With annual volumes declining significantly and market share falling below 1 percent, French carmaker Renault is working overtime to deliver a new range of SUVs and compact electric utility vehicles that will bring it back into the reckoning. The company finds itself at a crossroads in India, the world's third-largest car market, as it battles an increasingly competitive landscape.
- Renault Kiger EV production scheduled for 2026 second half
- Renault India will likely source batteries locally for its EVs
Renault Kiger EV, Triber EV details
Our sister publication Autocar Professional learns that Renault India is developing the Kiger EV, internally named Project RJ2K5. Production is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026. Built on a dedicated EV platform, the Renault Kiger EV is designed for mass-market buyers, with a target price point below Rs 15 lakh.
Additionally, Renault plans to introduce an electric Triber, which may cater to the needs of families and fleet buyers. Another person in the know said the company will likely source batteries locally for its EVs to ensure accessible price points, and it has been engaged in a discussion with Tata AutoComp about the same.
Renault Kiger, Triber facelifts and Duster launch timeline
The company is banking on 2025 to change its fortunes. It will release significant facelifts of its compact models, Kiger and Triber, before the all-new mid-size SUVs Duster and Bigster are launched in 2026.
It's already been two years since the company announced its mid-term plan with Nissan to invest Rs 5,400 crore for upcoming models. The plan involves launching six models between the alliance partners in India. This lull in new products was anticipated. The management feels that the current correction is not surprising, and expected the brand to hit a low in India in 2024 before being revived with several new models.
In 2024, Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo openly admitted the company's struggles in India, describing it as a challenging market. In his last visit to the country, De Meo told Indian media, “India is not an easy market and many carmakers have had to bite the dust.” Yet, the French carmaker is “not shying away from the market and is ready to bet on India for the future”, with its alliance partner Nissan, he pointed out.
The CEO said the company is figuring out how to cater to the Indian market and set things right in its new phase. “We need to find our secret sauce, and in the past, maybe the only thing we were focusing on was trying to get the cheapest possible car to get access to mobility, but the market is changing a lot, so we have to be a little bit more creative,” he explained.
Renault India is currently at its lowest point in more than a decade. Average monthly sales have slipped below 4,000 units, and its market share has gone below 1 percent. In terms of sales, the brand has fallen below VW in the current financial year.
Renault India future plans
According to a person close to the company, Renault's roadmap for India – which includes new EVs, facelifts, and the return of legacy models – appears to be more reactive than proactive. “If Renault genuinely aims to regain relevance in India, it must move beyond token updates and delayed launches. A sharper focus on product differentiation, customer experience, and proactive market engagement will be essential to reversing its downward trajectory,” added the person, requesting anonymity.
Along with the series of product actions, there is a transition in the works in the sales and marketing department. Dacia Spain's CEO is set to take over the function from Sudhir Malhotra, the department's erstwhile head.
De Meo agreed that the market is very competitive. However, Renault is convinced that India will play an increasingly important role in the alliance between the companies (both Renault and Nissan).
“I think we were amongst the first to believe in the potential of this market, and we still believe in it. In the meantime, we also understood that we can deliver,” he said. De Meo was also candid in accepting that the brand Renault is right now “at a low point of its lifecycle in India, but we had the opportunity to prove that we could be very successful in this market.” He was referring to popular models ranging from the Duster SUV and Logan sedan to the Kwid hatchback.
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