FAME-II guidelines clear and companies defaulted knowingly, says govt
The Ministry of Heavy Industries has formed a panel headed by the Additional Secretary to investigate the FAME-II scam and the role of government officials responsible for the Faster FAME-II subsidy irregularity.

Fuelling change? M&M may consider hybrid tech shift if demand arises
Speaking after the fourth-quarter earnings of the company, Anish Shah, managing director and chief executive officer of M&M, said that from a demand standpoint, if hybrids are in demand, the company would be ready for that.
 

M&M’s premium valuation to ride on SUV, Tractor demand
Mahindra &Mahindra may see earnings-led upgrade due to encouraging bookings for its newly-launched compact SUV and forecasts of improvement at the tractor segment, helping capture investor interest in a stock that outperformed the market with 28% returns in three months.

Mahindra to launch 16 new ICE, electric SUVs by 2030
Mahindra & Mahindra recently shared its earning report for FY 2023-24 where the company revealed its total earning for its entire automotive business stood at Rs 76,156 crores in the recently concluded financial year. This translated into a revenue growth of 24% over the previous fiscal.

Amitabh Kant stresses on uniform EV policy for all companies
India cannot have individual EV policies for every company, Amitabh Kant told on being asked why Tesla did not come to India after the CEO announced an India visit in April but cancelled it at the last moment.

Mother set of Multibaggers: Evolution of EV ecosystem and emergence of new winners from auto ancillary space
If you are looking for the next multibagger there are a couple of points which you should look at very carefully. First, which set of stocks or sectors have the highest probability of coming out of multibagger stocks. Second, after the sector is identified, have a look at individual companies to figure out which of them has the highest probability of turning into a multibagger. Now for that, different things have to be looked at, whether the sector is going through a transformation or new technology will come which will change the whole ecosystem and create big opportunities. Most importantly whether the management has the ability and the foresight to realize the potential. For that it is important to go and look at what all management has said over the years, has it been able to achieve what it has been saying, or it is just saying it for the sake of saying it .

Top 5 most expensive cars in the world in 2024
Cars can be expensive, and some like it over the top with the most expensive car money can buy. That said, the list of the most expensive cars does not include Ferraris or Lamborghinis, instead, they will surprise you. Here are the top 5 most expensive cars in the world in 2024. 

Lower EV import duty not just for new entrants
As it awaits word from Tesla on its India plans, govt on Friday said companies such as Vinfast, which has announced domestic manufacturing plans, BMW and Hyundai, which are already in India, can take advantage of the lower import duty regime by investing in new production capacity to gain from new electric vehicle policy targeted at high-end cars.

Expecting good response from many companies on EV policy: DPIIT Secy
Expecting good response from several firms on EV policy: DPIIT Secy

Tata Motors group hikes investment outlay to INR 43,000 cr for FY25
"Investment by JLR ended at 3.3 billion pounds (more than INR 33,000 crore), and Tata Motors did more than INR 8,200 crore. So, the total we ended was at about INR 41,200 crore investment in FY24," Tata Motors Group CFO PB Balaji said in an earnings conference.

Government expects positive response to electric vehicle policy from multiple companies
"Everybody talks about one company (US-based EV major Tesla), but we are expecting responses from many companies to that policy," Singh said here at CII's annual business summit.

2025 Porsche Cayenne GTS launched in India, prices start at Rs 2 crore
Porsche took the lid off the 2025 Cayenne GTS range globally a few weeks ago. Now, the German marque has officially listed the prices of the sportiest variants of the super SUV in India as well. It is available in two derivatives– Cayenne GTS and Cayenne GTS Coupe— priced at Rs 1,99,99,000 and 2,01,32,000 (both ex-showroom), respectively.

Review: Mercedes-AMG SL 55 4matic + Roadster: The Dil Chahta Hai car, once again

In 2001, The SL was possibly the most famous Mercedes-Benz in India, when Akash, Sameer and Sid drove it to Goa, and rediscovered themselves, in the timeless classic Dil Chahta Hai. The SL was also featured in the 1995 classic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, when Raj Malhotra (Shah Rukh Khan) discovered that he is in love with Simran Singh (Kajol).

The Electric Vehicle Challenge: Can We Make it Sustainable in India?
The electric vehicle (EV) push in India is exciting! It’s a chance to ditch fossil fuels, but there’s a critical question: how do we handle the batteries? Lithium-ion batteries power EVs, but they come with environmental baggage. Research shows a lot of the materials in these batteries can be recycled and reused. That’s why the focus is on building a strong recycling system in India. Demand for these batteries is going to explode, so we need to be ready.

New-gen Toyota Fortuner spied in India for first time — Ford Endeavour rival
Although D-segment SUVs contribute only a paltry section of the passenger vehicle segment. Toyota Fortuner is one of the few locally-made large D-segment SUVs left in the Indian market. Now, we already know that Toyota is working on a new version of the Fortuner which has reportedly been spotted on foreign soil some time ago.

How Punch found the sweet spot

New Delhi: Tata Motor' Sub-Compact SUV Punch — smaller than the normally sub-4 metre SUVs — is racing fast. During the January-April period, it has emerged as the largest selling vehicle, with cumulative sales totalling 73,121 units. It has beaten Maruti's Wagon R (71,386 units), Baleno (66,784 units), Dzire (64,329 units) and Brezza (62,795 units). Maruti's Swift — which was the largest selling car in 2023 at 203,469 units —was a distant 11th during January-April 2024 at just 48,357 units. Not only this, in two of these four months, March and April, it has emerged as the highest selling vehicle. In March, its sales stood at 17,547 units, which was up 61% on a year-on-year basis, followed by 19,158 units in April, which was 75% higher than the same month last year. Vivek Srivatsa, chief commercial officer, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, told FE that the Punch pioneered into the sweet spot of the sub-compact SUV segment and carved a niche for itself by democratizing SUVattributes. "With a no-compromise design, comfort, and a proven SUV capability, the Punch has become a comprehensive offering for existing and first-time buyers," he said. "It provides customers with the much-loved SUV stance, SUV-like command driving position, spacious interiors, and is the safest car in the segment with a G-NCAP5-starrating,"Srivatsa added. 

The claws are out : Scorpio Z8 Select

Mahindra has launched the new Z8 Select variant in the Scorpio-N. Priced Rs.16.99 lakh (ex-showroom), it has a long list of new features. These include Adrenox Connect, built-inAlexa, signature dual-barrel LED headlamps, LED projector foglamps, sting-like LED DRIB, diamond-cut alloy wheels, and coffee-black leatherette interiors. But this variant doesn't have a push-button start, which is becoming default across models. The Z8 Select is expected to enhance the appeal of the Scorpio, which has become among the top-4 SUVs in India (after Tata Punch and Nexon, and Hyundai Creta). In fact, within its own segment of brands (models in Rs 14-28 lakh price range), the Scorpio was the top-selling SUV for four consecutive months (October 2023 to January 2024), and the second-largest selling SUV in February 2024.

Off-roading mania sweeps India: Thrill-seekers conquer challenging terrain
“Indian society has set boundaries on what women can do. I wanted to break those boundaries and challenge myself,” says Naaji Noushi, 34, who hit the headlines with a solo drive in her Thar from India to Qatar during the FIFA World Cup 2022, ear ning praise from Anand Mahindra, chair man of the Mahindra Group, on her extraordinary journey. Noushi, who divides her time between Kerala and Abu Dhabi, is a solo off-roader. She says whenever she goes on a drive, her mother or husband takes care of the children. “Both my mother and husband are very supportive when I am away,” she says. “A woman faces many challenges in her life. Offroading is nothing compared to them, if one gets the hang of the vehicle.”

India on mission to become world's leading producer of critical minerals: Hindustan Zinc Chairperson
India is on a mission to become the world's leading and the most sustainable producer of critical minerals, Vedanta group firm Hindustan Zinc's Chairperson Priya Agarwal Hebbar has said. Critical minerals, such as cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel and rare earths, play a crucial role in the production of clean energy technologies, from wind turbines to electric cars.

Steelbird Hi-Tech plans major expansion and new facility to boost helmet production
Steelbird Hi-Tech aims to sell 10 million helmets in the FY24-25 mainly by increasing the manufacturing capacity at its Baddi plant, in Himachal Pradesh, to 50,000 units per day investing INR 105 crore.

How to apply or renew your PUC?
Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate today is a very critical document for all combustion powered vehicles, including the ones with CNG kits, plying on Indian roads. It is an attempt by the Government of India to crack down on old vehicles with high emission levels in order to curb air pollution. A PUC is as essential a document as the vehicle’s registration certificate or a driver’s licence.

Govt eyes hydrogen-based process for steel production to cut carbon emissions
New Delhi: Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Nagendra Nath Sinha said on Friday that the government is working on introducing a green hydrogen-based process in the steel industry where the iron will be directly reduced with 100% hydrogen, resulting in a sharp reduction in carbon emissions.

Attero to invest over Rs 8,000 cr to ramp up e-waste recycling capacity
Source Credit: PTI, Business Standard

New Delhi: Electronic waste and battery recycling company Attero plans to invest around Rs 8,300 crore in the next five years to ramp up its capacity, the company's CEO and Co-Founder Nitin Gupta said.
 

ARAI conducts first-ever electric two-wheeler crash tests in India
Source Credit: Autocar India

The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) has completed a series of three crash tests on electric two-wheelers at its facility in Pune. The development marks a significant step towards potentially establishing safety standards for the burgeoning electric two-wheeler segment in India.

Tata Motors lines up three new launches in the coming months
Source Credit: Autocar India

Tata Motors had more than a decent 2023, having launched a few new cars and SUVs, and recording an excellent sales performance during the year. For 2024, the Indian carmaker has plans to launch at least three models in our market, which should help it continue its stellar run. The Nexon range is scheduled to expand with the addition of CNG-powered variants, while the Altroz line-up will have a sportier variant. Tata will also bring its first all-new model in three years – the Curvv. Read on to know what to expect.

2024 Hyundai Creta long term review, 1,700km report
Source Credit: Autocar India

Okay, calling this low-spec doesn’t tell the whole story. This unassuming-looking Abyss Black Creta SX (O) is, in fact, about as fully loaded as it can get, which with the facelift means goodies like dual-digital screens, dual-zone climate control and ADAS, among much, much else. It is, however, powered by the base engine – the meek 115hp, 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol with the unglamorous CVT gearbox. With no big headline figures to boast of – no sky-high ARAI fuel economy figure, no class-leading performance, no state-of-the-art gearbox, a car’s base engine is usually left out of the spotlight, seemingly by design. It is never available on any media drive, does not exist in the press fleet and even dealerships would rather show you the more expensive turbo-petrol or the diesel. In fact, it wasn’t until I bought a Creta CVT in 2021 that anyone at Autocar India could drive one; we got a fair few comparison tests out of that one.

Nissan Magnite facelift new spy shots show design tweaks
Source Credit: Autocar India

Nissan has been testing the Magnite facelift in India for a few months now, and recent sightings of the test mule has revealed some fresh details.

Pininfarina, Morgan reveal Midsummer speedster, only 50 units to be made
Source Credit: Autocar India

Morgan Motor Company and Pininfarina have unveiled an exclusive two-seat barchetta called the Midsummer. Based on the underpinnings of Morgan’s existing Plus Six model, the sports car is clad with a magnificent new hand-crafted body on which both the automakers’ design teams have worked together.

Ford Mustang 4-door in pipeline
Source Credit: Autocar India

Ford is contemplating launching a new range of “authentic” combustion-engined variants of the Mustang that could include a four-door model for the first time in the muscle car’s history.

Aston Martin evaluating G-Class, Defender rival
Source Credit: Autocar India

Aston Martin is considering a rugged, high-powered super-4x4 to rival the Mercedes G-Class and Land Rover Defender, our sister publication Autocar UK can reveal. Design proposals for the shock new model are being evaluated internally, Autocar UK understands, but no decision has been made yet on whether to go ahead with what would be Aston’s second SUV.

Mercedes workers reject union in Alabama in setback for labor
Workers at Mercedes-Benz's Alabama facilities have rejected a union drive in a setback to the United Auto Workers' ambitious campaign to organize the American South, according to results released Friday by US authorities.

Swedish EV maker Polestar gets Nasdaq notice on potential de-listing
Swedish electric vehicle firm Polestar said on Friday it was notified by the Nasdaq for not meeting the exchange's listing rules related to the timely filing of the company's annual report with the U.S. securities regulator.

Shanghai eases data-export curbs sought by Tesla, other firms, document shows
Shanghai has compiled a list of data that can be transferred overseas without security assessments, according to a government document seen by Reuters, a much anticipated move as China tries to lure foreign investment to boost a sluggish economy.

Claus Gorsmann set to join Vikas Group's Ecocat as CTO
New Delhi: Dr. Claus Gorsmann is set to join Vikas Group's Ecocat division as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) on May 20, 2024. With a robust background in industrial technology and strategic management, Dr. Gorsmann is expected to significantly enhance the division's technological capabilities.

Ineos drives towards hydrogen car future
At a sprawling vehicle test centre in the English countryside, a hydrogen-powered Grenadier 4x4 made by Ineos Automotive grips steep and rugged tracks, showcasing its off-road capabilities.