Hella targets India’s two- and three-wheeler market with new subsidiary

Hella, one of the world’s leading automotive suppliers specialising in innovative lighting systems and vehicle electronics, is gunning for growth in India. Now, the company, which already has a strong presence in the Indian market, aims to aggressively address the two-wheeler and three-wheeler segments in the country.

Two- and three-wheelers account for over 80 percent of all vehicles sold  in India. Electric rickshaws in particular have experienced significant growth in recent years. It is estimated that there are already over two million of them, and this figure is expected to continue to rise.

Hella says that in order to serve this growing two and three-wheeler market in an even more targeted manner it has set up a new company called Hella eMobionics in India. To start with, the new subsidiary will use Hella's existing production facilities in the country. It is also conceivable that it will set up its own production site in the future.

“India is the world's largest producer of autorickshaws. They are one of the main means of transport in India along with the other two- and three-wheelers and will play a pioneering role here, particularly in view of the ongoing electrification of mobility," says Dr. Naveen Gautam, responsible for Hella's electronics business in India. “By establishing a new subsidiary for our two- and three-wheeler business, we can penetrate this specific market even better and offer tailor-made technologies. After all, the requirements in this market differ, sometimes significantly, from our core automotive business.” 

“As an independently run company with a highly motivated team, we are even better equipped to further expand our position in this special market environment,” says Omkar Kulkarni, who manages Hella's new two- and three-wheeler business in India. “Of course, we also benefit from our experience in the automotive business. For example, we have a high level of expertise in the field of power and control electronics as well as distinct industrialisation expertise. In our view, both are important unique selling points.”

Hella has been active in the market for two- and three-wheelers since 2017. The product focus is mainly on Bluetooth-based control units, motors, 48-volt motor controllers and voltage converters. Hella has been represented in India since the end of the 1950s, initially through joint ventures. Today, the company employs around 1,600 people in India, about 700 of them in research and development.

In FY2019-20, Hella recorded global sales of 5.8 billion euros. The company operations in over 125 locations in around 35 countries.