Hyundai Motor India enters commercial mobility with Prime taxi range
Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) has officially entered the commercial mobility segment with the launch of its Prime Taxi range, aimed at fleet operators, taxi entrepreneurs, and organised ride-hailing partners. The automaker announced the new range featuring two purpose-built vehicles, Prime HB (hatchback) and Prime SD (sedan), designed for high uptime and low operating costs. The Economic Times
Both Prime models are powered by Hyundai’s 1.2-litre Kappa four-cylinder engine, offered in petrol and CNG options, delivering dependable performance for commercial duty cycles. The Prime HB is priced from ₹5.99 lakh, while the Prime SD starts at ₹6.89 lakh (ex-showroom), and bookings are open across Hyundai dealerships nationwide at a token amount of ₹5,000.
To support the high-usage needs of commercial operators, HMIL is offering extended warranty packages covering the fourth and fifth years or up to 1,80,000 km, along with flexible financing options with repayment tenures up to 72 months. Hyundai claims a total cost of ownership of around 47 paise per km, which could make the offering attractive to fleet owners focused on predictable maintenance and profitability.
Both vehicles come equipped with features tailored for taxi use, including six airbags, rear AC vents, rear parking sensors, power windows, and a company-fitted speed limiting function capped at 80 km/h. Optional accessories include a 9-inch infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a rear camera, and a vehicle tracking device with panic buttons.
HMIL will also support the Prime Taxi range through its nationwide sales and service network, with trained fleet care advisers at dealerships to assist commercial customers.
Editor’s View
Hyundai’s move into the commercial mobility segment with the Prime taxi range reflects a broader shift in India’s automotive market, where OEMs are increasingly tailoring products specifically for professional mobility needs. For the tyre industry, this trend underscores growing demand for commercial-grade tyres that can withstand high mileage, heavy loads, and demanding duty cycles with durability and cost-effective performance.
Tyre companies supplying OEM fitments for such commercial variants will need to ensure consistent quality, fuel-efficient rolling resistance, and extended life warranties to support operators’ profitability metrics. With the Prime range emphasising low total cost of ownership, tyres with lower maintenance intervals and strong performance in both petrol and CNG applications could become a competitive advantage.
As fleet electrification and organised taxi services expand, tyre makers should also anticipate future requirements for EV-ready commercial tyres and advanced telematics integration. Hyundai’s entry into commercial mobility could well pave the way for deeper OEM-fleet collaborations, creating new avenues for tyre innovation and aftermarket services.
