The automotive wholesales numbers for September 2024 and Q2 FY2025 are out, seeing mixed results.

As per the latest data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the apex body representing automakers in India, for September 2024, the passenger vehicle segment sold 356,752 which was down 1 percent YoY compared to 361,717 units sold last year.

On the other hand, the three- and two-wheeler segments continued to power the overall sales with 79,683 units and 2,025,993 units, seeing 7 percent and 16 percent growth respectively. This translates to a total of 2,462,431 vehicles sold in September, up 13 percent, compared to 2,186,270 units sold last year.

Similarly, in Q2 FY2025, a total of 6,663,875 vehicles were sold, registering a 9 percent growth YoY, as compared to 6,116,773 units sold last year.

Of this, passenger vehicle sales declined by 2 percent at 1,055,137 units; commercial vehicles barring buses were all in the red. A total of 220,643 commercial vehicles were sold, registering a decline of 11 percent YoY, as compared to 247,801 units sold last year.

The three-wheeler and two-wheeler segments continued to be the bright spot with sales of 208,718 units (7% YoY) and 5,179,349 units (13% YoY) respectively.

Shailesh Chandra, President, SIAM said, “The overall Indian automobile industry remained strong in Q2 2024-25 with 8.9 percent growth compared to Q2 2023-24. Two- and Three-Wheelers continued to post strong growth of 12.6 percent and 6.6 percent respectively, while passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles posted some degrowth in Q2 of 2024-25 compared to 2023-24. Heavy rainfall in key states and almost the entire ‘Shradh’ period falling in the month of September, did impact the sales numbers of some of the segments. With the rains easing and continued infrastructure spending, and the arrival of the festive season boosting consumption, we anticipate healthy demand in the next quarter.”

Rajesh Menon, Director General, SIAM said, “Although passenger vehicle segment de-grew by 1.8 percent in Q2 of 2024-25 as compared to Q2 of last year, for the 3rd time it crossed the 1 million mark in Q2, posting a sales of 1.06 million units. Two-wheelers posted sales of 5.18 million units in Q2 for FY 24-25 as compared 4.60 million units in Q2 of last year. Three-wheelers posted the highest ever sales of Q2 with 2.09 lakh units. Commercial vehicles posted a degrowth of 11 percent in Q2 of 2024-25 as compared to Q2 of last year, with sales of 2.21 lakh units.”

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Vega Auto, the parent company of helmet brand Axor, has commenced production of Revo optical-coated helmet visors in India, marking the start of local manufacturing for the component.

The production launch follows an investment of over INR 20 million in optical coating technology and manufacturing infrastructure. The company plans to produce up to 2.4 million units of the coated visors at its domestic facilities.

The visors utilise multilayer optical coating technology designed to control light glare in bright environmental conditions and reduce visual fatigue. The product engineering focuses on glare management and optical clarity during daylight riding, expanding safety design beyond structural impact protection to address rider visual field requirements and road environment awareness.

Girdhari Chandak, Managing Director, Vega Auto Accessories, said, "At Axor, we believe rider safety begins long before impact, it begins with vision. A rider who can see more clearly can anticipate better, react faster and ride with greater confidence. Becoming the first company in India to manufacture Revo Optical Coated Helmet Visors is a proud milestone for Vega Auto. Our investment of over INR 20 million in advanced optical coating technology reflects our commitment to building world-class innovation in India. Revo is more than a premium visor. It represents a new approach to helmet innovation, one that combines protection with superior visual performance, comfort and rider confidence. This is only the beginning of our journey to redefine rider vision technology."

The manufacturing process incorporates multilayer coatings applied directly to the visor surface to produce a reflective finish while maintaining light transmission properties. Vega Auto will integrate the locally produced visors into its Axor product portfolio while continuing the development of component manufacturing capabilities in India.

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has commenced commercial production at Plant D, the fourth manufacturing unit at its Hansalpur facility in Gujarat.

The new line adds 250,000 units of annual capacity, raising the total annual production capability at the Hansalpur site from 750,000 units to one million vehicles. The expansion makes Hansalpur the first manufacturing location across Suzuki's international network to achieve a million-unit annual capacity and establishes the site as the largest single-location passenger vehicle manufacturing plant in India.

The commissioning of Plant D increases Maruti Suzuki's total installed manufacturing capacity across India to 2.9 million units per year. Total investment in the Hansalpur site stands at INR 252.88 billion, which includes INR 39 billion allocated for the construction and equipping of Plant D. Initial assembly operations at the new plant will focus on the company's battery electric vehicle, the e Vitara.

In addition to the e Vitara, the Hansalpur manufacturing complex produces the Fronx, Baleno and Swift models. The site serves as a primary export hub for Maruti Suzuki, generating approximately 47 percent of the company's total overseas vehicle shipments during the 2025-26 financial year.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “Gujarat has emerged as a manufacturing and export hub for Maruti Suzuki, backed by strong infrastructure and a progressive industrial ecosystem. The start of commercial production at the fourth plant of our Hansalpur facility augments its annual production capacity to one million vehicles, making it India’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturing facility at a single location. The new line will further strengthen our ability to meet the growing demand from customers in India and overseas while advancing our ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ vision and expanding our global footprint.”

“Together, the Hansalpur and the upcoming Sanand facility in Gujarat will play a pivotal role in achieving our long-term ambition of producing 4 million units annually in India. These projects reflect our commitment to strengthening India’s manufacturing competitiveness, creating employment, boosting exports, and contributing towards Viksit Bharat,” he added.

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Godrej Enterprises Group's Tooling business is expanding its engineering and manufacturing capabilities to support domestic original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier-1 suppliers as the Indian automotive sector increases localisation and develops new mobility platforms.

With over 85 percent of its business linked to the automotive industry, the division supplies precision tooling solutions across passenger vehicles, two-wheelers, commercial vehicles and electric vehicle platforms.

At present, 95 percent of the tooling supplied to its automotive client base is manufactured locally within India, driven by government initiatives such as Make in India and Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes that encourage domestic supply chain resilience.

The business produces press tools, die-casting dies and precision tooling systems. Alongside its core automotive operations, the unit supplies components to industrial machinery, railways, metro rail networks and defence manufacturing sectors.

Pankaj Abhyankar, Business Head – Tooling at Godrej Enterprises Group, said: "India's automotive industry is evolving rapidly, driven by localisation, changing mobility technologies, and the need for greater manufacturing agility. As vehicle architectures become more advanced, tooling is playing an increasingly important role in enabling precision, productivity, quality, and faster product development cycles. Our focus remains on building advanced engineering and manufacturing capabilities that help customers meet these evolving requirements while supporting India's manufacturing ambitions."

To meet changing manufacturing standards, the division is integrating digital simulations, additive manufacturing, Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring systems and large-tonnage dye equipment into its production processes. The business is also utilising vacuum-assisted systems, thermo-regulation processes, squeeze casting and conformal cooling methods.

The expansion comes as the Indian tooling market experiences increased demand driven by capital investments in automotive manufacturing, electric mobility infrastructure, railways and defence production. Godrej Enterprises Group aims to scale its domestic manufacturing output to support long-term supply chain localisation across these industrial sectors.

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SABIC (Saudi Basic Industries Corporation), one of the largest petrochemicals manufacturers globally, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CEER, Saudi Arabia's electric vehicle brand, to explore cooperation in applying SABIC's materials and solutions in the design, development and manufacture of electric vehicles.

The signing ceremony took place at SABIC's headquarters in Riyadh, with attendance from SABIC CEO Dr. Faisal M. Alfaqeer and CEER CEO James DeLuca.

The agreement establishes a framework for evaluating the use of SABIC materials in EV applications and jointly developing material and processing solutions. The collaboration also covers knowledge sharing on sustainability and technology, exploring strategic sourcing opportunities to build a local supply chain and identifying joint areas of cooperation.

Dr. Al-Faqeer, said, “The memorandum represents a strategic collaboration which leverages SABIC’s global expertise in advanced material solutions for the electric vehicle industry. Through this partnership, we aim to accelerate innovation, enhance local content and build an integrated national supply chain that enhances global competitiveness. This collaboration also reflects our shared commitment to contribute to Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Industrial Strategy, empowering national talent, and strengthening Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional hub for future industries and technologies.”

James DeLuca, said, “This strategic collaboration with SABIC marks a significant step in CEER's journey toward designing, engineering and manufacturing a world-class electric vehicle right here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In order to develop next-generation electric vehicles with leading safety and efficiency performance, we are partnering with global prominent companies that share our commitment to innovation. By integrating SABIC’s materials and deep technical expertise into our vehicles, we are building a robust and reliable local supply chain while enhancing CEER’s rule as a key player in the Kingdom’s transformation into sustainable advanced hub for mobility and technology, in alignment with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.”

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