India's EV landscape set to be transformed with key govt initiatives
New Delhi: The rise in EV battery manufacturing, alongside the 'Make in India' initiative, will lower manufacturing costs and boost EV sales in the country, according to industry experts.

Greaves Electric Mobility appoints Vijaya Kumar as CEO
New Delhi: Realty firm Macrotech Developers Ltd has reduced its net debt by 55 per cent in the fourth quarter of the last fiscal to ₹3,010 crore with the help of internal accruals and equity fundraising. Its net debt stood at ₹6,750 crore as of December 31, 2023. “The company’s net debt stood at ₹3,010 crore as of March 31, 2024, down 55 per cent from the previous quarter,” according to a regulatory filing.  

FY24 Car Sales: Wagon R overtakes Swift as largest selling hatchback
New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki's hatchback Wagon R has overtaken the Swift--another popular hatchback from the company's stable -- as the country's largest selling car in FY24, model -level data shared by industry sources showed. In FY24, the Wagon R sold 200,177 units (monthly average of 16,681), ahead of the Swift's 195,321 units. In calendar year 2023, the Swift (203,469 units) had beaten the Wagon R (201,301 units. The Swift was doing industry-best numbers almost every month during April-December FY24, but sales dropped during January-March FY24;' an automotive analyst told FE. 

SAIC's MG Motor India plans to bring in Indian investors including JSW
China's SAIC Motor Corp Ltd said its unit MG Motor India Pvt Ltd plans to introduce investors including JSW Ventures Singapore Pte Ltd, through an equity transfer and by increasing share capital.

FY24 Car Sales : How the Nexon became India's top SUV

Since its launch on September 21, 2017, the Nexon has contributed almost 30% to Tata Motors' over all passenger vehicle sales.

Indian EV manufacturers should scale up production, capture export markets: Ex-Niti Aayog head
 

Don't burn cash, don't sell cheap: Amitabh Kant, former CEO of NITI Aayog and G20 Sherpa at Ather Energy Community Day
"America was made for fossil fuel vehicles. India can be the champion of the world in electric two-wheelers", says Amitabh Kant, former CEO, NITI Aayog and G20 Sherpa at the second Ather Energy Community Day.

The evolving landscape: profitability in the electric vehicle industry
The electric vehicle (EV) industry has been on a tear in recent years, driven by growing environmental concerns, government incentives, and advancements in battery technology. However, a crucial question lingers: are EV companies actually profitable?

Will Delhi government’s EV drive send IGL on a bumpy ride?
In September 2001, when CNG buses were made mandatory in Delhi, it was a defining moment for Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL), a joint venture between state-owned GAIL and BPCL. Twenty-three years, 819 pumps, and a phenomenal growth story later, the company is facing an existential challenge – that too from another clean-energy sector.

Will It Scoot? How Activa is the Rizta
In 2001, When Honda launched the Activa, it changed scooters overnight. Designed well, priced well, and with a lot of storage space, it attracted families. Honda has sold 30 million units in 22 years. In 2024, Ather has launched the Rizta. Designed well, priced well, and with even more storage space, is the Rizta the new Activa? Or more? 

Some are transforming better than others to stay relevant in the EV space: 6 auto ancillary stocks with upside potential of up to 31%
Auto ancillary space which has been going through a transformation. In this space the companies and their management can be divided into 4 categories, first players who were quick enough to understand and started work on this year's back. Infact many auto ancillary players had started this process even before auto majors announced their intentions. Second, companies which were late due to a valid reason, because they were dependent on the company which they were supplying part and that company itself was not clear its plan on EV space. Third, companies which were not able to anticipate that speed at which transition to EV would come. It has come much faster as compared to what was expected. Fourth, companies who cannot make that transition because their products are not required in an EV. There is a sub category in this fourth one where some companies are making adjustments to stay relevant in EV space.

‘Nobody is interested in hearing gyaan’: MG Motor India’s Rajeev Chaba on mentorship
 

‘We are building a talent pipeline for semiconductor industry’
Birla Institute of Technology & Science, which started in Pilani (Rajasthan) in 1946 as Birla College of Engineering, and became BITS Pilani in 1964, has expanded far beyond its roots. It was one of India’s first institutes to set up a campus abroad (in Dubai, in 2000), and also has campuses in Goa (2004) and Hyderabad (2008).A lot of innovation is taking place at these young campuses, says Prof Soumyo Mukherji, director, BITS Pilani Hyderabad campus. In an interview with FE’s Vikram Chaudhary, he adds that the Hyderabad campus is at the core of the government’s recent push on semiconductor fabrication.

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Top 5 SUVs sold in March– Punch, Creta, Brezza, Scorpio, Nexon
In recent years, SUVs have accounted for almost 50% of the market share. This certifies the consumer sentiment favouring SUVs and high-riding crossovers over the traditional hatchbacks, and sedans. As a result, most OEMs, in India as well as globally, have focussed on developing more SUVs and crossovers which have led to numerous such launches.

Maruti Suzuki eyes 3 lakh exports in FY25, 8 lakh by 2030
"Till about three years ago our exports were in the range of 1 to 1.2 lakh cars a year. Both as a national vision and as a business ambition, we decided to scale up drastically and from those levels and in 2022-23 we reached about 2.59 lakh units exports and in 2023-24 we completed 2.83 lakh," Maruti Suzuki India Executive Director Corporate Affairs Rahul Bharti told PTI.

Citroen introduces limited Blu edition for C3, eC3 on 3rd anniversary.
Citroen on completing its 3 years journey in India has announced special offers on their selective car models which include the C3  hatchback which will be available for Rs. 5.99 lakhs whereas the C3 Aircross at Rs. 8.99 lacs. These offers will be only valid till 30 April 2024. 

Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe: Not a sportscar, but not just a family car either
There is nothing as joyous as a guttural exhaust note when you start a car—and when that sound comes from an excellent yet practically sized SUV, it’s certainly a thrill. The Mercedes-Benz GLE has been a hot favourite, and the GLE 53 coupe with its sexy styling is a great combo of performance and practicality.

Luxury in electric cars means range and (much) more
Elon Musk’s recent cryptic comments on the next Tesla Roadster, with ‘space-inspired attributes’, and an incredibly high speed of 0-60 mph (0-97 kmph) in less than a second has ignited speculation within the automotive industry globally.

New Ather Rizta — Top 5 things to know
The Ather Rizta finally goes on sale in the Indian market, priced at Rs 1.10 lakh, ex-showroom. The price, however, is an introductory offer for those who have pre-booked the new family scooter from EV maker Ather Energy. For those considering the new Ather Rizta, here are five things to know about the new electric scooter.

Ather launches the Rizta family scooter at INR 1,09,999
New Delhi: Ather Energy, one of India’s leading electric scooter manufacturers, Saturday launched its family scooter, the Rizta, at the second edition of the Ather Community Day in Bengaluru at a starting price of INR. 1,09,999 (Ex-showroom Bengaluru).

India must keep e-scooter subsidies to boost adoption, Ather CEO says
India will need to keep subsidies for electric scooters for another few years to boost the switch from polluting motorbikes, the CEO of e-scooter maker Ather Energy told Reuters on Saturday.

Small towns make it big for Ather’s E2W sales
Bengaluru: Is the electric two-wheeler a bigger trend in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities? Yes, if Ather Energy's sales trend is anything to go by. According to Tarun Mehta, co-founder and CEO, Ather Energy, his company sold more e-scooters in Tier 2 and 3 cities than in the metros and Tier 1 cities put together.

With Rizta, Ather looks to bond better with family scooter mkt
Bengaluru-based electric two-wheeler startup Ather Energy, which is known for its performance-oriented electric scooter range Ather 450, is expanding its family of scooters -with a new family scooter Rizta. 

Ather Energy introduces Rizta scooter range tailored for family market
 

Electric two-wheelers surge in March: Has the tipping point indeed arrived?
Did we just have the elusive tipping point for electric two-wheelers (e2Ws) in March? It was a milestone month in more ways than one. Sure, e2W sales had their highest registrations in March more than 138,000 compared to the previous monthly high of 103,000 in May 2023.
 

Tata Steel FY24 sales jump 6% on strong auto, rail demand
Tata Steel India has announced that its FY24 sales increased by 6% to 19.90 million tonnes (MT), mostly due to increased demand from the retail, automotive, and railway sectors. Tata Steel said in a statement on Saturday that the business produced 18.85 MT of steel in India during the previous fiscal year, 2022–2023.

DS Group sets up solar-powered EV charging stations for employees
Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group), a multi-business corporation and a leading FMCG conglomerate announced the installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations powered by solar energy in the open parking area at its headquarters in Noida.

Toyota Hilux EV confirmed for 2025, Isuzu D-Max EV rival
Source Credit: Autocar India

Toyota has confirmed its plans of introducing a battery-powered Hilux pickup truck by the end of next year, initially in the Thailand market. The announcement comes just a few days after Isuzu revealed the D-Max EV (D-MAX BEV) at the Bangkok International Motor Show 2024, and announced that it would manufacture the electric pickup truck in Thailand by 2025.

Ather Rizta launched at Rs 1.10 lakh
Source Credit: Autocar India

The long-awaited Ather Rizta has finally been launched with prices starting at Rs 1.10 lakh and going up to Rs 1.45 lakh (ex-showroom). The Rizta is a more practical and affordable electric scooter from Ather than the sporty 450 range, but it still packs in novel features like traction control and a combined 56-litre storage space.

Ather Halo helmets revealed with built-in speakers and mic
Source Credit: Autocar India

At the Ather Community Day event this year, Ather has revealed its first-ever helmets – the Halo and the Halo Bit. These helmets come with built-in speakers and mic, and can be charged wirelessly.

Mahindra XUV300 gets up to Rs 1.59 lakh discount on MY2023 stocks
Source Credit: Autocar India

As Mahindra gears up to launch the updated XUV300 – rebadged as the XUV3XO – later this month, dealerships are offering huge benefits on unsold MY2023 stock of the XUV300. The benefits come in the form of cash discounts, official accessories and extended warranty. Let’s take a closer look.

Alabama Mercedes Benz plant workers file for union election, UAW says
Workers at a Mercedes Benz factory in Vance, Alabama, filed a petition with U.S. regulators to hold an election to join the United Auto Workers, the union said on Friday.

Ford to delay production of new electric vehicle range
With US electric vehicle sales starting to slow, Ford Motor Co. says it will delay rolling out new electric pickup trucks and a new large electric SUV as it adds gas-electric hybrids to its model lineup.

US, China need 'tough' conversations, Yellen tells Chinese Premier Li
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Sunday that the ability to have difficult conversations has put the two economic superpowers on "a more stable footing" over the past year.

US, EU eye Chinese legacy chips in renewed semiconductor accord
The United States and the European Union committed to extend by three years their cooperation on identifying disruptions in the semiconductor sector, with a particular emphasis on mainstream "legacy" chips from China.

Japanese leader visits new chip factory, stressing ties with Taiwan and support for key technology
The new plant on the southwestern island of Kyushu, majority owned by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., is the Taiwanese semiconductor giant's first in Japan.

Amid slowing Tesla sales, Musk says robotaxi in August
Tesla plans to unveil its robotaxi on Aug 8, according to a statement from chief executive officer Elon Musk on X, his social media site.

The inside tale of Tesla’s fall to earth
Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk has spent years trying to build the automaker of the future. It’s the electric-car company of the present that’s now giving him trouble.

Tesla’s market story is all about growth. That’s now in question
Shockingly low quarterly sales figures from Tesla Inc. this week are raising a fundamental question for investors: If the days of breakneck growth are over, what are the shares of Elon Musk’s company really worth?

Stellantis output in Italy down 10% in Q1, trade union says
Production of passenger cars and vans at Stellantis' Italian plants fell 9.8% year-on-year in the first three months of this year to 170,415 units, the FIM-CISL union said on Friday.

Tesla casts doubt on the quest for a Model T of EVs
Henry Ford democratized car ownership with his ultra-cheap, mass-produced Model T, and Elon Musk once promised to do the same for electric cars with a Tesla that could sell for USD 25,000.

China's commerce minister due in Paris for electric vehicle talks
China's commerce minister Wang Wentao is due in Paris on Sunday for talks that are expected to cover China's fast growing export of cheap electric vehicles (EVs) into the European market.

Our EV firms do not rely on subsidies to gain competitive advantage: China
China's electric vehicle companies do not rely on subsidies to gain a competitive advantage and accusations by the US and Europe of "overcapacity" are groundless, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said on Sunday in Paris.