Muonio (Finland), Feb 11 (PTI) The state of affairs within the Red Sea is creating provide chain points for German luxurious carmaker Audi, impacting automotive deliveries to prospects in India within the first quarter however restoration is predicted within the coming months, in accordance with a senior firm official.

With electrification on its main agenda, the corporate can also be evaluating the potential for assembling electrical automobiles in India, Audi India Head Balbir Singh Dhillon instructed PTI.

“We are also challenged from time to time by various factors. Very recently because of the Red Sea situation there is a supply chain constraint that we’re facing in the quarter one of 2024. It is challenging for us in the first quarter but we expect to recover in the coming months,” he mentioned.

Dhillon was responding to a question on outlook and challenges in 2024.

Deliveries to prospects for sure fashions at current have been delayed by a couple of weeks, he famous.

Container vessels have been going through assaults within the Red Sea, one of the essential commerce routes on the earth, since November final yr following Israel’s warfare towards Hamas.

When requested concerning the traction of electrical autos in India, Dhillon mentioned,”As of now, it is at a very nascent stage but this is like a marathon, we have to run for a long period of time.”

Penetration of EVs within the luxurious area is about 6-7 per cent, he mentioned, including “our penetration is 3 per cent but most of our products in the luxury space in electric cars is over ₹1.2 crore today.”

Going ahead, Audi globally goes to launch many new merchandise and a few of them may even make it to India, Dhillon added.

On plans for domestically assembling EVs, he mentioned,”We’re also evaluating at some point in time we need to assemble these cars also in India. It is not decided yet when and how but I think more information will come in the future but we are moving towards that plan. We are very clear that the future for us is petrol and electric…”

At current, Audi’s EV portfolio contains the Q8 50 e-tron, Q8 55 e-tron, Q8 Sportback 50 e-tron, Q8 Sportback 55 e-tron, e-tron GT, and RS e-tron GT.