Can BYD Auto remain world’s top EV seller after dethroning Tesla?

For the first time ever, China’s BYD Auto has dethroned Elon Musk’s Tesla to become the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) seller, and could this lead to the iconic American brand losing its sheen in the global electric car space?

According to a report, during the second quarter of this year, global passenger EV sales grew a whopping 61 per cent to 2.18 million cars compared to the second quarter of last year.

BYD does not want to play volume game with Atto 3 launch in India

The world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD is gearing up to roll out its electric SUV — the Atto 3 — in the next few months and it seems that it does not want to play the volume game in India and would be placing its offering in the premium segment.

The Chinese company had earlier introduced its E6 multi-purpose vehicle or MPV in India a few months ago and this was only for fleet customers. Even then, it had shied away from luring budget segment buyers.

California ban on petrol, diesel car sales from 2035 may set a trend worldwide

California has decided to ban sale of petrol (gasoline) and diesel-powered vehicles in the state from 2035, and this could set a trend to discourage the manufacturing of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in the US as well as the world from now onwards.

 

This move would prompt car majors across the world to overhaul their assembly lines in the near future so as to only manufacture electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids, that too, on a war footing.

Comfort, performance to woo Mercedes-Benz AMG EQS 53 EV buyers in India

Mercedes-Benz AMG EQS 53 EV has been rolled out in India to cater to the ultra-rich segment and this category of users would not look for affordability but the motivation for them to buy this car would be comfort and performance.

 

Mercedes AMG EQS 53 is one of the company’s most stunning battery-powered cars and is the second EV from the luxury car maker’s stable to come to India, after the EQC.

Toyota to price hybrids judiciously | Mahindra XUV400 may not offer price advantage

In a bid to take on pure electric vehicle (EV) makers like Tata Motors and Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) head on, Toyota plans to bring in hybrid vehicles, which it said would be priced judiciously while M&M’s EV XUV400 may not come with a price advantage.

 

Toyota plans to whittle down the cost of full hybrid powertrains by manufacturing them in the country and it would also source its materials from India. But the auto giant has remained mum on putting a tag to the prices right now.

Royal Enfield to sell ‘affordable’ e-bikes in global market | Kia launches India’s fastest EV charger

Royal Enfield may be developing a slew of “affordable” electric motorcycles, which it would set aside for the global market, and these electric vehicles (EVs) may also be sold in India while Kia has just rolled out India’s fastest EV battery charger. 

But to make the e-bikes in India within the reach of the people, the prices should start from around Rs 3 lakh (Rs 300,000) and not any higher. 

Affordable compact electric car Sion, powered partly by solar energy, in Europe soon

Sion, a compact electric car — propelled partly by solar energy — is set to go into production soon, and this could not only give a big boost to clean energy efforts in the automobile sector… but also see the launch of an affordable car in Europe!

The design of the Sion, the car to be made by German electric vehicle (EV) start-up Sono Motors, was unveiled in the recent past at a company event in Munich.

Mahindra, Ola Electric gear up to take on Tata Motors in India’s EV space

On the 75th year of India’s Independence, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and Ola Electric are gearing up to take on market leader Tata Motors in India’s electric vehicle (EV) space.

While Mahindra has unveiled that it would be launching five SUVs from 2024-end up to 2027, Ola said the company’s electric four-wheeler will be rolled out in 2024 and its acceleration and range would be its USPs.

Can the US make EVs more affordable by keeping China out?

The US Congress recently approved the climate and energy package that aims to achieve two goals: Make EVs cost effective while keeping China out of the supply chain.

But can the US achieve this? After all, China happens to be the epitome of everything that is “budget” in the world.

Electrify America-IKEA US pact may set a trend in ultra-fast charging

IKEA is set to collaborate with Electrify America to install ultra-fast public charging stations at over 25 IKEA retail locations in the US and this could be a trendsetter that may prompt more players to get into this fast-charging market and revolutionise the electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure.

 

It is set to add 200 ultra-fast chargers that come with charging speeds of 150kW-350kW for customers at IKEA stores in 18 US states. It could take only 30 minutes for cars to be fully charged via these ultra-fast chargers.

Maruti’s first e-car to be budget SUV | After Sanand unit buy, Tata Motors to price EVs competitively

Maruti Suzuki plans to launch a pure electric vehicle (EV) by 2025 and its e-car could be priced competitively while Tata Motors’ buying of Ford’s Sanand plant in Gujarat could make its EVs cheaper in the medium term.

 

Maruti’s first EV in 2025

 

Hisashi Takeuchi, Maruti Suzuki’s chief executive officer (CEO), said that it is difficult to price its first EV model below Rs 10 lakh (Rs 10,00,000) owing to the astronomical cost of technology and batteries.

Shell Lubricants’ plan to roll out EV fluids is good news for India

Seeing India rev up its electric vehicle (EV) space, Shell Inc’s arm Shell Lubricants is set to roll out fluids for EVs that would be suitable for India’s climatic conditions, and this could be good news, considering the battery fire incidents in India recently.

 

According to Shell Lubricants’ global executive vice-president Machteld De Haan and its India head, Debanjali Sengupta, the firm would initially import the EV fluids. However, at a later stage, Shell Lubricants will manufacture the fluids in the country.

MG4, most technologically-advanced EV offering from Morris Garages, to launch in UK

British car giant Morris Garages (MG Motor) is rolling out its all-electric long hatchback, the MG4, in the UK soon, and as per the company, this would be its most technologically-advanced electric vehicle (EV) offering.

 

According to MG, the electric vehicle is based on its Modular Scalable Platform (MSP) and would come at a starting price of £26,000 (Rs 24.9 lakh or Rs 24,90,682). 

Hyundai’s budget hatchback EV for Europe could find many takers

South Korean automaker Hyundai is believed to be developing a budget electric vehicle (EV) for the European market, and given Europe’s preference for hatchbacks and small cars, this car could find many takers.

In the recent past, a top executive of Hyundai Europe indicated this plan of the auto giant in a media interview.

With 10 e-cars in 5 years, Tata Motors to remain India’s top EV seller in long term

We have seen Tata Motors unveiling the Curvv and Avinya EV concepts in the recent past, and now, it clearly wants to stay on top in India’s electric vehicle (EV) space in the long term by launching 10 electric cars over a period of five years.

Shailesh Chandra, who is president of the passenger vehicles unit at Tata Motors, reiterated the company’s ambitious plans in India’s EV market.