The Chinese effect — Tesla slashes prices across range globally
While the electric vehicle market is picking up pace in India, the scenes a slightly different in the global market, as more and more Chinese EVs are being sold globally. This has led Elon Musk’s Tesla to cut prices across its range globally. However, competition from China is not the only threat, as Reuters reports, as sales have also seen a slump globally.

The localisation story of Elon Musk's Tesla: India versus China deal
The new electric vehicle policy of the government offers some key terms which seem to be more attractive for car makers than what Tesla was able to extract from China when it set up its plant in Shanghai in 2019.  Under the new policy, India has offered a localisation term of reaching a domestic value addition (DVA) of 25 per cent in three years and 50 per cent in 5 years from the date of issue of the approval letter.

Rockwell automation inks MoU with Mahindra University to train students in sustainability
Rockwell Automation has signed a memorandum of understanding with Mahindra University, to train students in sustainability best practices. It aims at a collaborative framework to promote a comprehensive ‘Climate Solutions’ course to students. It focuses on equipping students with skills and knowledge in sustainability best practices.

Auto sector sees no impact due to Iran-Israel conflict
New Delhi: There is not much impact on the shipments of automobile products to overseas markets due to the Iran-Israel conflict, as companies have already been taking other routes since the Red Sea crisis, industry experts told businessline.

Auto Inc signs 24 deals worth USD 357 mn in Q1 2024
New Delhi: As the Indian automotive industry continues its path to sustained recovery against the backdrop of global macroeconomic challenges and a broader market slowdown, the sector has witnessed a trend of selective investments, characterised by sustained deal volumes.

Crash safety built on four aspects says Tata’s Mohan Savarkar
In the constant push towards road safety and safer cars, one manufacturer shines. Having set the benchmark for five-star safety-rated vehicles, Tata Motors has been instrumental in making safety a key consideration in buying cars. The art of building safer cars has spread across the range of Tata vehicles, even in the newly-introduced Bharat NCAP (BNCAP) tests. 

Macquarie's USD 1.5 bn India EV platform to focus on fleet electrification
Australia's Macquarie Group launched on Monday an EV financing platform for India that will focus 95% of its USD 1.5 billion investment on electrifying fleets of commercial vehicles.

Chinese electric vehicle suppliers prefer tech tieups, shun 'risky' JVs

“But,” he added, “They don’t want a JV model because of possible risks of  policy changes and also concern about the investigations that have happened with mobile device players.” The executive said that these various heads provided substantial income to the companies with no downside from JV risks. The concerns are similar to those in the mobile device space where Chinese companies have shown no interest in coming through a JV model. Apple’s contract partners, for instance, received initial clearance for 12 of their vendors from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology so that they were allowed to go for a joint venture partner and set up facilities in the country. However, the experiment did not work as Chinese vendors were not willing to enter even a 50-50 JV. This prompted Apple to look for suppliers in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and home-grown players like the Tatas.
   

2024 Maruti Suzuki Dzire to pack more features than Swift
There has been a lot of news about the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Swift hatchback, however, apart from being spied testing alongside the Swift, there has been nothing about the Dzire, apart from now. Going by various reports, the new Maruti Suzuki Dzire has more features compared to the Swift, and here’s a closer look. 

Mahindra XUV 3XO to offer first panoramic sunroof in segment
Mahindra continues with the drip teasing of the facelifted XUV300 which will be rebranded into XUV 3XO. First launched in 2018, this will be the first major upgrade to the XUV300 and going by the many teasers shared by Mahindra, it can be safely assumed that the XUV 3XO will pack several updates.

2024 Volkswagen Taigun GT range launched — prices starting at Rs 14.08 lakh
Volkswagen revealed the updated GT range of Taigun earlier in March this year at its annual press conference in Jaipur. The German carmaker has now announced prices for the new 2024 Taigun GT range which starts at Rs 14.08 lakh and goes up to Rs 19.74 lakh (both ex-showroom).

Toyota Fortuner Leader edition launched
Toyota, in a bid to celebrate selling 2.5 lakh Fortuner sales in India, the company has introduced the Fortuner Leader Edition, based on the 4X2 variant of the SUV. The new Toyota Fortuner Leader Edition gets a few add-on features and exterior upgrades.

Kia rolls out campaign for its Seltos featuring Bobby Deol
Kia has rolled out a campaign ‘Tech is now Badass’ for the New Seltos powered with Kia Connect. The campaign spotlights Seltos’ technological prowess. Featuring Bollywood actor Bobby Deol embodying the ‘Badass’ persona, the campaign epitomises the Seltos, appealing to discerning customers who crave unconventional and tech-driven mobility experiences. 

2024 Isuzu D-Max V-Cross facelift teased, promises more features— Hilux rival
Isuzu has a limited presence in India with only the D-Max V-Cross currently on sale in the passenger vehicle segment. All the other pickup trucks cater to the light commercial vehicle segment. Moreover, the V-Cross on sale in India, is an older version of the pickup truck. 

Top five awaited EV SUVs in 2024
The year 2024 is poised to be the year of all-electric SUVs. EV sales figures in March 2024 provided a significant boost to the Central Government’s 2020 sustainability plan, with passenger vehicles, including SUVs, experiencing a 90 per cent increase in retail sales compared to 2023. Overall, FY 2024 witnessed a 42 per cent increase in the entire electric vehicle segment. As SUVs are on the verge of capturing over 50 per cent of the automobile market share in India, manufacturers are preparing to launch electric SUVs. Consider these five electric SUVs before making your final decision.

Unions to petition BEST demanding 3,337 undertaking-owned buses in fleet
Various unions, big and small, of BEST undertaking have come together to take up the issue of BEST owned buses dropping to one third of its original fleet a few years back, and this has affected the operations majorly, union leaders said on Monday.

Tata Motors introduces bi-fuel variant to the ‘Magic’ van
New Delhi: Tata Motors, India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, having 4 lakh customers for its popular van, Tata Magic, has introduced a new variant, Magic Bi-Fuel, with both petrol and CNG tanks, to further increase the convenience of its customers.

Ashok Leyland tie-up with South Indian Bank for Dealer Financing
Ashok Leyland Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with South Indian Bank for financing dealers under the Bank’s dealer finance program. Under this partnership, the Bank will provide competitive dealer finance options to the dealers of Ashok Leyland Limited.

Domestic mining and construction equipment industry volumes estimated to decline by 12-15% YoY in FY25, says ICRA
The volumes of the domestic mining and construction equipment (MCE) industry is projected to decline in FY2025 following two consecutive years of strong growth viz. 26 per cent in FY2023 and 24 per cent in FY2024E, said a report by ICRA. The reversal in this growth trend, ICRA stated, will be driven by a slowdown in the new project award activity in Q4 FY2024 and Q1 FY2025, as the Model Code of Conduct will remain in force during the Parliamentary Elections in April-May 2024 (till the announcement of results on June 4, 2024). 

Escorts Kubota to hike prices of its models from May 1
New Delhi: Escorts Kubota Limited, a leading agri-machinery business company, proposes to increase the prices of its products from May 1 2024, the company said in a regulatory filing on Monday.

Arun Jaura, CTO, Hero MotoCorp, steps down; Vikram Kasbekar to head R&D function
New Delhi: Hero MotoCorp has announced the resignation of Arun Jaura, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), from his position to pursue personal endeavors. It will be effective from April 30, 2024. Additionally the company informed that Vikram Kasbekar has been promoted to lead the R&D function.

Brixton Motorcycles enters India; plans expansion and new production hub
New Delhi: Brixton Motorcycles announces its entry into the Indian market. The brand has partnered with KAW Veloce Motors Pvt Ltd for manufacturing and distribution, preparing to launch an exclusive range of motorcycles tailored for the Indian audience. Brixton's move into India is fuelled by a strategic vision to introduce its European elegance to the Indian riders.

Honda to use India as key pivot in 2-wheeler electrification plans
New Delhi: As part of its two-wheeler electrification strategy, Honda is working on the “ideal distribution” of production resources for electric motorcycle components like the battery, PCU and motor to match demand.

Why does the Aprilia Tuareg cost twice as much as the Honda Transalp?
Aprilia set foot in India a long time ago, however, it was able to reach the masses with the SR 150 scooter. While the scooter drove sales for the company in India, enthusiasts who were already aware of the brand wanted one thing — the RSV4, the company’s flagship.

Pavna Industries signs agreement with OLA Electric, shares rise
Pavna Industries Ltd’s shares were up by 4.99 per cent after the company announced an agreement with OLA Electric to supply ignition switches and latches for electric vehicles (EVs). This collaboration is the company’s entry into the two-wheeler EV segment. As per the agreement, Pavna Industries will supply high-quality ignition switches and latches to OLA Electric’s manufacturing facilities across India. The company said, OLA Electric Mobility, known for sustainability and innovation, is a player in driving EV adoption in the country.

Sona Comstar opens plant in Mexico to meet N. American demand for BEV parts
New Delhi: Sona BLW Precision Forgings Ltd. (Sona Comstar), one of the leading global providers of automotive technology solutions, has inaugurated a new manufacturing plant in the Fipasi Industrial Park, Silao, Mexico. This move is to meet the growing demand for high-quality driveline solutions for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) in North America, the company said.

Pavna Industries inks deal with Ola Electric to supply ignition switches, latches for EVs
New Delhi: Pavna Industries Limited, a leading automotive parts manufacturer has inked an agreement with Ola Electric to supply ignition switches and latches, consolidating its foray into the electric two-wheeler segment.
 

Kinetic Engg targets INR 250-cr revenue this fiscal; in process of raising INR 50 cr for EV arm
E-Luna for which Kinetic Engineering has supplied the components, was re-launched in February 2024 has received a good response due to its load carrying capacity from fleet operators and people living in rural areas. “We've got some very good responses from delivery suppliers such as Zomato, Amazon and other fleet operators,” Firodia told ETAuto.

Log9 rebrands mobility biz as Amphion for holistic EV asset management
New Delhi: Log9, a leading developer of advanced battery cell technology and electric mobility ecosystem products, has rebranded its mobility business as Amphion, a full-stack EV asset management company. Amphion was launched at Day Zero 2024, Log9's annual event.

Tata Electronics prepares ground for high-end chips
After the recent groundbreaking of its Rs 91,000-crore semiconductor fabrication plant, Tata group, along with its technology partner Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC), has started work on producing the high-end chip technology of 14 nanometer (nm).

How to use Google Maps to find EV charging stations near you
In a blog post, Google said that it will be launching AI-powered summaries in Google Maps that describe a charger’s specific location based on helpful information from user reviews, so you can find exactly where to go. So, if you’re headed to a charging station you may see a detailed description, like “Enter the underground parking lot and follow the signs toward the exit. Just before exiting, turn right.”

M&M Finance delays Q4 results after ₹150 crore fraud detected at a North East branch
Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd has deferred its board meeting scheduled for today after a fraud worth ₹150 crore was detected at one of its branches in the North East region.

5 ways to avoid being scammed buying car insurance
In one of our earlier articles we discussed what a car insurance scam is and the different types of frauds prevalent in the car insurance industry. It is equally important to discuss how to avoid these scams while buying or claiming a car insurance. Most of these scams are negligence on part of consumers while buying an insurance policy.

Finayo onboards Yogendra Sharma as Director of Product and Strategy
Finayo, a green mobility embedded lending platform, has onboarded Yogendra Sharma as the Director of Product and Strategy. In his new role, he will be responsible for creating and maintaining the product strategy, developing the product roadmap, managing the product budget, creating the product line lifecycle, managing marketing strategy, analyzing product sales data measuring results and progress toward goals.

Volkswagen Taigun GT Line, GT Plus Sport launched at Rs 14.08 lakh
Volkswagen revealed the Taigun GT Plus Sport and GT Line exactly a month back, and now, it has revealed the prices of these variants. The Taigun GT Line, which is available with the 1.0-litre engine in manual and auto forms, is priced from Rs 14.08 lakh, while the Taigun GT Plus Sport, which is powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol with manual and dual-clutch auto options, is priced from Rs 18.54 lakh. VW is also offering a complementary 4-year Service Value Package (SVP) on the higher-spec GT Plus Sport trims, and deliveries are said to have commenced this month.

Toyota Fortuner Leader Edition introduced as dealer-level upgrade
Toyota has launched a new version of its rugged seven-seat SUV, called the Fortuner Leader Edition. This version is based on the diesel 4x2 variants, and adds a few features and some exterior changes. At the sidelines of the launch, the Japanese brand also said it has sold over 2.5 lakh Fortuners in India since its launch in 2009.

New Mercedes AMG GT 63 S E Performance is the quickest AMG to date
The new plug-in hybrid version of the Mercedes-AMG GT is not just the brand's quickest-accelerating road car yet, but also one of the fastest cars in production. Arriving just a few months before Porsche is expected to reveal the long-awaited hybrid version of the 911, the GT 63 S E Performance shares its electrified innards with the recently revealed SL hybrid. Orders for the new super-PHEV open around September this year in international markets.

Mahindra XUV.e9 spy shots show new alloys, near-production design
The Mahindra XUV.e9 has been spied on test in a near-production avatar, revealing a host of its design cues. The Mahindra XUV.e9 is essentially the all-electric, coupe derivative of the XUV700 SUV.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk India visit postponed to later this year
Tesla CEO Elon Musk was expected to meet prime minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi over the previous weekend to announce an investment of USD 2-3 billion (about Rs 16,700 crore-25,000 crore), to build a factory in India and launch made-in-India Teslas in the country. However, a day before his much-anticipated trip to India, Musk stated on X (formerly Twitter) that it would be delayed.

India-bound Porsche Cayenne GTS revealed with 500hp twin turbo V8
Porsche has introduced the new Cayenne GTS for 2024 with improved standard equipment, more power, as well as some styling updates.

Triumph Speed 400, Scrambler 400 X prices hiked for the first time
Nine months after the Triumph Speed 400 was launched, it has now received its first price hike. The same goes for its off-road capable sibling, the Scrambler 400 X. Prices for the Speed 400 and Scrambler 400 X currently stand at Rs 2,34,497 and Rs 2,64,496, respectively. 

Audi Q6L e-tron to make global debut at Beijing motor show 2024
Audi is set to make quite a showing at the upcoming Auto China 2024, which will be held in Beijing from April 24 to May 4, 2024. While the models showcased will be specific to the Chinese market, the German brand’s showcase will provide an indication of its future EV plans for China and other international markets. At least three models have been confirmed by Audi: the Q6L e-tron, the Q5 e-tron RS edition, and the SQ6.

Aston Martin DBX gets new interior, will be sold in 707 guise only
Aston Martin has updated its DBX SUV – the interior sees a significant tech update, and the model is now available exclusively in top-spec 707 guise. The lower-powered 550hp version of its twin-turbo V8 has been discontinued. The move to a one-engine offering comes in response to the success of the 707hp range-topper, which accounted for around two-thirds of global DBX sales in 2023, and is running at about 90 percent so far in 2024.

Yokohama Rubber to set up passenger car tyre plant in Mexico
New Delhi: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., broke ground on April 15, for the construction of its new passenger car tyre plant in Mexico. The new plant will increase Yokohama Rubber’s tyre production capacity in North America, enabling it to meet an expected increase in future demand in the region with tyres produced locally in the region.

Malaysia to build massive chip design park: PM
Malaysia's leader on Monday announced plans to build a massive semiconductor design park, aiming to boost the Southeast Asian nation's role in the global chip industry.

Honda to build major EV plant in Canada: govt source
Japanese auto giant Honda will open an electric vehicle plant in eastern Canada, a Canadian government source familiar with the multibillion-dollar project told AFP on Monday.

CNH names Gerrit Marx as CEO; to take over on July 1, 2024
CNH Industrial N.V. has appointed Gerrit Marx to the role of CEO effective July 1, 2024. He succeeds Scott Wine, whose request to leave the company at the end of the current three-year business plan cycle to pursue other interests, has been accepted by the Board.

China's state planner warns intensified EV price war on oversupply
China's state planner expects an intensified price war among automakers of electric cars and plug-in hybrids this year because of overhanging supply, among other issues, the government body said in a statement on Monday.

Automakers hope for a cut as two-way EV charging becomes real
Automakers from General Motors to Volvo Cars, alongside utilities and charging app operators are calculating their financial cut as EVs that allow their owners to sell power back to grids become a more realistic prospect.

Elon Musk’s robotaxi dreams plunge Tesla into chaos
Elon Musk’s underlings at Tesla Inc are accustomed to chaos. It comes with the territory of working for a Chief Executive who sets exacting targets and often abruptly switches directions— whose biographer describeshis more intense moodsas “demon mode.”