The Indian Motor Show, also known as Auto Expo, is set to make a comeback in January 2023. While many are queuing up in the pit to come out and showcase their new offerings, especially on the EV front, the event will witness the absence of brands like Mahindra & Mahindra, Volkswagen, Skoda, Honda Cars, Nissan and Renault.
But first up, what is Auto Expo?
Indian Motor Show is a biennial event, which takes place in January or February every alternate year, was last held in 2020 and it was scheduled to take place in February 2022. However, due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) pushed the event to 2023.
The 15th edition of the Indian Motor Show will be held in two venues - Auto Expo Component Show at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi and Auto Expo - The Motor Show at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida. In the upcoming event, the automotive components manufacturers will showcase their components from 12-15 January, while participating automakers are expected to showcase their current as well as an upcoming range of vehicles at the venue.
To lure the auto-enthusiasts, manufacturers starting January 13 are expected to bring big brand ambassadors like Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan, Ranveer Singh and Varun Dhawan, among others to host several new launches and concept demos over the six days of the event.
Automakers participating in Auto Expo 2023
The manufacturers who will partake in the forthcoming event are Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL, Hyundai Motor India, Kia India, Tata Motors, BYD (Build Your Dreams), MG Motor India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor and Volvo India.
In addition to this, several electric vehicles makers like Tork Motors, Okinawa Autotech, Hero Electric, Log9 Material, ELMoto, Matter Motorworks, CE Info Systems, Sibros Technologies India, Omjay Eeve, Autoline E-Mobility, Hop Electric, Devot Motors, MTA E-Mobility, Greaves Cotton, and Omega Seiki Mobility will also be participating in the event.
Automakers giving Auto Expo 2023 a miss
While several automakers will be attending the event like always, many others, mentioned above, are looking to skip the event entirely.
On the other hand, participants from the internal combustion engine (ICE) two-wheeler segment is even lower as several of the country’s top two-wheeler makers - Hero MotoCorp, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), Bajaj Auto, TVS Motor Company and Royal Enfield will be absent.
Likely reasons behind absence
Although most companies haven’t provided any explanation for their lack of interest in the event, sources in the industry claim that multiple factors may have affected automakers' decision to skip the event.
Few industry veterans think that the timing and venue of the event have made it less attractive, while others think that the returns on investment from the event are much less.
Another reason could be blamed for the event’s delay from 2022 to 2023, which led many brands to reschedule their launches accordingly and are left with nothing exclusive or planned for this year’s motor show.
Moreover, the decline in preference for ICE two-wheeler buyers may also have a role in major manufacturers skipping the event since 2018.
