Auto Expo 2020: Honda, Hero, Royal Enfield, BMW And Others To Skip Event

The Auto Expo 2020 seems to be bearing the brunt of the slowdown in the auto industry. Some of the biggest manufacturers that plan to miss the event in February 2020 include Honda Cars, Hero MotoCorp, BMW, and Ashok Leyland.

There seems to be lesser for visitors as well considering manufacturers have already launched vehicles and have nothing new to offer during the first quarter of 2020.

Manufacturers who are relatively newer to the India markets like Kia and MG Motor are attending the Auto Expo 2020. There's also Volkswagen, Skoda and Great Wall Motors (China's biggest maker of SUVs and pickup trucks) in attendance.

The five companies will occupy roughly 3,500 sq ft each, the same as India's largest car manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki, will use for its displays. Hyundai Motor India also confirmed that they will be attending the Auto Expo.

Ford and Fiat Chrysler confirmed they will not be attending the Auto Expo, while Nissan is considering its options. Mercedes-Benz and Lexus will be the only two participants from the luxury car space.

A spokesperson from Honda Cars India said the company's launch schedules were not in sync with the Auto Expo timeline. MG Motor India on the other hand is excited about the Auto Expo 2020 and feel it is a great platform to engage with stakeholders and customers.

Almost all of the spaces and stalls are typically booked by this time of the year, but a slow market, migration to BS-VI norms, products that have already been launched, and higher ownership costs are key factors keeping brands away.

Mr Rudratej Singh, Managing Director, BMW India, said that the company has launched products already and have no major offering to showcase. He said that the company is focused on targeted marketing.

He also added that BMW wanted to direct funds towards well planned product launches, and that with the right products and timing, the company may return to the Delhi Expo in the future.

Two-wheeler manufacturers unlikely to attend the Auto Expo 2020 include Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto, TVS Motor, Yamaha and Royal Enfield. There is speculation that Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India will also skip the event. Suzuki and Piaggio however, have confirmed attendance.

A spokesperson for Hero MotoCorp said that the company decided to skip the event in 2020 to concentrate and prioritize resources towards the transition to BS-VI, and to meet business objectives that benefit their customers and stakeholders.

The spokesperson from Hero MotoCorp also said that participation at the Auto Expo 2020 requires months of preparation and allocation of resources in terms of money and manpower - which is a currently a challenge.

As far as trucks are concerned, only Tata Motors and Mahindra have confirmed participation. Other big names like Ashok Leyland, Eicher, and Bharat Benz have decided not the attend the upcoming Delhi Auto Expo 2020.

The last edition of the Auto Expo was held during 2018 and the event saw a marginal increase in footfalls. In attendance were 119 participants, displaying 500 products - 22 of which were launches. 81 products were unveiled, and 18 concept vehicles were showcased.

Thoughts About The Lack Of Participants At Auto Expo 2020

We were expecting some manufacturer to skip the event considering the slowdown in the industry. Manufacturers have gotten smarter and rather spend their money on research & development, building better product, targeted marketing, and grand launches than spend it at events like the Auto Expo. There is a high possibility that more manufactures will back out, and the event will feature more start up and electric machines that conventional ones.