JSW Group has deferred the launch of its independent passenger-vehicle venture and first SUV to mid-December from the earlier Diwali timeline, as part of its ambitious automotive strategy that envisages 15 new-energy vehicles over the next four years, senior company officials told businessline.
It wasn’t immediately clear as to why there was a delay in the launch.
Rather than beginning with a conventional mass-market SUV or a pure electric vehicle, JSW is expected to make its debut with a boxy, lifestyle-oriented plug-in hybrid based on Chery Group’s Jetour T2, likely to be marketed under the ‘Combat’ badge in India.
The delay affects more than just a single model launch. The Jetour T2-based SUV is intended to establish the identity of JSW Motors, the Sajjan Jindal-led group’s independent passenger-vehicle business, which will operate separately from JSW MG Motor India, where the group holds a 35 per cent stake..
A boxier first move
The Jetour T2’s upright stance and squared-off proportions give it the visual appeal of premium lifestyle SUVs such as the Land Rover Defender and Ford Bronco. Beneath the rugged styling, however, sits a monocoque architecture designed to balance everyday usability with genuine off-road capability.
The Indian model is expected to be positioned in the ₹30-50 lakh segment, placing JSW in competition with vehicles such as the Mahindra Scorpio-N, Tata Harrier, Jeep Meridian and Toyota Fortuner. Final specifications, pricing and branding for the Indian market are yet to be announced.
JSW is leveraging Chery’s technology for vehicle platforms and electrified powertrains while simultaneously building its own engineering, localisation and manufacturing capabilities in India..
First of 15
The debut SUV represents the opening move in a much broader product offensive. JSW Motors plans to launch 15 new-energy vehicles over the next four years, spanning plug-in hybrids, strong hybrids, range-extender EVs and battery-electric vehicles. The portfolio is expected to cover price points ranging from about ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh.
Passenger vehicles will be manufactured at the group’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar facility in Maharashtra, where annual production capacity is projected to reach around 3,50,000 vehicles as operations scale up.
JSW is also building its retail footprint, targeting about 120 dealer partners and 150 customer touchpoints by April 2027, supported by experience centres and a digital vehicle-buying platform.
Published on September 23, 2026
