Auto Sector

Carmakers switch lanes to bring more software engineers on board

Trend leads to more women being employed on vehicle assembly lines

India's auto sector records 20 deals worth $717 mn in Q2 2026: Report

India's automotive sector recorded its lowest quarterly deals transaction volumes in three years at a total of USD 717 million in Q2 2026, according to Grant Thornton Bharat's latest Automotive Dealtracker. In Q2 2026 deal values remained largely strong despite transaction volumes falling to their lowest quarterly level since Q2 2023, Grant Thornton Bharat said in a statement. India's automotive sector recorded 20 overall deals worth USD 717 million in Q2 2026, it added. Overall deal values declined marginally by 4 per cent quarter-on-quarter, as capital remained concentrated in a few high-value transactions across mobility platforms, automotive technology and public market fundraises, it added. "While deal activity slowed during the quarter, investment remained focused on businesses driving the future of mobility," Grant Thornton Bharat Partner and Auto & EV Industry Leader, Saket Mehra said. He further said ,"We are seeing continued interest in EVs, mobility platforms and ...

Volkswagen CEO signals no plant closures as automaker moves to cut costs

Volkswagen's CEO indicated in comments published Sunday that he's trying to avoid closing plants as he seeks to turn around the automaker's performance. The Wolfsburg, Germany-based company faces pressure to cut costs at home and increasingly intense competition in the lucrative Chinese market, in particular. Last week, Volkswagen said its "fundamental realignment" over the past three years had reached its next phase, announcing plans to streamline the model lineup by up to half. It didn't provide specifics, and questions remain over how else it will cut costs. There has been renewed speculation about the future of several plants in Germany. "There are more intelligent solutions than closing plants," CEO Oliver Blume told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper. He added that a cost-cutting program in Germany already is producing effects. "We were able to improve our factory costs in Germany by an average 20 per cent last year alone," he said, describing that as "strong progress." Blume ar

Nomura retains 'buy' on Uno Minda amid expansion plans, sees 33% upside

The company had been manufacturing seat recliners since 2022, but is now expanding to manufacture complete seating systems.

Q1FY27 earnings preview: Sector-wise outlook; financials, auto to stand out

Q1FY27 earnings preview: VK Vijayakumar of Geojit Investments believes that Q1 will be subdued, impacted by the energy crisis.

Indian auto component industry scales ₹7.6 trn turnover in FY2025-26

The performance was driven by robust domestic demand, higher vehicle production, sustained investments in capacity and technology, and steady export growth

Centre asks OEMs to audit connected vehicles' software and devices

The Centre has asked automakers to audit connected vehicle software and battery systems after security flaws exposed electric vehicles to remote hacking risks

Nifty Auto up 1% on record June sales; TVS Motor, Bajaj Auto among top bets

According to FADA, the share of electric vehicles in overall two-wheeler sales rose to 10.6 per cent, hitting the double-digit mark for the first time.

Latin America, Africa power strong Q1 recovery in two-wheeler exports

Strong overseas demand and easing shipping disruptions sustain export momentum

Maruti's ₹35K cr Kharkhoda plant inaugurated, capacity to reach 1 mn units

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi inaugurated Maruti Suzuki's Kharkhoda plant, which is set to scale up to 1 million units annually

Hero MotoCorp dispatches fall 2.3% to 541, 159 units in June, exports rise

Two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp on Wednesday reported a 2.3 per cent decline in total dispatches to dealers at 5,41,159 units in June as compared to 5,53,963 units in the same month last year. Domestic sales were down at 5,02,890 units last month as against 5,25,136 units in the year-ago period, Hero MotoCorp said in a regulatory filing. Exports were, however, up at 38,269 units as compared to 28,827 units in the same month last year. Motorcycle sales in June were down at 4,78,701 units as compared to 5,12,658 units in the year-ago month, while scooter sales were up at 62,458 units as compared to 41,305 units in June 2025. VIDA, the company's emerging mobility business unit, delivered strong retail performance in June 2026 with 21,812 VAHAN registrations, growth of 185 per cent year-on-year, it added. The company said it posted a 23 per cent year-on-year growth in dispatches to dealers at 16.8 lakh units in the first quarter of FY27, as compared to 13.67 lakh units in the year-ago

Renault India starts exports of Duster; first shipment to South Africa

Renault India on Monday said it has started exports of its new Duster SUV, with the first shipment leaving for South Africa. The first shipment of 750 vehicles departed from Chennai to South Africa, marking the beginning of Renault India's export programme for the new Duster, with additional international markets planned in the coming months, the company said in a statement. Commenting on the start of exports of the new Duster, Renault Group India CEO Stephane Deblaise said it is a strong validation of the quality, capabilities, and competitiveness of the company's operations in Chennai. "It reflects the progress we have made in building India into an integral part of Renault's global industrial footprint," he added. As Renault continues to expand its international footprint, Deblaise said, "India will play an increasingly strategic role in our future plans. We remain committed to contributing to the country's manufacturing ambitions and are working towards our objective of generat

Using E20 petrol in old vehicles? Maintenance costs may rise up to ₹10,000

India's ethanol shift promises lower imports and support for farmers, but older vehicles and the informal repair network may carry the first consumer-level costs in coming years

Ola Consumer turns cash flow positive as rivals burn ₹100 cr a month

Ola Consumer has turned free cash-flow positive and achieved profitability, widening the gap with rivals that continue to spend heavily to gain market share in India's fiercely competitive ride-hailing sector, according to company disclosures, industry estimates and people familiar with the matter. The company reported operating revenue of about Rs 1,171 crore in FY25, ahead of Rapido's Rs 934 crore. Industry estimates suggest the gap is even wider on a net revenue basis -- after accounting for customer discounts and driver incentives -- with Ola estimated to have generated Rs 250-300 crore in net revenue during the latest quarter, compared with around Rs 40-45 crore for Rapido and Rs 35-40 crore for Uber, according to people familiar with the developments. The performance reflects Ola's shift over the past two years towards a profitability-focused strategy, prioritising monetisation and cost efficiencies over aggressive discount-led growth. "Short-term growth driven by discounts an

Automotive body trims export PLI red tape after industry pushback

The testing agency has eased domestic value addition certification norms for export models after automakers argued that additional paperwork increased compliance burdens

Toyota Kirloskar Motor's total sales up 7% at 33,128 units in May

Toyota Kirloskar Motor on Monday reported a 7 per cent rise in total sales at 33,128 units in May 2026 as compared to 30,864 units sold in the year-ago period. Domestic sales stood at 30,574 units in the reported month as compared to 29,280 units in May 2025, registering a 4 per cent growth year-on-year, according to a statement by Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM). However, exports grew 61 per cent at 2,554 units in May 2026 as compared to 1,584 units in the same month last year. Sabari Manohar, Executive Vice President, Sales-Service-Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, "This month (May) marked a significant milestone as we crossed 3 lakh Strong Hybrid Electric vehicle (SHEV) sales in India, underscoring the growing acceptance of SHEV technology and cleaner mobility solutions. "This achievement further strengthens our commitment to advancing sustainable mobility through a multi-pathway approach. We will continue to focus on innovation that aligns with evolving customer nee

Powering transition: India needs resilient electric mobility infrastructure

India had around 29,000 charging stations for the public early this calendar year, a significant improvement from the barely 5,000 a few years ago

Ferrari bets on €500,000 EV Luce amid uncertain sports car demand

Former Apple designer Jony Ive's studio LoveFrom was involved in developing the Luce, which sources describe ‌as a large car with a look distinct from Ferrari's usual models

Punjab tops FY26 passenger vehicles sales growth, Gujarat in two-wheelers

SIAM data showed Punjab posted the sharpest rise in passenger vehicle sales, while Gujarat led growth in two-wheeler volumes during FY26

BEE may rewrite draft CAFE-3 rules to shift base fuel from E20 to E25

Bureau of Energy Efficiency is considering revising fuel-efficiency norms using E25 as the base fuel amid efforts to cut crude oil imports and boost ethanol blending