Skoda VW Eyes Tata & JSW for Electric Car Partnerships in India

​Skoda Auto Volkswagen is chatting with Tata Motors and JSW Group to license their electric vehicle (EV) tech, aiming to speed up local EV production without splurging on costly in-house investments. The move could help the automaker cut costs and meet India’s stricter fuel efficiency rules.

Earlier talks with Mahindra & Mahindra for a 50-50 joint venture hit a roadblock over disagreements on valuation, platform sharing, and deal terms, sources revealed. While the JV plans (reported earlier by ET) are shelved for now, Skoda hasn’t ruled out a separate deal to license Mahindra’s INGLO platform—a modular EV architecture. “The JV talks are off, but licensing INGLO is still possible,” one insider noted.

A Mahindra spokesperson kept it vague: “We talk to many players regularly and act when something clicks.”

Meanwhile, Skoda’s also exploring partnerships with Tata Motors and JSW Group. JSW, which teams up with China’s SAIC (owner of MG Motors in India), could offer Skoda access to its EV tech. If deals go through, Skoda VW might dodge hefty upfront costs and fast-track its India EV plans.