Author: Michael Khan

VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), a joint venture between Volvo Group and Eicher Motors, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Jio-bp Pulse to expand access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure for its commercial fleet customers. The partnership will give operators of Eicher trucks and buses access to Jio-bp’s network of more than 6,000 DC fast-charging points across India, including in major urban centres, highways and EV hubs. The chargers will be integrated into VECV’s “My Eicher” fleet management app, enabling fleet managers to view locations and real-time availability. VECV said this marks the first time a public charging network has…

Vietnamese automaker VinFast has launched two electric sport-utility vehicles in India as part of its global expansion, offering introductory prices aimed at undercutting rivals Tesla and BYD in one of the world’s fastest-growing auto markets. The VF6 compact SUV is priced at 1.51 million rupees ($18,127) and the larger VF7 mid-size SUV starts at 1.89 million rupees ($22,659). The introductory pricing applies to the first 1,500 buyers or until Nov. 30, 2025, whichever comes first. Tesla’s Model Y retails for about $68,000 in India, while BYD’s ATTO 3 starts at around $28,400. VinFast, Vietnam’s largest carmaker and an EV-only manufacturer,…

BMW Group said on Friday that its electric vehicle (EV) deliveries in India have surpassed 5,000 units, making it the first luxury carmaker in the country to reach the milestone. To mark the achievement, the German automaker has set up a high-power charging corridor covering 4,000 kilometres from India’s north to south. The corridor, developed in partnership with charging operators Statiq and Zeon, will offer stations with capacities ranging from 120 to 720 kilowatts every 300 kilometres along key routes. BMW has been the top-selling luxury EV brand in India for three consecutive years since 2022. The company maintained its…

Japan’s SoftBank Group has reduced its shareholding in Indian electric scooter maker Ola Electric to 15.68% from 17.83% after selling a 2.15% stake over July and September, according to a stock exchange filing on Thursday. SoftBank, the company’s second-largest shareholder after founder Bhavish Aggarwal, sold a total of 94.9 million shares. The sale price for the shares was not disclosed. Ola Electric, which went public in August 2024, has seen increased trading activity in recent sessions, with its stock closing more than 10% higher in two of the past four sessions. The Bengaluru-based company recently received certification under India’s Production…

India’s GST advisory panel has recommended higher taxes on expensive electric vehicles, a move that could impact imported models such as Tesla’s Model Y, BMW’s iX and Mercedes-Benz EQ cars, as well as some domestic offerings, Reuters reported. The panel proposes raising the goods and services tax (GST) on EVs priced between 2 million and 4 million rupees (€19,500–€39,000) from 5% to 18%, and applying a 28% rate on vehicles above €39,000. The recommendations argue that such models cater to the “upper segment” of society and are mostly imported rather than produced in India. “The uptake of electric vehicles is…

Tesla has secured just over 600 orders since launching sales in India in mid-July, a figure that fell short of its expectations, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The U.S. electric vehicle maker plans to ship between 350 and 500 cars to India this year, with the first batch expected to arrive from Shanghai in early September, the report said. Deliveries will initially be limited to Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Gurugram, based on fully paid orders and the company’s delivery capacity in the four cities where it has a physical presence. Tesla introduced its Model…

China’s BYD has delivered its 10,000th vehicle in India, the new energy vehicle (NEV) maker said in a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Monday. The announcement, shared via the semi-official account @小迪快报, included a short video of BYD India celebrating the milestone but provided no further details. BYD currently offers four models in India: the all-electric MPV eMax 7, the Seal sedan, the Atto 3 SUV—known as the Yuan Plus in China—and the Sealion 7, also marketed domestically as the Sealion 07. The Sealion 7 began accepting pre-orders in late January and marked BYD’s latest launch in…

Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest carmaker, has started production of its first electric vehicle, the e Vitara, at its Hansalpur facility in Gujarat. The electric sub-compact SUV is being manufactured for both domestic and international markets, the company said on Tuesday. The launch was marked by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Suzuki President Toshihiro Suzuki, who jointly flagged off the first unit from the production line. Maruti Suzuki described the model as “India’s most globally significant EV to date,” with Hansalpur designated as the global hub for its production. The company said the plant will build both right- and left-hand…

DS Automobiles has announced UK pricing for its upcoming No.4 model, which will be available in hybrid and fully electric versions, with first deliveries expected in the fourth quarter of 2025. The No.4 will be offered as a self-charging hybrid, plug-in hybrid or fully electric E-TENSE edition. Prices start at £32,200 on the road for the PALLAS+ hybrid, while the E-TENSE models begin at £36,930. Customers will be able to choose between PALLAS, PALLAS+ and ÉTOILE trims, with the hybrid also adding an ÉTOILE NAPPA variant. The E-TENSE version features a 58.2kWh battery pack and a range of around 450…

Macquarie Asset Management has raised $405 million to support Vertelo, a fleet electrification solutions provider in India, marking a significant step toward the company’s target of mobilizing $1.5 billion over the next decade. The funding includes $205 million from institutional investors and $200 million in concessional capital from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), which serves as the anchor investor. Additional participants include Macquarie Green Energy Transition Solutions Fund, Allianz Global Investors, and Australian Ethical. “The initiative will provide financing solutions that accelerate India’s development of critical infrastructure and an overall ecosystem in which electric vehicle use grows sustainably,” said Henry…

Indian electric vehicle manufacturer Omega Seiki Mobility has announced plans to establish its first overseas EV assembly plant in the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), Dubai, aiming to expand its footprint in the Middle East and Africa. The company will develop a 42,000 sq ft facility to assemble two- and three-wheelers, as well as store and distribute components and spare parts. Omega Seiki Mobility expects operations to begin by the end of 2025, with an initial investment of $25 million over the next five years. The project is projected to create more than 100 jobs in its first phase. Uday…

India’s Mahindra has introduced a special edition of its BE 6 electric SUV inspired by the Batman franchise. The limited-run model, called the BE 6 Batman Edition, was developed in partnership with Warner Bros. and will be restricted to 300 units. The Batman Edition features distinctive styling elements linked to the Dark Knight character. Exterior details include themed door graphics, Bat logos on 20-inch alloy wheels, Satin Black paint, and an Infinity Roof marked with the emblem. Wing mirrors are also equipped to project the Bat Signal onto the ground, while rear badging carries a “BE 6 x The Dark…