Page 29 - Automobile Industry

General Motors recalls 323,000 pickup trucks in US because of glitch

General Motors is recalling more than 323,000 heavy-duty pickup trucks in the US because the electronic tailgate release switches can short circuit and open the gates while the vehicles are in park. The recall covers certain Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks from the 2020 through 2024 model years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents posted on its website on Tuesday that water can get into the switches and cause the tailgates to open when in park gear. The agency says that can result in unsecured cargo falling out of the beds, creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash. GM is advising owners to check that the tailgate is closed and latched before they drive the trucks. Dealers will replace an exterior touchpad switch. Owners are to be notified by letter starting March 18. GM dealers also have been told to stop selling affected vehicles until repairs are made. The company says in documents that it has 136 complain

Maruti ordered to refund car's price as airbag did not deploy in accident

A consumer panel in Kerala has ordered automobile giant Maruti Suzuki India Limited to refund the price of a car they sold to a customer as its airbag did not deploy during an accident three years ago. The Malappuram District Consumer Commission issued the order based on a complaint filed by Mohammed Musliar, a native of Indianoor in this northern district. As per the complaint, the car in which the complainant travelled met with an accident on June 30, 2021, and the man suffered critical injuries as the vehicle was severely damaged in the mishap, an official statement said here quoting the commission on Tuesday. The consumer approached the redressal body alleging it was the fault of the manufacturer that the airbag did not deploy, which caused him serious injuries. The Motor Vehicle Inspector also reported that the airbag did not function at the time of the crash. The commission ordered a refund of Rs 4,35,854, the price of the vehicle, and Rs 20,000 as cost of litigation, the ...

Eveready Industries Q3 results: Profit jumps 55% on lower expenses

Lithium prices, a key raw material for battery makers, were down in the quarter, helping offset beleaguered rural demand for batteries and flashlights

Honda Motor to recall over 750,000 vehicles in United States: NHTSA

The recall includes certain Honda Pilot, Accord and Civic sedan made between 2020 and 2022, and some Honda CR-V and Passport vehicles manufactured between 2020 and 2021

Snap-E Cabs raises $2.5 million, plans to add 300-400 EVs by FY24

Electric vehicle ride-hailing platform Snap-E Cabs on Monday said it has secured USD 2.5 million in a pre-series A round led by Inflection Point Ventures (IPV). The fresh funds will fuel talent acquisition, technology upgrades, new services and geographical expansion, officials said. It will enable Snap-E Cabs to add 300-400 EVs and expand to two-three new cities by the end of the current fiscal year, they said. Kolkata-based Snap-E Cabs, which was founded in 2022 by Mayank Bindal and Jaydip Mukherjee, aims to operate 1,500-2,000 EVs across five cities by the 2024-25 fiscal. At present, it operates 600 EVs in Kolkata. "India's ambitious EV goals can significantly impact global oil markets... and transition to sustainable development," Bindal said. Rahul Wagh, Managing Director of IPV, said: "Climate change is a global threat... and EVs are crucial for decarbonising transportation. This investment aligns with India's goal of 30 per cent electric vehicle penetration by 2030, he sa

Tata Motors shifts into high gear with Jaguar Land Rover at the wheel

DRIVING FORCE: UK subsidiary powers growth for India's auto leader amid domestic uncertainty

Auto-component maker Sundram Fasteners' Q3 net profits at Rs 116.19 cr

Auto-component maker Sundram Fasteners Ltd has reported a standalone net profit of Rs 116.19 crore, for the October-December 2023 quarter, the company said. The company had registered a standalone net profit of Rs 106.13 crore, during the corresponding quarter of last year. Net profits on a standalone basis for the nine-month period ending December 31, 2023 stood at Rs 346.65 crore as against Rs 347.99 crore registered year ago. The standalone total income during the quarter under review was Rs 1,204.92 crore, as against Rs 1,236.18 crore registered in the same period of last year. Total standalone income for the nine month period ending December 31, 2023 slipped to Rs 3,661.50 crore, from Rs 3,708.25 crore registered in the same period of last year. In a statement, the company said the revenue from operations was Rs 1,180.62 crore, for the quarter ending December 31, 2023 as against Rs 1,226.87 crore during the same period in the previous year. Domestic sales during the quarter

BMW eyes India's emerging electric car mkt with focus on affluent consumers

BMW, which introduced battery-powered vehicles in India last year, currently sells five electrified models, the most among all carmakers

TVS Motor vehicle sales grow 23% to 339,513 units in January 2024

TVS Motor reported a 23 per cent increase in vehicle sales to to 339,513 units in January. The company had recorded total sales of 275,115 units in January last year, TVS Motor said in a statement. Sale of two-wheelers registered a growth of 25 per cent with sales increasing from 264,710 units in January 2023 to 329,937 units in January 2024. Of this, domestic sales spiked 24 per cent to 268,233 units in the previous month, it said. In the two-wheeler segment, motorcycle volumes were up 29 per cent to 1,55,611 units from 1,21,042 units in January last year, it said. The scooter segment registered a growth of 24 per cent with sales increasing from 106,537 units in January 2023 to 132,290 units in January 2024, the company said. The company said in January, it also witnessed a 34 per cent year-on-year growth in electric vehicle sales at the at 16,276 units. According to the company, its total exports grew 22 per cent. Two-wheeler exports registered a growth of 28 per cent with sa

Ashok Leyland total vehicle sales decline by 7% to 15,939 units in January

Commercial vehicle maker Ashok Leyland on Thursday said its total vehicle sales, including exports, declined 7 per cent to 15,939 units in January. It had sold 17,200 units in the year-ago period, according to a statement. The company's total MHCV (Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicle) sales dipped 8 per cent to 14,899 units last month as against 16,198 vehicles a year ago. The Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) segment volumes fell 7 per cent to 5,721 units in the reported month from 6,150 vehicles sold in January 2023, Ashok Leyland said.

Maruti Suzuki's total vehicle sales rise 5% at 199,364 units in January

Maruti Suzuki India's total vehicle sales, including exports, increased 5 per cent at 1,99,364 units in January from 1,72,535 units in the same month last year, the company said in a statement on Thursday. This was the highest-ever monthly sales volume for the Gurugram-based car maker, as per the statement. The total domestic sales grew 13 per cent at 1,70,214 vehicles as against 1,51,367 units in the month a year ago, it said. MSI also sold 23,921 vehicles in the overseas markets in the previous month, as per the statement. Total passenger vehicle domestic sales in the previous month were recorded at 1,66,802 units, growing 13.20 per cent over 1,47,348 vehicles sold in January 2023, the company said.

Tata Motors total vehicle sales climb 6% to 86,125 units in January

Tata Motors on Thursday said it has reported a 6 per cent year-on-year increase in its total vehicle sales (including international markets) at 86,125 units in January. The company had sold a total of 81,069 vehicles in January last year, according to a statement. During the last month, total domestic sales stood at 84,276 units as against 79,681 units in January 2023, logging a 6 per cent year-on-year growth. At the same time, total commercial vehicle sales declined 2 per cent to 32,090 units in the previous month from 32,780 vehicles in January last year, it said. The total passenger vehicle domestic sales, including EVs, grew 12 per cent to 53,633 units in the month as compared to 47,987 vehicles a year ago.

Working on portfolio of CNG bikes, first launch in FY25: Bajaj Auto

Bajaj Auto is developing a portfolio of CNG motorcycles, and the first such bike will hit the market next fiscal under a new brand, Bajaj Auto Executive Director Rakesh Sharma said on Wednesday. The company wants the government to consider lowering GST on such CNG bikes -- which will serve as a bridge to full electrification -- to around 12 per cent as it seeks to replicate the success it has witnessed in the CNG three-wheelers to the motorcycle segment as well. "We are putting our money where our mouth is. We feel CNG is a great option for the country, for the society and for the riders. We have proven this in three-wheelers and now we want to extend this into two-wheelers," Sharma told PTI in an interview. "It will not be only one vehicle but it will be a range of vehicles across segments. We will fill up the portfolio, we may not present it in one go but the idea is to have a portfolio of CNG motorcycles." Asked about the timeframe for the CNG bikes to hit the roads, he said, "I

Motherson Sumi Wiring India Q3 results: PAT grows 58% to Rs 167.86 cr

Auto components maker Motherson Sumi Wiring India Ltd on Wednesday reported a 58.12 per cent jump in profit after tax at Rs 167.86 crore in the third quarter ended December 31, 2023, riding on robust sales. The company had posted a profit after tax of Rs 106.16 crore in the October-December quarter last fiscal, Motherson Sumi Wiring India said in a regulatory filing. Total revenue from operations during the period under review stood at Rs 2,117.28 crore as against Rs 1,686.8 crore in the year-ago period, it added. "These strong quarterly numbers are the result of customer trust and our operational efficiencies," Motherson Sumi Wiring India Chairman Vivek Chaand Sehgal said. Further, he said, "We remain focused on delivering high-quality products and solutions to our customers and supporting them in their plans. We will continue to invest in capacities to meet the future demand." Motherson Sumi Wiring India said its new-age innovative capabilities are in place, serving all powertra

Discounts fail to fire up electric 2-wheeler sales in January, shows data

Industry unlikely to meet FY24 target of 1 million registrations

Toyota chief apologises for cheating on testing at group company again

Toyota chief Koji Sato apologized Monday to customers, suppliers and dealers for flawed testing at a group company, following a series of similar problems in recent years. The apology came a day before Chairman Akio Toyoda is to announce a global vision for the Toyota Motor Corp. group. The latest woes at Japan's top automaker involve testing required for Japanese government approval at Toyota Industries Corp., which makes diesel engines. False results were found for certification testing and other sampling inspections for engines which claimed the products met standards when they actually didn't, according to Toyota. We will do our utmost to resume production as soon as possible, Sato said at a hastily called news conference late Monday at Toyota's Tokyo office. Management was not able to fully comprehend and keep track of the details of what was happening on the ground, he said. Skirting of required tests surfaced last year at Daihatsu Motor Corp., which makes small cars and is

Domestic auto component aftermarket to touch $14 billion mark: Report

The domestic auto component aftermarket is expected to touch USD 14 billion mark by 2028 on the back of robust growth in vehicle parc in the country, a report commissioned by industry body ACMA in partnership with Ernst & Young said. As per the Global Automotive Aftermarket Research Report, the size of the automotive aftermarket stood at USD 10 billion in 2023. The growth of aftermarket in India is being fuelled by a steady increase in the vehicle parc -- number of vehicles running on the road -- which currently stands at 340 million and is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 8 per cent for the next five years, it added. "The Indian domestic aftermarket, valued at USD 10 billion in 2023, is poised to surge almost 1.4 times over the next five years on the back of growing vehicle demand and promising capabilities of the Indian aftermarket players," ACMA President Shradha Suri Marwah said in a statement. Besides, key ten international markets offer export opportunities of over USD 35 .

Hybrid vehicles practical solution for decarbonisation drive: Report

Hybrid vehicles are a practical medium-term solution for India's decarbonisation drive as the country moves towards eventual electrification, according to a report by HSBC Global Research. Under the current circumstances, the total carbon emissions (well to wheel) from hybrid cars is lesser than that of electric vehicles (EVs) and it may take 7-10 years for EV and hybrid emissions to converge. "Hybrids are critical not just from a cost of ownership perspective, but also for India's de-carbonisation drive," the report said. Hybrids are much less polluting than EVs, it said, adding that the "total carbon emissions i.e. Well to Wheel (WTW) from an EV is currently 158 g/km vs 201 g/km for diesel, 176g/km for petrol, and 133 g/km for hybrid". This means that hybrids are 34 per cent, 25 per cent, and 16 per cent less polluting than diesel, petrol, and a proportionate EV, respectively, it added. Total emissions include both vehicle emissions -- tank to wheel (TTW) and crude mining/refini

Disruptions at Red Sea route may hurt auto, electronics production: GTRI

Longer disruptions at the crucial Red Sea trade route may hurt manufacturing lines of some sectors like electronics, automobiles, chemicals, consumer goods and machinery, economic think tank GTRI said on Sunday. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said companies relying on just-in-time manufacturing processes can be particularly vulnerable as they maintain low inventory levels and depend on the timely arrival of components and finished products. Few industries where production will be impacted due to disruptions in global value chains include electronics, automotive, machinery, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, plastics, textiles, and consumer goods, it added. Components and finished products are often shipped through the Suez Canal to reach different markets, and disruptions can lead to delays in manufacturing and increased costs, it said. Due to the attacks by Houthi rebels on commercial ships, the movement of goods from the Red Sea, the world's busiest shipping route, has ...

SSWC&MA approves Rs 1,937 cr project proposals for industrial expansion

The State Single Window Clearance & Monitoring Authority (SSWC&MA) has approved 27 project proposals for setting up new industrial enterprises and undertaking substantial expansion of existing units with proposed investment of around Rs 1,937 crore. SSWC&MA has approved Rs 1,937 crore project proposals and employment opportunities for 2,715 people, according to a press statement issued here on Saturday. The decision was taken during the 28th meeting of the SSWC&MA, which was presided over by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. The new proposals approved by the Authority include proposals of Xenone Healthcare and Master Formulations CO for manufacturing of tablets, capsules and ointments. Some of the other approved proposals include that of Gowthami Aquachem for manufacturing of Sodium Chlorite, Him Deep Alkalies Chemical for manufacturing of Caustic Soda Liquid, Hydrogen and Chlorine, Agro Farm Ventures for setting up a cold store, Scottill Healthcare for ...