Skoda marks 25 years in India, sets 100,000 vehicle sales target for 2026

Skoda Auto celebrated its 25th anniversary in India, highlighting its growth from initial assembly operations in rented facilities to becoming a strategic hub for the Volkswagen Group's regional operations. The Czech automaker, which laid the foundation stone for its first plant in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in January 2000, now operates two manufacturing facilities and aims to sell 100,000 vehicles annually in India by 2026.

The company recently launched its Kylaq compact SUV, entering the sub-4-metre segment which represents nearly half of India's car sales. The new model received 10,000 orders within ten days of its launch. The Kylaq joins Skoda's India-specific lineup, which includes the Kushaq and Slavia, all based on the localized MQB A0-IN platform.

Since 2018, Skoda has been leading Volkswagen Group's activities in India, developing vehicles with up to 95% localization. The company has expanded its customer touchpoints across the country by 35% in the past two years and established a technology center to support its operations.

Klaus Zellmer, CEO of Skoda Auto, emphasized India's role as the company's second pillar outside Europe, citing the market's talent pool and growing consumer demand. The company is using India as a base to expand into ASEAN countries, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific region, recently opening a logistics facility for component exports to Vietnam.

Skoda's journey in India began with the assembly of the first-generation Octavia, followed by models like the Fabia, Rapid, Superb, and Kodiaq. The Slavia sedan, launched in 2022, received recognition as India's Sedan of the Year and won Car of the Year 2023 at the Acko Drive Awards.

The company has committed to achieving CO2-neutrality at its Indian plants by 2030. Its Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar facility already runs entirely on green energy, while the Pune plant's expanded photovoltaic system provides up to 30% of its electricity needs. The 500-hectare Pune site also serves as a habitat for over 300 species of plants and animals.

This expansion comes as India's automotive market continues to grow, with increasing demand for electric and sustainable mobility solutions. The country's automotive sector has seen significant foreign investment in recent years as global manufacturers seek to establish manufacturing bases and tap into the growing middle-class consumer market.