Concept cars point towards the future vision that a brand has and Auto Expo has always been a platform where major manufacturers showcase some of their concepts in order to gauge customer reaction as well as educate them about the direction that the manufacture is taking for upcoming models. This year, the top three concepts on display were the Maruti Suzuki EVX, Kia EV9 and Tata Motors Avinya Concept.
Maruti Suzuki EVX
Maruti Suzuki EVX Concept is a large SUV that comes with an all-electric drivetrain. Maruti Suzuki has so far stayed away from electric vehicles and have remained focused on offering hybrids in the country, however by 2025 when EBX becomes a production reality, it will be their first EV offering. EVX is also a showcase of the company’s future design language and the sharp edgy body panels point towards a younger, sportier line up from the country’s largest automobile manufacturer.
Kia EV9
Kia EV9 is a full-size SUV concept that boasts of an all-electric drive train. EV9 also points towards what Kia envisions their all-electric SUV line up to look like in the future. Innovative features include a solar panel built into the hood to improve overall driving range, interior elements are made from sustainable materials and it gets a neat pop-up steering wheel as well as a large 27 – inch touchscreen interface. Kia EV9 also showcases what a three-row premium SUV of the future could eventually turn out to be.
Tata Motors Avinya Concept
Tata Avinya is a 5-seater concept vehicle that blurs the line between SUV, Sports Coupe and Sedan. Avinya has a streamlined body design that is built on the company’s Gen 3 architecture and is a showcase of what boundaries electric vehicle design can be pushed to by Tata Motors. Touted to offer the capability of an SUV and the comfort of an MPV, Avinya also incorporates sustainable materials in its interiors. Expected to have a 500+ km range per charge and come with advance driver assistance systems, Avinya could be a production reality by 2025.