Michelin starts Chennai-made passenger-car tyre production for India’s premium SUV market
Michelin has begun producing passenger-car tyres in Chennai after investing ₹686 crore in a new line. The company is targeting India’s premium replacement market first, with OEM supply and exports planned as capacity scales.
What happened
Michelin launched its first India-made passenger-car tyre from Chennai, targeting the premium SUV-led replacement market. The company has invested ₹686 crore in
Key facts
- ₹2,800 crore initial Chennai facility investment in 2009
- ₹686 crore (€76 million) additional investment in passenger-car tyre line
- 16-inch to 22-inch tyre sizes
- Prices start at ₹10,000
- Passenger-car tyre production commenced in June
- Truck and bus tyres became commercially available in 2014
- Passenger-car production localisation commitment was made around 18 months ago
Why this matters
Michelin’s local manufacturing footprint strengthens its case for OEM supply partnerships and distribution alliances as premium-vehicle demand expands across India and export markets.
What to watch
- Chennai plant capacity, utilisation and additional capex announcements.
- Michelin wins for OEM factory fitment in India.
- Changes in availability or pricing of imported Michelin passenger-car tyres.
- Premium SUV and EV sales growth, especially in 17- to 22-inch wheel sizes.
- Dealer-network expansion and replacement-market market-share data.
- Export approvals, shipment disclosures or new regional distribution agreements.
- Expand Chennai capacity and mould range beyond initial premium SUV sizes.
- Build premium-dealer, tyre-retail and service-centre coverage in major metros and affluent tier-2 cities.
- Pursue OEM homologation with premium SUV, EV and luxury-car assemblers.
- Use India output as an export base for nearby right-hand-drive and emerging markets.
- Introduce locally supplied EV-specific and higher-load-index tyre variants as premium EV volumes rise.