Eicher Polaris launched the Multix personal utility vehicle here on Thursday. It is the first of its kind in the automotive segment targeted exclusively at the ‘independent businessman’.

The Multix has two versions priced at Rs 2.32 lakh and Rs 2.72 lakh (ex-showroom Jaipur) and will hit the roads in August. The plan is to produce 60,000 units annually at the Jaipur plant and this number can be scaled up to twice as much depending on market response to the offering.

The project has involved a cost outlay of Rs 350 crore largely towards product development and readying a top-class facility, which was originally home to Royal Enfield. The Multix can comfortably accommodate five people with luggage. Space can be quickly adapted to squeeze in more baggage if needed. According to the company, the diesel-powered vehicle delivers 28 kilometres to a litre.

The Multix also comes with X-Port, a power takeoff point which can generate up to 3 KW and will come in handy for applications like drilling and pumping water. This feature was introduced keeping in mind erratic power supply in those markets the Multix is primarily targeted which are small cities and towns.

In its preparatory study for the project, Eicher Polaris estimated that there are nearly 5.8 crore such independent businessmen across India whose mobility needs are clearly underserviced. They could be in a range of professions spread across cities, towns and villages. “We want to target this customer as his current options are suboptimal for his needs,” said Siddhartha Lal, Managing Director & CEO, Eicher Motors.

From Eicher Polaris’ point of view, the independent businessman is a son-of-the-soil who loves his town and has no intentions of leaving it. He is ambitious and keen to grow his business. He also has a family and would love to spend more time with them on picnics and other kinds of leisure outings.

It was quite evident from this extensive survey that the two-wheeler was not adequate for this person’s family in terms of space or safety. Likewise, cars would have no utility for his business and only become an indulgence of sorts. “What he needs is something for his family which can cater to both business and personal needs,” added Lal.

This is where Eicher Polaris is betting big on the Multix to make the difference in personal mobility for the independent businessman and his family. The company will kick off with 30 city dealerships as the first phase of the selling process before getting into a larger pan-India presence.

Eicher Polaris is an equal joint venture between Eicher Motors and Polaris Industries of the US. The two plan to retail a range of personal vehicles in India and other emerging markets.

The writer is in Jaipur on an invitation from Eicher Polaris

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