JSW MG Motor is betting on plug-in hybrid technology to attract buyers of executive diesel SUVs, with the Hector Tomahawk PHEV forming the centrepiece of its strategy. The company believes the powertrain can offer the lower running costs of electric driving without the range concerns associated with a pure EV. The seven-seat Tomahawk PHEV offers more than 115km of electric-only driving and a combined range of over 1,100km.

1. MG claims Rs 3,000-4,000 running cost per 1,000km, versus Rs 10,000-12,000 for diesel
2. JSW MG targets the executive SUV market that sells 50,000 units a month
3. Company aims for 5,000-6,000 Tomahawk sales per month

JSW MG eyes executive diesel SUV market

JSW MG says that the executive SUV market in India accounts for around 50,000 units a month, with diesel SUVs contributing about 40,000 units and EVs around 10,000. The diesel segment includes models such as the Mahindra XUV 7XO, Tata Safari and Tata Harrier, while the EV segment includes the Mahindra XEV 9S, Tata Harrier EV and Kia Carens Clavis EV.

“If you look at the diesel C-sized market, that is about 40,000 units. The C-sized EV market is about 10,000. So, the total potential is 50,000,” says Anurag Mehrotra, Managing Director, JSW MG Motor India.

The Hector Tomahawk PHEV is priced Rs 1.5 lakh-2 lakh higher than the top diesel automatic variants of the Mahindra XUV 7XO, Tata Safari and Tata Harrier. JSW MG expects to justify this premium through lower operating costs and the overall product package.

The Tomahawk PHEV has no direct mass-market PHEV rival in India and will instead target diesel SUV buyers. According to surveys cited by Mehrotra, owners in this segment typically cover 18,000-20,000km a year, with many combining daily commutes with regular outstation travel.

“They want the fuel efficiency of a diesel because they are travelling longer distances,” says Mehrotra. “For them, there has not been a new-energy choice. The plug-in hybrid takes away the range issue completely, but still gives you the unit economics of an EV.”

Vinay Raina, Chief Commercial Officer, JSW MG Motor India, says many of these customers choose diesel because it suits their usage rather than because of a fixed preference for the fuel. “The Indian consumer is willing to experiment,” he says.

MG Hector Tomahawk PHEV running costs

JSW MG estimates that covering 1,000km in the PHEV could cost Rs 3,000-4,000, compared with Rs 10,000-12,000 in a diesel SUV. This calculation assumes regular charging and substantial use of the electric mode. “The plug-in hybrid will be close to a third of the cost of running a diesel,” Mehrotra says.

The company says the PHEV can return around 22kpl when used mainly as a hybrid, while its claimed 30-50kpl figure assumes regular charging and that most daily travel is completed using electric power. These figures include kilometres covered on electricity and therefore cannot be directly compared with the fuel economy of a diesel SUV. Charging costs also need to be included when calculating the overall running cost.

This also means the claimed savings will depend on how the vehicle is used. Owners who regularly charge at home and complete much of their daily driving on battery power should use less petrol, while those who rarely charge will rely more on the engine and lose much on the projected savings.

JSW MG targets 5,000-6,000 Tomahawks a month

JSW MG is targeting monthly sales of 5,000-6,000 units for the Tomahawk range, which includes the EV and PHEV. The company has not specified how that volume will be split between the two powertrains. At the targeted volume, JSW MG estimates the range would account for around 10-12 percent of the 50,000-unit monthly executive SUV opportunity it has identified. 

The Tomahawk EV and PHEV are based on the company’s ADAPT architecture, which is designed to support multiple powertrain types. JSW MG currently has achieved around 45 percent localization in the Tomahawk and plans to increase this to approximately 70 percent by next year, with the investment already approved by its board.