No company in India has the plug-in hybrid technology. We will have a technology transfer from SAIC Motors and manufacture plug-in hybrids in India,” said Parth Jindal, member of the steering committee of JSW MG Motor India Private Limited.

Jindal said the focus is on localisation to counter high prices as unlike electric vehicles, the hybrids do not enjoy GST benefits.

“We will be offsetting the high price by making in India and we are also looking for government support. This kind of deep localisation will help us manufacture vehicles at a competitive cost and pass it on to the consumers.

“When we launch our vehicles this festive season we will make a mark on the price front. We intend to bring the best of technologies to India and offer it at a competitive price. We aim to bring price parity between ICE vehicles and NEVs,” said Jindal.

Making the case for the hybrids, he said: “Daily you don’t drive more than 100-150km a day and batteries will provide that range. It is when you go out of the city and drive about 200km then you will need to recharge. And for that till the charging infrastructure comes up, PHEVs will be useful.”

JSW MG Motor Private Limited will launch a fuel variant and a new energy vehicle (NEV) in the upcoming festive season. The company is talking about launching products both in the mainstream and premium segments, with a separate channel for premium NEVs. “When we launch our products in the festive season, we hope that we will impress you with our price offerings. We promise we will be disruptors in the category,” said Jindal.

Talking of premium products, Jindal said: “India is premiumising, there is more disposable income in people’s pockets. MG has a slew of products in its global portfolio. We see MG’s EV4 in every country. We will bring those products also, and that is how we will be launching new products every three to six months.”

The company is harping on its manufacturing capabilities which together with technology from its JV partner will help it to gain market share with attractively priced products. The JV will also benefit from the synergy that will come from JSW Group.

While the steel giant supplies automotive steel to several car makers, MG Motor India till now did not source its steel from JSW. “Going forward all steel requirements of JSW MG Motor India will be supplied by us,” said Jindal. On the logistics and supply chain side too, there will be synergy. We will be utilising JSW’s ports for supply,” said Rajeev Chaba, CEO Emeritus, MG Motor India.

“The plant in Odisha will be owned by the JSW Group but the products will be for the JV entity,” said Jindal. The plant consists of a 50 GWh EV battery plant, EVs, a lithium refinery, a copper smelter and related component manufacturing units,” said Jindal.

JSW will also be participating in critical mineral mining, particularly of lithium-ion, reserves of which have been found in Ladakh and Karnataka. The group plans to create a countrywide charging infrastructure. “The JV will not only produce NEVs but also make the entire ecosystem including manufacturing battery cells, e-drives, and connected cars,” Jindal said.

While the JV products will be under the MG brand, the commercial vehicles that will be manufactured in the JSW Odisha plant will have a different branding, said Jindal. “We will think of what brand to launch our CVs at an appropriate time,” said Jindal.