Oppo could enter the Indian electric car market by 2024

With smartphone OEMs such as Apple and Xiaomi set to enter the electric vehicle market soon, it stands to reason that other OEMs will follow suit. It seems that Oppo wants to join in on the fun, too. It has plans to launch electric vehicles in India by 2024. Usually, Chinese OEMs tend to focus on the domestic market before expanding outwards, so we'll probably see the Oppo-branded EV make its debut in China in the coming months.

The information comes from reliable tipster Mukul Sharma aks @Stufflisings on Twitter (via 91mobiles). Oppo's siblings -OnePlus and Realme- are reportedly joining in on the fun and have plans to launch electric and self-driving vehicles in India. Unfortunately, this is all we know about the endeavour for now, but we can expect more details to emerge as time passes.

India's labyrinthine bureaucracy, combined with high taxes on imported goods, is Oppo's primary barrier to entry into the otherwise lucrative market. Oppo has managed to keep its smartphones competitive by manufacturing locally. The company could likely employ a similar strategy with its EVs to keep prices in check.

Furthermore, EVs are still somewhat of a rarity due to general unawareness and the lack of infrastructure surrounding the technology. While EV sales in India have grown significantly, one would be hard-pressed to find one on the street, even in metropolitan cities.

However, skyrocketing fuel prices will force many first-time buyers to look at EVs as alternatives. 2024 is quite some time away, and the market conditions will undoubtedly change by then. Oppo will, all likelihood, face stiff competition from established car manufacturers, so it'll be interesting to see what it does to set the Oppo Car (tentative) apart from the test.

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