Bajaj EV Manufacturing Line To Move Out Of Maharashtra

Bajaj Auto is contemplating moving its EV manufacturing line out of Maharashtra and is considering Bengaluru, Delhi and Hyderabad as possible sites.

Managing Director of Bajaj Auto, Rajiv Bajaj, has said that the company wants to set up a dedicated plant for EV manufacturing with a capacity of 5 lakh vehicles.

Although Maharashtra would always be the first choice, according to Rajiv Bajaj, the company plans to move its EV line elsewhere due to recent developments.

The issue is that the Maharashtra government wants the company to hand back a significant portion of the land that it allocated for Bajaj EV manufacturing plant or pay a whole lot more for that land.

That is because there have been delays in Bajaj developing the land in terms of a constructing a factory.

Rajiv Bajaj expressed his disappointed with regard to the State government’s move and stated that instead of supporting his firm, “the Maharashtra government wants to levy a penalty on us because we were admittedly a little late”.

Word has it that Bajaj’s EV line might move to Delhi, Karnataka or Telangana, since Rajiv Bajaj has been quoted saying that he finds the recently released EV policies (of the Union and State governments) encouraging.

For example, the Delhi EV Policy 2020 offers electric vehicle buyers financial incentives in addition to the Centre’s incentives and the government there recently waived road tax and registration fees.

Although it has only one electric 2-wheeler, the Chetak, on sale at the moment (600 units sold so far in this fiscal), Bajaj plans to add new EVs to its portfolio and it will also manufacture upcoming EVs from KTM and Husqvarna brands.