The Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA) has released the automotive retail sales data for November, which saw a total of 3,208,719 vehicles sold across categories, marking a 11.2 percent growth over November 2023.

This saw two-wheelers clocking its best-ever performance for the month at 2,615,953 units, up 15.8 percent YoY, three-wheeler at 108,337 units, up 4.2 percent YoY, passenger vehicles sales at 321,943 units, down 13.7 percent YoY, tractors sales at 80,519 units, up 29.8 percent YoY and commercial vehicles sales at 81,967 units, down 6 percent YoY.

C S Vigneshwar, President, FADA, stated, “While November was initially expected to build on its prior momentum, particularly due to the marriage season, dealer feedback suggests that this segment underperformed overall expectations. Although rural markets offered some support, primarily in the two-wheeler category, marriage-related sales remained subdued. The late occurrence of Deepawali at the end of October also caused a spillover of festive registrations into November, affecting the month’s sales trajectory.”

He shared that while November sales in certain segments were at record high, the marriage season’s contribution fell short of expectations, offering only limited relief from rural India.

The passenger vehicles sales in particular faced notable headwinds, on the back of weak market sentiment, limited product variety and insufficient new launches, compounded by the shift of festive demand into October.

“Although rural interest was present, it failed to significantly improve sentiment.

Inventory levels have reduced by about 10 days, but to remain high at around 65-68 days. FADA continues to urge OEMs to further rationalise inventory so that the industry can enter the new year on a healthier footing, reducing the need for additional discounts,” stated Vigneshwar.

On the CV sales he explained that the segment also struggled due to restricted product choices, older model issues, limited financier support, and the absence of major festivals in November following a strong October.

“External elements such as elections, a slowdown in coal and cement industries, and weak market sentiment also weighed heavily on this category,” he said.

Going forward he expects that with the prospects of a bumper Kharif harvest is likely to temper food inflation and the broader macroeconomic environment appears will improve, potentially aiding consumer sentiment in the months ahead.

“However, the immediate December outlook derived from dealer feedback is mixed. Category-wise Expectations:

Two-wheelers: Dealers suggest that while some buyers remain hesitant—either awaiting new-year models or influenced by subdued post-festive sentiment—others could be drawn by potential year-end discounts and stable rural demand. Although momentum may not be robust, incremental schemes and easing inflation could lend mild support, placing two-wheeler on a cautiously positive footing.

Passenger vehicles: In the passenger vehicles segment, heavy discounting and improved product availability are expected to help offset weak consumer sentiment and a general year-end lull. While some customers are deferring purchases for new-year models, overall interest could pick up due to aggressive offers and end of year promotions. This sets a tone of cautious optimism, with a moderate chance of improved sales compared to November.

Commercial vehicles: The commercial vehicles category faces a more challenging environment. Factors such as subdued infrastructure activity and customers holding back for newer model-year vehicles continue to dampen demand.

“Nonetheless, selective OEM schemes and year-end offers may provide a limited lift. On balance, while the CV segment’s expectations are not uniformly positive, there is some hope that targeted incentives and stable financing conditions could prevent a sharper decline. In sum, while the near-term outlook for December is not overwhelmingly strong across segments, it leans towards stability with pockets of potential growth, underlining a sentiment that remains overall remains cautiously optimistic.

Representational image: David McBee/Pexels

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Toyota Motor North America has announced an investment of 3.6 billion USD in its plant in San Antonio, Texas. The project will add 2.5 million square feet to the campus and double its size by 2030. The expansion includes a second vehicle assembly line and will create 2,000 jobs, bringing the local workforce to approximately 6,000 people.

As part of this transition, the production of the Tacoma will move from the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Baja California plant to the Texas site over a four-year period. Once the expansion is complete, the San Antonio plant will assemble the Tundra, Sequoia, and Tacoma. The expansion will increase the annual production capacity of the plant by 150,000 units. Furthermore, the production of the Tacoma mid-size pickup will move from the Baja California plant in Mexico to the San Antonio facility over a period of four years.

Ted Ogawa, President and CEO, Toyota Motor North America, said, “Toyota’s continued investment in North America is a testament to our confidence in the region’s workforce, innovation and long-term growth potential. By expanding our San Antonio plant, we are deepening our commitment to American manufacturing, creating meaningful and sustainable jobs, while advancing our mission to deliver high-quality vehicles that meet the changing needs of customers today and into the future.”

Greg Abbott, Texas Governor, noted, “Texas is where the world builds bigger, and Toyota shows it once more with a USD 3.6 billion expansion in San Antonio that doubles their factory footprint and creates 2,000 new jobs. This Texas-sized investment reflects the strength of our workforce and the unmatched business advantages found only in our state. Supported by the Texas Enterprise Fund and JETI program, this expansion will deliver economic opportunities to generations of San Antonio families and further cement Texas as the premier destination for world-class advanced manufacturing.”

Frank Voss, group vice president of truck manufacturing at TMNA and president of Toyota Texas, added, “We are so proud of Team Texas and what they have accomplished over the past two decades. The 2,000 acres of South Texas ranchland our plant stands on today was purposefully selected for its ability to scale with vehicle demand, and today marks the first step toward realising that potential. We’re excited to add the beloved Tacoma to our existing award-winning lineup, and we thank the State of Texas, Bexar County and City of San Antonio for their longstanding support.”

This investment brings Toyota’s total spending at the San Antonio site to USD 8.3 billion since 2003. The facility currently supports 23 on-site suppliers and produced over 197,000 vehicles last year.

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Tata Motors has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Welspun Renewable Energy to develop an 86 MW wind-solar hybrid project. The project will supply power to Tata Motors' manufacturing plants in Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Karnataka.

The project is expected to generate 200 million units of energy annually and offset 140,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. This initiative supports Tata Motors' goal to meet its RE100 target by 2030 and its ambition to achieve net-zero emissions.

Vishal Badshah, Vice-President – Operations, Tata Motors, said, "This project reflects Tata Motors’ continued focus on building greener and more energy-efficient manufacturing operations. The scale and integrated nature of this wind-solar hybrid solution will help us secure a reliable supply of renewable energy for key commercial vehicle manufacturing facilities, while meaningfully reducing carbon emissions across operations on a sustained basis. Collaborations like these are critical as we progress to fulfil our RE-100 commitment and net-zero aspirations."

Kapil Maheshwari, MD & CEO, Welspun Renewable Energy, said, “This partnership with Tata Motors represents a defining milestone in Welspun New Energy's journey. We are not merely signing a PPA, we are co-creating a model for how India's largest manufacturers can decarbonize and achieve net zero and sustainability goals. We thank Tata Motors for their trust and look forward to making this one of many long and successful partnerships. At Welspun New Energy, we remain committed to building resilient, future-ready renewable energy infrastructure for both Utilities and C&I consumers”

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has further expanded its capacity with its new manufacturing facility at IMT Kharkhoda, Haryana, going on stream.

The facility was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of Japan, Sanae Takaichi, via video conferencing. The site represents an investment of INR 350 billion and is expected to create 21,000 jobs. Once the facility reaches its capacity of one million units per annum, it will be among the largest vehicle manufacturing sites globally.

Toshihiro Suzuki, Representative Director & President, Suzuki Motor Corporation, said, “It is a great honour for Suzuki group today as its most advanced car manufacturing facility at Kharkhoda, Haryana has been inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi and Sanae Takaichi. From current capacity of half a million units, the plant will be further scaled to one million units, making it one of the largest car plants in the world. It is a testament to the success of India-Japan partnership and ‘Make in India’ initiative. With favourable policy environment under PM Modi’s leadership, Suzuki is accelerating investments, employment, exports and technologies towards Viksit Bharat journey.”

“Over the years, India’s importance has grown significantly within the Suzuki Group. Suzuki’s first Battery Electric Vehicle, the e VITARA, is manufactured exclusively at Maruti Suzuki’s Gujarat plant, for exports to 100 countries globally. Thanks to exports of Made in India cars, Suzuki has become the largest car importer in Japan, one of the most demanding automobile markets. This shift is a strong reflection of how ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ is unfolding in practice, demonstrating growing global trust in India’s quality, capability, and advancement in manufacturing,” added Suzuki.

The Kharkhoda facility operates as a ‘Suzuki Smart Factory,’ utilising digital technologies to monitor operations and Industry 5.0 practices, such as the use of collaborative robots (COBOTS).

Interestingly, 100 percent of the facility’s electricity is sourced through renewable methods, including an installed solar capacity of 20 MWp, which is planned to reach 70 MWp by 2030. The site also includes a biogas plant and a Battery Energy Storage System.

The plant functions as a zero liquid discharge facility, with water requirements met through recycling and rainwater harvesting.

Furthermore, an in-plant railway siding will be established to manage vehicle transportation.

The company is also conducting community development projects in 10 nearby villages and continues to operate Japan-India Institutes for Manufacturing (JIMs) to develop a skilled workforce. Maruti Suzuki currently operates manufacturing plants in Gurugram, Manesar, Hansalpur, and now Kharkhoda, with a target capacity of 2.9 million units by the FY2026-27.

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Hindustan Zinc has expanded its Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) license to include Hindustan Zinc Die-Casting Alloy 5 (HZDA 5). The company now holds BIS certification for both HZDA 3 and HZDA 5, which are used in sectors including automotive, engineering and infrastructure.

The BIS certification confirms that products meet standards for quality, safety and reliability. This development is intended to provide customers with assurance regarding product consistency and performance.

Arun Misra, CEO & Whole Time Director, Hindustan Zinc, said, “The extension of our BIS license scope to include HZDA 5 is an important step in strengthening customer confidence in our certified product portfolio. For us, certification is not only about meeting standards, but also about assuring customers of dependable quality and long-term value. As industries increasingly look for high-performance and responsibly produced metals, Hindustan Zinc remains committed to delivering products that customers can trust.”

The company manages quality through processes including raw material sourcing, production, and testing. It uses systems such as the Laboratory Information Management System and Agile Quality Circle to monitor production. In addition to BIS, the company maintains certifications such as REACH and LBMA.

Hindustan Zinc produces zinc, lead, silver and alloys, including low-carbon offerings. The company also manages customer engagement through its digital platform, Vedanta Metal Bazaar.

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