The Core Report #560 Santosh Iyer on Mercedes-Benz India's EV Push, AMG Craze & Gen-Z Luxury Car Buyers
In this conversation, Govindraj Ethiraj speaks with Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO of Mercedes-Benz India, about the EV push and 8 percent penetration in India's luxury segment, Localisation strategy and the 30 percent made-in-India milestone, Why Gen-Z, salaried professionals, and women are driving luxury demand, and much more.This episode offers a rare inside look into how the iconic three-pointed star is navigating transformation, technology, and consumer change in India’s evolving automotive landscape.Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(01:50) Santosh Iyer’s early career(03:40) Early days at Mercedes-Benz(04:30) Investing in Future Tech(06:04) The changes in the India strategy(07:35) The perception of Mercedes-Benz(09:35) Appeal to the younger generation(11:03) The Mercedes-Benz India business strategy(13:26) The manufacturing model(15:45) Waiting times and imports(17:34) Top selling cars(19:25) Manufacturing, supply chains, Localisation(23:54) Popularity of SUVs, Diesel(26:40) EVs sales(29:30) Mercedes-Benz as an EV brand(34:00) Petrol car vs EV car(37:00) Market growth and demographic shift(42:00) The Mercedes-Benz customer(46:30) Mercedes-Benz GCC
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