General Motors India expects to export 50,000 units from its Talegaon plant during 2016. This is more than double the 21,000 units it exported during 2015. This year, the company expects to sell nearly 30 per cent of its total production from here in the overseas markets.
Today, GM India rolled out the first vehicle meant for the Argentina market with the shipment scheduled to leave for Argentina next month.
Argentina will be the sixth major export market for the company, which already exports the left-hand drive Beat to countries including Mexico, Chile, Peru, Central American and Caribbean Countries (CAC), Uruguay and now Argentina.
The Chevrolet Beat recorded the highest growth for any passenger vehicle exported from India and became the sixth most exported passenger vehicle out of India during fiscal 2016, with a total of 37,082 units, GM India said in a statement.
“In keeping with our commitment to the Make in India program, we are proud to celebrate the roll-out of the first vehicle to Argentina,” said GM India President and Managing Director Kaher Kazem.
The Beat, badged Spark outside India, is available in more than 70 markets worldwide and has sold over one million units. The car is produced at GM India’s manufacturing facility in Talegaon, near Pune, which has a base capacity of 130,000 vehicles. GM India began vehicle exports from India to Chile in September 2014.
“In 2016, we plan to export over 50,000 vehicles, compared with 21,000 vehicles in the last calendar year. This is part of GM’s strategy to make India an export hub for global markets and will help increase capacity utilisation at our Talegaon plant. We expect to identify additional export markets,” Kazem said.
The Talegaon facility will become a global export hub for GM, with around 30 per cent of its annual production planned for markets outside India.