NEW DELHI: Rising fuel prices and increased consumer interest in electric mobility have prompted JSW MG Motor India to double down on its new-energy vehicle strategy. Managing director Anurag Mehrotra said passenger vehicle EV penetration, which had slipped below 4% at the start of 2026, crossed 8% in June as higher fuel costs and growing awareness of running-cost savings pushed more buyers towards electrified vehicles.“Demand is not the challenge any more The challenge is giving customers enough choice,” Mehrotra told TOI, adding that the company expects new-energy vehicles (NEVs) – comprising EVs, hybrids, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and range-extender EVs – to account for nearly 80% of its total sales this year, broadly in line with its long-term target of 75%.While Tata Motors remains India’s largest electric passenger vehicle maker, EVs now account for around one-fifth of its passenger vehicle sales, reflecting a sharp jump in adoption. Mahindra’s electric portfolio has also expanded rapidly, with EVs contributing about 12% of its passenger vehicle volumes in June.Industry-wide, EV sales are growing at around 70%, far outpacing the broader passenger vehicle market.MG now wants to broaden that market further with plug-in hybrids. The company will introduce its first PHEV, positioning it primarily as an alternative for diesel SUV buyers, later this financial year.Mehrotra said PHEVs combine the low running costs of electric vehicles with the reassurance of a petrol engine for long-distance travel, eliminating range anxiety while avoiding dependence on charging infrastructure. Widely adopted in China and Europe, the technology is yet to take off in India because automakers have so far focused either on pure EVs or conventional hybrids.The new products will be built on MG’s newly unveiled ADAPT (Advance Drive Architecture Platform Technology), which it describes as India’s first multi-new energy vehicle platform. The architecture supports battery electric vehicles, hybrids, plug-in hybrids and range-extender EVs on a common platform.
