Wooing electric vehicle titan Tesla: Four states pull out all the stops
This development comes in the wake of a Financial Times report suggesting that a Tesla team from the US will soon be in India to scout for potential sites for the company’s planned $2-3 billion electric vehicle plant.   

Land Rover Discovery Sport: New Discoveries
Priced at ₹67.9 lakh, ex-showroom, the 2024 Land Rover Discovery Sport comes with some incremental updates. It’s the most affordable Land Rover SUV on sale, and the model year revision brings it closer to the competition. The overall appearance and mechanicals remain unchanged, but the new (ish) cabin is now better-equipped, with an 11.4-inch touchscreen infotainment unit. The SUV can seat seven people and Land Rover mentions that there are 24 seating configurations, adding to the Discovery Sport’s versatility. On the outside, while the overall look is the same, it gets contrasting accents, finished in Gloss Black. The list of paint shades now includes a new shade of blue. Engine options are a 2-litre petrol and a 2-litre diesel, both of which are mild hybrids

Park+ accelerates FASTag ambitions
PeakXV-backed car-services platform Park+ is intensifying its focus on its FASTag distribution business. With Paytm accounting for over a quarter of the 82 million Fastags in India, its exit from the Fastag distribution business has created an opportunity that Park+ is strategically positioned to seize.  

Maruti Suzuki well-positioned to gain from India’s hybrid push
Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest carmaker with its tech-agnostic approach stands to gain the most if India government rationalises taxes on hybrid vehicles says a JM Financial report.

Foxconn’s Bharat FIH looks beyond Xiaomi to offset slump
Foxconn group company Bharat FIH's sprawling campus near Chennai, which was focused on manufacturing Android phones, is looking to tap newer segments in a bid to diversify and offset a slump in orders from its key client Xiaomi, since a government crackdown on Chinese businesses operating in India.

India EV sales to rise 66% this year after nearly doubling in 2023, report says
Electric-vehicle sales in India are expected to rise 66% this year after nearly doubling in 2023 as state subsidies help fuel demand and supporting infrastructure comes up in the country, according to research firm Counterpoint.

Accelerating E-Mobility with Residential Solar Rooftops
According to the IEA, power and transportation sectors account for over 60% of global CO2 emissions. Therefore, these are the two most critical industries that need to transition to zero emission technologies on an accelerated path to curb the impact of global climate change. India, as the world’s most populous country, and the fastest growing major economy, has a key role to play in achieving this objective.

Toyota Taisor variants and features explained
The Taisor is the newest Toyota in the market, based on the Maruti Suzuki Fronx. Priced at Rs 7.74 lakh onwards ex-showroom, the Taisor is the most affordable Toyota in India and is available in five variants: E, S, S+, G, and V. Here are the variant-wise features of the new Toyota Taisor. 

Tesla on its way in? Temper expectations.
Tesla’s much-anticipated entry into the Indian market, which had been under negotiation for half a decade or so, finally seems to be in acceleration mode. The company will reportedly send executives later this month to scout for sites in India where an electric-car factory with an investment of $2-3 billion could be set up. 

Skoda sub-4 metre SUV spied again— Nexon, Brezza, Venue, XUV 3XO rival
Skoda announced the launch of a new sub-4 metre SUV in India earlier in February this year. A couple of weeks back, a prototype of the SUV was spotted testing on Indian roads in a fully camouflaged avatar. A test unit of the same has been spied once again, giving out some more details about the upcoming crossover.

For the times they are a-changin': Maruti’s mega reshuffle has more to it than meets the eye
And you better start swimmin'

An electric scooter or a smartphone?

Q. Do you know what's the biggest difference between Honda Activa and Ather 450X7 

Top 10 cars, SUVs sold in March— Punch, Creta, WagonR, Dzire
The month of March was business as usual for carmakers. A total of 3.7 lakh passenger cars were sold in the Indian market in March 2024. This led to a 10% YoY growth and a marginal 0.8% MoM drop in sales. March was also the last month of FY 2023-24 which accounted for a total sales of 42.16 lakh dispatches.

Skoda puts building blocks in place for compact SUV debut
New Delhi: As Brand Director of Skoda Auto India, Petr Janeba is only too aware that a lot is riding on the compact SUV scheduled to debut in 2025.

Maruti Suzuki April offers: Discounts up to INR 1.5 lakh available on Baleno, Fronx, Jimny, and other Nexa models
It is important to mention that the discounts offered may vary based on location, variant availability, and trims. Prospective buyers are advised to contact their nearest dealer to verify the availability of discounts on these models.

Honda car discount April 2024: Up to Rs 83,000 off on Amaze, Elevate, and City
Honda is offering a host of discounts for its lineup of vehicles in April 2024. Honda’s current lineup in India includes the Amaze, City, and Elevate, which all have benefits and discounts in April. Some of these benefits are worth up to Rs 83,000 and here are the details.

Citroen cuts prices on select models, launches Blu edition for C3 and eC3 on 3rd anniversary in India
New Delhi: Citroen, the leading French automaker, is celebrating its third year in India, where it has launched four car models including the electric e-C3, a futuristic sales model, and a localized production system.

Lexus NX 350h Overtrail Edition launched in India at Rs 71.7 lakh
Lexus has brought the Overtrail programme to India with the launch of the NX 350h Overtrail Edition. This special edition model is priced at Rs 71.70 lakh (ex-showroom) and is available for sale in all Lexus Guest Experience Centres across the country. As the name suggests, the Overtrail edition gets more outdoorsy treatment over the standard NX 350h.

BMW opens pre-booking for BMW i5 M60 xDrive across India
BMW will begin its bookings for the first-ever i5 on 04 April 2024. BMW i5 will be available in the country as a Completely Built-Up (CBU) model.BMW i5 could be booked through their dealership network or their online shop. 

A Class Act
As far as classic, stately modes of transport go, there’s nothing that quite matches the panache of a four-door Mercedes-Benz sedan. Despite modernisation, the theory still holds for the S-Class, but with the rampant influx of SUVs, it’s increasingly difficult to replicate that at the lower end of the range. There’s still a shimmer of hope, though, as Mercedes-Benz continues to sell the A-Class limousine.

Daimler gears up to bring light electric truck to India

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), a subsidiary of Germany's Daimler Truck AG, will be foraying into the electric vehicle (EV)segment with the launch of eCanter later this year.

Aprilia Tuareg 660 listed on Indian website
The middle-weight adventure motorcycle segment is heating up, as Aprilia has listed the Tuareg 660 on the Indian website, priced at Rs 18.85 lakh, ex-showroom. While this may seem expensive compared to the Kawasaki Versys 650 and even the Triumph Tiger 900, one needs to know that the prices listed are inclusive of import taxes.

TVS Motor launches retro motorcycle in Colombia
Bengaluru: TVS Motor Company has announced the launch of TVS RONIN in Colombia. The first ‘modern-retro’ 225cc motorcycle weighs 160 Kgs and delivers a whopping 20.4 PS Power, along with a 19.93 Nm Torque.

2024 Bajaj Pulsar N250 launch next week: What are other alternatives?
Bajaj will launch the updated Pulsar N250 on April 10. The upcoming iteration of the quarter-litre streetfighter will receive some notable equipment upgrades over the current model. These include a fully-digital instrument console, traction control, and some hardware upgrades.

Motorcycle Review: TVS Apache RTR 310 : Terrestrial rocket that defies gravity
The Apache RTR 310 is quick.

NexGen Energia launches affordable electric two-wheeler at INR 36,990
Noida-based e-mobility company NexGen Energia on Thursday said it has launched an affordable electric two-wheeler with price starting at INR 36,990. The electric two-wheeler was unveiled by businessman-actor Suniel Shetty on Wednesday, the company said.

Lectrix EV appoints Pritesh Talwar as President for EV Business
Lectrix EV, the e-mobility division of SAR Group has appointed Pritesh Talwar as its new President for EV Business. He will lead the strategic direction and continued expansion efforts. He will work closely with the team to drive innovation, foster a culture of excellence, and deliver value to our customers and stakeholders.

Ather Rizta electric scooter's leaked images surface online ahead of launch: What to expect
Ather Energy is gearing up to unveil its highly anticipated family electric scooter, the Ather Rizta, slated for launch on April 6th. Excitement is brewing as the company has already opened pre-bookings for the Rizta, requiring just a nominal ₹999 token amount.

Greaves Retail partners Tsuyo to manufacture EV components for low-speed e-three-wheelers in India
Greaves Retail, the retail unit of Greaves Cotton, a provider of clean mobility and energy solutions in the electric three-wheelers, ICE three-wheelers, and SCV segments, has entered into a strategic technology transfer and supply agreement with Tsuyo Manufacturing (Tsuyo), an EV component maker in the country. 

Greaves Electric Mobility onboards K Vijaya Kumar as Executive Director and CEO
Greaves Electric Mobility (GEMPL), the electric mobility business of Greaves Cotton, has appointed K Vijaya Kumar as its new Executive Director and CEO. 

Ionage aims to onboard 1 lakh EV chargers on its platform by 2028
Bengaluru-based e-mobility service provider Ionage aims to expand its reach and has announced an ambitious plan to onboard 100,000 electric vehicle chargers on its platform by 2028

No issue with oil payment from India: Russia
The Russian Foreign Ministry has said that deliveries of Russian oil to India are steadily high, with no payment issues encountered, the state-owned news agency TASS reported.

RBI holds rates, auto retail to stay flat and first time car buyers to defer entry as financing remains expensive
New Delhi: The automobile manufacturers are rejoicing in the unprecedented growth of wholesale dispatches from factories last fiscal. Dispatches of vehicles, especially of passenger cars, reached an all-time high. Other vehicle segments have also fared better than expected, despite the comparison being on a high base of previous years.

Toyota Innova Hycross hybrid waiting period to reduce
Source Credit: Autocar India

Toyota and Maruti Suzuki have played a major role in democratising hybrids in India. This has led to the Innova Hycross hybrid being plagued by insanely high waiting periods, sometimes extending to over a year. Toyota, however, has now streamlined several internal processes, and is aiming to bring down the hybrid waiting period to less than six months by the end of this year.

Mahindra XUV3XO: what to watch out for
Source Credit: Autocar India

The facelifted XUV300, dubbed the Mahindra XUV3XO, will be launched in the coming weeks and face fierce competition in the compact SUV space. Here’s all that you need to know about the new Mahindra XUV3XO.

Ather Rizta revealed ahead of tomorrow’s launch
Source Credit: Autocar India

One look at the Rizta tells us that it appears to be a much larger scooter than Ather’s sporty but petite 450. There’s plenty of space for two full-size adults, which doesn’t come as a surprise given that Ather has been teasing the fact that this scooter will have the longest seat in the business. Given the extra size, it will be interesting to see how much heavier this scooter is than the 450, which uses a lightweight aluminium frame; it could see a more cost effective solution here.

Citroen C3 prices now start at Rs 5.99 lakh, C3 Aircross starts at Rs 8.99 lakh
Source Credit: Autocar India

It's been three years since Citroen entered the Indian market, and as a part of the celebrations, the company is offering discounts, referral rewards and free car cleaning, and has even launched a new edition.

Kia Carens EV, mass market EV India launch in 18 months
Source Credit: Autocar India

Ho Sung Song, Kia president and CEO announced at its Investor Day 2024 that two new models, including the Carens EV, will be launched in emerging markets like India to meet diverse demands. He also informed that the company will be launching the EV9 in India – its flagship – in 2024 to spruce up its EV play.

Opinion: Automotive scandals, why they happen and what can be done
Source Credit: Autocar India

“Restructuring the relevant business will require a change in the mindset of all individuals, from management to employees, as well as a drastic reform of corporate culture”. So reads the official statement from Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) amid the discovery of irregularities in its diesel engine horsepower certification testing that caused the temporary suspension of deliveries of affected models globally, including India. We reported this last month, basically the issue was that Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO) – TMC’s testing and development partner had used cheat software to ‘smoothen’ the power and torque curves of its engines. 

Morocco expects more EV battery investments, minister says
The Moroccan government is in talks to attract more electric battery manufacturers as it seeks to adapt its growing automotive sector to an increasing demand for electric vehicles, industry and trade minister Ryad Mezzour said.

SiMa.ai raises $70 million in funding, will accelerate MLSoC development
Silicon Valley-headquartered embedded edge machine learning system-on-chip company SiMa.ai has raised an additional $70 million (Rs 583 crore) of funding led by Maverick Capital, with participation from Point72 and Jericho, as well as existing investors Amplify Partners, Dell Technologies Capital, Fidelity Management, Lip-Bu Tan and others.

Sigma Lithium CEO won't sell the company at current lithium prices
Sigma Lithium's chief executive won't sell the miner at current lithium price levels and is concentrating on its near-term expansion plans, she told Reuters in an interview.

German electric car sales 'very weak' in March
Sales of new cars in Germany fell in March, official data showed Thursday, dragged down by plummeting demand for electric vehicles following the phaseout of government incentives.

EV maker Nikola beats first-quarter deliveries estimates for hydrogen trucks
Nikola surpassed estimates for deliveries of its hydrogen big rigs in the first quarter, a sign it was making progress in its pivot to the technology from battery electric trucks after some missteps that battered its share price.

McLaren Automotive appoints Jochen Schnez as Chief Quality Officer
McLaren Automotive has announced the appointment of Jochen Schnez as the company’s new Chief Quality Officer, taking up the role from April 1, 2024.

Automaker Kia to invest USD 28 bn in future mobility solutions
Kia, South Korea's second-largest carmaker, said on Friday it will invest 38 trillion won (USD 28 billion) in future mobility solutions by 2028, while strengthening its gasoline hybrid vehicle lineup amid slowing sales of electric vehicles (EVs).

Japan to expand Russia-bound export ban to li-ion batteries, industrial items
Japan will expand its Russia-bound export ban to include 164 additional industrial items such as lithium-ion batteries, gas pipes and car engine oil, the trade ministry said on Friday.

Ford will delay some North American EV production
Ford Motor Co said Thursday it is delaying the launch of its new three-row electric vehicles it will build at its assembly complex in Oakville, Ontario to 2027 from 2025.