Car News That Mattered: Poor Crash Test Results, An Important Unveil, Another Premium EV Launched, And More

The last week’s highlights were the launch of BMW’s first EV for India, unveiling of the Kia Carens, and an update on the Mahindra XUV700’s deliveries

A lot of automotive action happened in the last week, from BMW introducing its first EV in India to Kia unveiling its fourth product, the Carens, for our market. We also got an update on the Mahindra XUV700’s deliveries and waiting period.

Here’s everything to get you up to speed:

BMW’s First EV For India Goes On Sale: The BMW iX, BMW’s flagship electric SUV, has been launched in India as its first EV here. It was brought to India via the CBU route (in limited numbers) in a single variant only and all the units have already been sold. BMW has equipped it with a dual battery pack and as many electric motors which offer a WLTP-certified range of up to 425km.

Kia Carens Breaks Cover: After having introduced two SUVs and an MPV in India, Kia has unveiled a new model, called the Carens, an MPV with a dash of SUV-like traits. The Carens will be the fourth model for Kia India and we already know its seating configurations, colour options, and some features. That said, Kia is yet to confirm the exact variants, powertrains, and the variant-wise features list. Kia will be announcing its prices in the first quarter of 2022 and its unofficial bookings are also underway at select dealerships.

Tesla Gets GOI’s Nod For Three More EVs: A new day, a new update on Tesla and Government of India’s (GOI) talks. In the latest update, Tesla’s been granted permission to bring three more EVs to India but there’s still no official word on the launch of its first model. We have covered the electric cars that we believe it will bring to India and in what order.

Hyundai Tucson And Verna’s Disappointing Show: Both Hyundai’s flagship SUV in India, the Tucson, and the Verna (known as the Accent in the Latin markets) have performed terribly in the recently conducted Latin NCAP crash tests. While both were the made-in-India models, their poor scores can be attributed to less standard safety features on offer. The crash test reports of the SUV and the sedan will help you with the details.

Mahindra XUV700’s Deliveries Now Stretch To 2023: The Mahindra XUV700 has managed to create buzz even before its unveiling and its popularity has only surged after it went on sale. Mahindra has now started notifying its customers that deliveries of the SUV will take place in 2023 and we know exactly why that is.

2022 Skoda Kodiaq Hits The Production Line: With its launch scheduled for January 2022, the facelifted Skoda Kodiaq has entered series production at the carmaker’s Aurangabad plant. While the SUV was provided with a diesel engine in the pre-BS6 era, the facelifted model will be powered by the same 2-litre turbo-petrol mill as the facelifted VW Tiguan.

Delhi Government’s Move On 10-Year Old+ Diesel Vehicles: Delhi’s been battling poor air quality for a long time now and it’s evident from the vehicular pollution which sets new benchmarks–and not in a good way–every year. While the Delhi government has taken many steps to curb this environmental issue, it has once again taken a bold decision of de-registering diesel vehicles over 10 years old. However, the latest step comes with its own share of circumventions.

GOI’s Latest Action Plan On Semiconductor Shortage: 2021 brought a new challenge for all carmakers in the form of semiconductor and chip shortages. Its impact has been such that many carmakers had to take some tough decisions including halting manufacturing and even pushing back new car launches. In a way to aid the industry, the GOI has set aside over Rs 2 lakh crore to incentivise the manufacturing of semiconductors and other electronic components in our country.