[2Gkashmiri]

in india, the car market starts at around 4 Lacs Inr or $5000. people tend to now buy cars for like 4-9L or $5000-$12000. the cheapest EV on the market is tata tigor ev for like inr 12Lacs or $15000 and those prices are on the high end spectrum of the general market and mass adoption is only possible if prices are price-matched or be close to the ICE cars.

in that situation, it is not possible to add "features" that the people don't care about. think about it, a $5000 car is barebones as it is, when they launch its EV version, it is not going to have tesla features. there are manufacturers who are failing NCAP testing and they are pushing to not make such testing mandatory because in their opinion, it would reduce choice for customers and their own business would fail.

[2143]

I don't see how your conclusion follows your premise.

> people tend to now buy cars for like 4-9L or $5000-$12000

Sure the majority of the sales are for cheaper models, but go to any tier-1 or tier-2 city and you'll see plenty of BMWs, Mercs, Audis, Jaguars, Land Rovers, and whatever else is under the sun. Like, stand on any random junction, and I guarantee that the won't even be a single minute where you won't be able to spot a >₹50 lakh car ($62000). Yes the sales numbers are objectively much lower, but still you see plenty of them.

> those prices are on the high end spectrum of the general market

Here's a sales analysis for May 2022. How many of those are in the price range you mentioned: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/252707-may-2...

People have moved past the ₹12 lakh mark a while ago. It's more like ₹25 lakhs now. I see plenty of Hyundais, Hondas, Kias, and Toyotas. None of them exactly have a cheap model anymore.

Heck, there's such a huge number of Toyota Innova/Crysta on the road that it's practically invisible now. And top end Crysta retails at ₹25 lakhs (≈ $31000).

> in that situation, it is not possible to add "features" that the people don't care about

Move up the price range and you start to see nonsense (in this country) features like heated seats. My E-class has a panoramic sunroof which I never open because the sun is scorching here, and the glass' greenhouse effect cooks everyone inside so the AC has to work harder.

> there are manufacturers who are failing NCAP testing and they are pushing to not make such testing mandatory because in their opinion

European manufacturers here have always done well in terms of safety. Not entirely sure about other Asian brands. As for Indian brands, new Tata and Mahindra cars pass GNCAP with 5 stars, though Maruti still has a lot to improve.

[2Gkashmiri]

yes. the 12L -25L category is in T1, T2 but the rest of the country is huge and those are a drop in the bucket numbers.

the link you shared, the top 20 cars by volume are all in the sub 12L range so that is what i was saying.

https://www.rushlane.com/maruti-suzuki-chairman-says-bharat-...

yeah, it was maruti who said that so there you go.

>Move up the price range and you start to see nonsense (in this country) features like heated seats. My E-class has a panoramic sunroof which I never open because the sun is scorching here, and the glass' greenhouse effect cooks everyone inside so the AC has to work harder.

i do not own a car. no one in my family does. you say your e-class so your income bracket is already in the top %.

>People have moved past the ₹12 lakh mark a while ago. It's more like ₹25 lakhs now. I see plenty of Hyundais, Hondas, Kias, and Toyotas. None of them exactly have a cheap model anymore.

i am not saying people arent buying this. my point is, they are serving a niche and not cutting into the sales of cheap vehicles where haggling is done on the number of airbags.

>Move up the price range and you start to see nonsense

that is my point. if you stay in the price range of sub 12L, you will not find those features and as long as these cars sell, these features will not be common in india.