Toyota India, In a significant achievement for India’s manufacturing sector, Bengaluru-based Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts (TKAP) has commenced exporting e-Drive components, a crucial part of electrified powertrains, to Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand. This development highlights the success of the Make in India initiative, as exporting such advanced automotive technology to Japan demonstrates India’s ability to meet the world’s toughest quality standards.
The e-Drive technology is utilized in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) such as the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Toyota Innova Hycross, and Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara. Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) manufactures the Grand Vitara for Maruti Suzuki under the global Toyota-Suzuki partnership. The exported e-Drive is specifically used in the Urban Cruiser Hyryder and the Grand Vitara.
Despite its complexity, TKAP has successfully mastered the e-Drive technology, which requires extensive planning and execution. Sudeep Dalvi, senior vice-president, director, and chief communication officer at TKM, emphasized Toyota’s commitment to localizing technology and developing a vendor base in India to achieve carbon neutrality.
Although the e-Drive is not fully localized yet, with only a little over 50% localization in value terms, TKAP is working with local suppliers to enhance their quality standards to meet the stringent requirements of certain subcomponents.
KN Prasad, the managing director of TKAP, expressed optimism for the Auto Sector Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme’s ability to boost local manufacturing and reduce import dependence. The recently released standard operating procedures (SOPs) under the PLI Auto scheme will facilitate the testing and certification of advanced automotive technology (AAT) products, enabling applicants to qualify for
incentives.
Prasad believes that the PLI scheme’s focus on minimum domestic value addition criteria will encourage further localization, promote the domestic manufacturing sector, and create more job opportunities. Additionally, this will improve India’s export capabilities in high-end automotive technology components. As a joint venture between Toyota Motor Corp, Japan, Aisin Seiki Co, Japan, and Kirloskar Systems Ltd, India, TKAP manufactures axles, propeller shafts, and transmissions for vehicles, supplying these components to Toyota in India and worldwide.
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