New Delhi, Toyota Kirloskar Motor will ramp up production capacity at Bidadi in Karnataka from early next year, a senior company official said on Wednesday, as the automaker looks to reduce waiting period for certain models while preparing for new products.
The Japanese automaker currently has two plants in Bidadi, with an annual production capacity of 3.42 lakh units. The additional capacity, which was earlier expected to come up this year, will be at an upcoming third plant in Bidadi. It will have an annual capacity of 1 lakh units for different models, including HyCross multi-purpose vehicle.
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"We are trying to increase the production," Sabari Manohar, executive vice president for sales, service, and used car business at Toyota Kirloskar Motor, told PTI, on the sidelines of the launch of Glanza facelift here.
He said the company is working to improve output model-by-model to ensure quicker deliveries.
"We do not really aspire to have longer waiting. So, model-by-model we are trying to enhance the production so that we are able to reduce the inconvenience to the customer."
Separately, the automaker is setting up a new plant in Bidkin Industrial Area, Maharashtra. This plant will have a capacity of another 1 lakh units per year and is expected to come up by the first half of 2029.
On Wednesday, Toyota Kirloskar launched the facelift of Glanza hatchback at a starting ex-showroom price of Rs 6.99 lakh.
Though sport utility vehicles continue to generate bulk of the volume in the passenger vehicle market, Manohar noted that hatchbacks too are in demand among first-time buyers, urban customers seeking smaller cars and rural users.
Manohar also flagged volatility in raw material and component costs. When asked whether there is any plan to hike prices, he said the company continues to monitor the situation. "Because of the raw material price going up, certain things have to be passed on. We need to closely watch what is the right time and what is the right quantum (of price hike)," he said.