We went to attend the first-ever Bharat Mobility Global Expo held over three days at the Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Here are the vignettes
BMW Group
BMW had four cars on display and all of them were electric, which gave an indication of what the marque has in mind for the future in our country. On display were the sedans, BMW i4 and i7, and the sport utility vehicles (SUV), iX and iX1. The iX1 is the most accessible electric vehicle (EV) from the German company, starting at Rs 66.90 lakh (ex-showroom). Mini had on display the three-door Cooper SE, their first electric, that was launched in India in 2022.
Volkswagen Group
German giant Volkswagen Group had a captivating display of cars starting with the Volkswagen Virtus GT in an all-black colour. Then there was the Škoda Enyaq, the company’s first electric SUV, which, it confirmed, is on its way to our country.
Next to the Škoda was the RS e-tron GT, the fastest electric car from Audi. The Audi RS e-tron GT has a 93-kWh battery and puts out 646 hp and 830 Nm of torque. Next up, Porsche had their Taycan 4S Cross Tourismo on display. Lastly, the show-stopper, Sant’Agata’s flagship supercar, Lamborghini Revuelto. The Revuelto was launched in India in December 2023.
Mercedes-Benz
Moving to the next German brand at the event, Mercedes-Benz had the new Concept EQG. Hailed as the future of the G Wagen, this all-electric SUV is said to have four independent electric motors, one for each wheel.
The Concept EQG is famous for its very cool “tank turn” where the front and rear wheels of both the sides rotate in opposite directions, which enables the EQG to rotate 360 degrees. Mercedes confirmed that the Concept EQG is coming to India as well. Then there was the Mercedes-AMG SL 55 4MATIC+ Roadster that has the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 making 476 hp and 700 Nm of torque. Also present was the newly updated Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé.
Tata Motors
Tata Motors were the talk of the town as they had a slew of unveils. The headliner was the Tata Curvv, the coupé-styled SUV that comes with the 1.5-litre diesel engine and a six-speed manual gearbox.
The next big product was the all-wheel-drive all-electric Harrier.ev SUV in the “seaweed” body colour. Also on display were the Nexon.ev Dark edition, Nexon i-CNG, and the new Punch.ev that was launched last month. The Tata Altroz Racer was showcased with newly styled rims and a fresh orange colour.
Hyundai
Hyundai had on display the Nexo, their hydrogen fuel cell SUV, along with the Ioniq 5 electric, the new Creta that was launched a few weeks ago, the Verna 1.5 Turbo petrol, and the Tucson. The display of the Nexo SUV clearly states the brand’s vision moving forward in our country.
Kia
Kia Motors India had on display the new Sonet, new Seltos, and the Carens. Besides these, the Carens X-Line and Sonet X-Line variants in the eye-catching matte black colour were also seen. They attracted a lot of attention. Kia’s electric space, meanwhile, was filled by the EV6 that took centre stage. The EV6 is Kia’s only electric offered in our country and it comes with a 77.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The GT-Line variant makes 229 hp and 350 Nm of torque. The EV6 starts at Rs 60.95 lakh (ex-showroom) for the GT-Line variant.
Honda
Honda Cars India showcased the Elevate and the City e:HEV. The Elevate SUV is Honda’s answer to the Hyundai Creta. Equipped with the potent 1.5-litre i-VTEC naturally aspirated petrol engine, the Elevate has turned the tide for Honda in the sales department. The City e:HEV, meanwhile, is the market’s only hybrid petrol sedan costing less than Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base variant.
Morris Garages
Morris Garages (MG) had in their stall the EVs, ZS and Comet, followed by the SUVs—Astor, Hector, and Gloster. MG also displayed a six-way charging system and an innovative battery composition for both the battery module and battery cell that is reflected in the ZS EV’s Prismatic EV Unit. They also exhibited their hydrogen fuel cell technology. This newly developed fuel cell system, called the “Prome P390”, was in line with the event’s theme of showcasing future fuels.
Mahindra
The second Indian car manufacturer at the Expo was Mahindra. They showcased their current line-up of SUVs comprising the Scorpio-N, XUV700, and Thar. Also on display was the newly launched all-electric SUV, XUV400 EL Pro, that competes with the Tata Nexon.ev. What really caught our eyes was the incredible-looking BE.RALLY-E Concept showcased by Mahindra’s electric division, Mahindra eSUVs. Displayed in a striking neon green colour with a huge stance and aggressive-looking front, the BE.RALLY-E Concept is built on the INGLO architecture.
Maruti Suzuki
What took the centre stage at Maruti Suzuki’s huge stall was the new EVX electric SUV concept that is headed for our shores. It was revealed at the Japan Mobility Show last year. It will be interesting to see how their first all-electric SUV competes with the likes of the Tata Nexon.ev and the Mahindra XUV400. Maruti Suzuki also had the Fronx, Brezza, Grand Vitara, XL6, Invicto, and Jimny on display, besides the WagonR FFV Prototype powered by flex fuel.
Toyota
Toyota were present with a diverse range of products. They had on display an Innova HyCross that was cut open in the middle, revealing the interior and mechanical working of the car. Indeed, it was an initiative off the beaten track. Next to it was another HyCross powered by flex fuel. Toyota also had the Mirai, their hydrogen fuel cell powered car, in the beautiful “Hydro Blue” colour. For the truck enthusiasts, Toyota Mobility Services showcased the Hilux pickup in a highly modified state as a rapid intervention vehicle.
Lexus Lastly, Lexus had their first-ever all-electric SUV, the UX 300e, on display along with an ES 300h Luxury sedan that was fully made in India. The ES 300h Luxury costs Rs 69.70 lakh (ex-showroom) and is powered by a 2.5-litre petrol hybrid that makes a peak 218 hp.
