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Volkswagen Group is reportedly planning to introduce two locally assembled electric cars in India within two years, which points to a 2028 window. The plan sits inside a proposed alliance between Skoda Auto Volkswagen India (SAVWIPL) and JSW Group, where a non-binding MoU has been signed but no final deal exists yet. Model names, prices, battery details, range and exact launch dates have not been announced by either company.
What has been reported
Reports say Skoda Auto's acting CEO, Holger Peters, told SAVWIPL staff at a virtual town hall that Volkswagen plans to bring two locally assembled battery electric vehicles to India within two years. The same reports say the carmaker has delayed its India EV entry by more than two years and wants to improve operating profitability across its business by 2030.
The EV plan is tied to a proposed 51:49 alliance with JSW Group, in which JSW is reported to hold the majority stake. Reports say the tie-up would cover component sourcing, vehicle manufacturing and rollouts, and dealer network expansion, with a target to conclude the venture before mid-2027.
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The JSW alliance: what is confirmed and what is not
A Skoda Auto Volkswagen India spokesperson has confirmed that the company signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with JSW Group to explore a strategic partnership. The spokesperson said the partnership would be based on joint control, with defined roles and a decision-making mechanism, and would explore a wider product portfolio, deeper localisation and expanded manufacturing and R&D in India.
The 51:49 split and the two-EV timeline come from reports citing internal discussions, not from an official announcement. Note that "joint control" in the official wording and "JSW holding 51 per cent" in the reports are not the same thing, and the final structure may differ.
| Item | Status |
| Non-binding MoU between SAVWIPL and JSW Group | Confirmed by Skoda Auto Volkswagen India |
| Partnership based on joint control | Confirmed (company statement) |
| 51:49 ownership with JSW as majority holder | Reported, not confirmed |
| Two locally assembled EVs within two years | Reported, not confirmed |
| Deal to close before mid-2027 | Reported target |
Where the two EVs could be built
JSW has reportedly put forward two sites for assembling Skoda electric cars: the JSW Motors facility at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, and the JSW MG Motor plant at Halol, Gujarat. Reports add that JSW Motors is likely to handle contract manufacturing for Skoda and Volkswagen EVs at its existing site, rather than a brand-new factory being built first.
SAVWIPL's own plant is also in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar area, and JSW Motors' greenfield facility is reported to sit roughly 40 km from it. No site has been finalised.
Platform and likely vehicles
The EVs are expected to use the India Main Platform (IMP), an architecture reportedly derived from Volkswagen Group's China Main Platform (CMP) and adapted for Indian regulations and cost targets. Earlier reports said the platform could support four electric SUVs, a compact SUV and a mid-size SUV each for Skoda and Volkswagen.
On the near-term pair, reports suggest a 5-seater first, followed by a 7-seater at a later stage. Reports differ on whether both cars would carry the Skoda badge or be split between Skoda and Volkswagen, and neither brand has named a model.
Also Read: Skoda plans a small EV for India, but it is not the Epiq
Why Volkswagen's India EV plans took this long
Volkswagen's India EV story has moved in fits and starts. In February 2024, reports first surfaced of talks between Volkswagen and JSW Group on an EV joint venture. Around the same time, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India said it was working on an entry-level EV for the second half of the decade, and also looked at export potential.
An earlier plan involving Mahindra did not result in a deal, and SAVWIPL later began its own platform work under the PEAK EV project. Both brands have since used fully built imports to test demand for EVs in India, but no locally made Volkswagen Group EV is on sale today. The company reported domestic volume growth of around 36 per cent in 2025, which is part of why a localised EV plan matters for its India strategy.
Confirmed vs reported vs unconfirmed
| Detail | Where it stands |
| Launch timeline | Reported as within two years (2028 window), no date announced |
| Number of EVs | Two, reported |
| Body styles | 5-seater first, 7-seater later, reported |
| Platform | IMP derived from CMP, reported |
| Brands | Skoda and Volkswagen mentioned in reports, split unclear |
| Production sites | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Halol proposed, not finalised |
| Model names, price, battery, range | Not announced |
| Final JSW deal | Not signed, MoU only |
What this means for buyers
For anyone waiting on a Skoda or Volkswagen EV in India, the realistic read is late 2028 at the earliest for a locally assembled car, and only if the JSW deal closes on schedule. There is no price, battery size or range to plan around yet, so this is a signal about direction, not a reason to delay a purchase today.
If you want a Volkswagen Group EV before then, the only route is the existing fully built import route, which usually means premium pricing.
Evfy's Take
The headline timeline looks tighter once you line it up with the deal. If the JSW alliance closes at the reported mid-2027 target and the first car arrives by the end of 2028, that leaves roughly 18 months from signing to production. That is Evfy's own arithmetic, not a company figure.
It only works if the cars are built on existing sites through contract manufacturing, which is what the reports describe. A fresh factory would not fit inside that window. In other words, the plant plan and the timeline are really the same story, and a slip in the deal pushes the cars back with it.
