Page 3 - Automobile Industry

Maruti Suzuki sales decline marginally to 180,683 units in August

Maruti Suzuki India on Monday reported a marginal dip in total sales to 1,80,683 units in August. The auto major sold a total of 1,81,782 units in the same month of the last year. Its total domestic passenger vehicle dispatches to dealers declined 8 per cent to 1,31,278 units from 1,43,075 units in the year-ago month, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said in a statement. The sale of mini segment cars, comprising Alto and S-Presso, declined to 6,853 units against 10,648 units in August 2024. Sales of compact cars, including Baleno, Dzire, Ignis and Swift, increased to 59,597 units from 58,051 units a year ago. Utility vehicles, consisting of Grand Vitara, Brezza, Ertiga and XL6, clocked sales of 54,043 units last month compared to 62,684 units in the year-ago period, a decline of 14 per cent. Sales of van Eeco were 10,785 units last month against 10,985 units in the year-ago month, while those of light commercial vehicle Super Carry stood at 2,772 units against 2,495 units a year earlier

Issue of restricted rare earth magnets' supply sorted for now: Ather Energy

The CEO plans to double this share in the April-June quarter of the previous year. "Twenty per cent market share is something I think is possible for our business in the near term," Mehta said

Maharashtra, UP lead auto sales across segments in Q1 FY26, shows SIAM data

Maharashtra and UP lead India's Q1FY26 automobile sales across passenger, two-wheeler, three-wheeler and CV segments, as per SIAM data

With 3,564 e-buses, Delhi leads green mobility; Maharashtra, K'taka follow

The Odisha government on Friday said that the state ranks fifth in the country in green mobility, and the authorities have set an ambitious target to enhance its electric bus fleet to over 1,000 in the coming years. According to data, 14,329 e-buses are currently in operation across India, of which Delhi has the highest number of vehicles at 3,564, followed by Maharashtra (3,296), Karnataka (2,236), and Uttar Pradesh (850), according to an official statement. Odisha, with 450 such vehicles, is in the fifth position among all states in the adoption of electric buses. Odisha has outpaced the neighbouring states in this field West Bengal (391), Andhra Pradesh (238), Chhattisgarh (215) and Jharkhand (46), it claimed. The central government, under various schemes, provides financial assistance to states to roll out e-buses. Odisha's Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) has been proactive in leveraging this support, while also preparing for an ambitious expansion of services to Sambal

40% pollution cut under NCAP may extend life expectancy by 2 yrs: Study

Residents of 130 cities covered under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) could see their life expectancy increase by two years compared to 2017 if India achieves its revised target of a 40 per cent reduction in particulate pollution by 2026, a new report said on Thursday. Launched in 2019, NCAP aimed to cut 2017 particulate pollution levels in 130 highly polluted cities by 20-30 per cent by 2024. In 2022, the government revised the target to a 40 per cent reduction by 2026. In practice, only PM10 concentration is being considered for performance assessment. The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) said in its 2025 report that residents in these 130 cities would gain two years in life expectancy as compared to 2017 if the target is met. Government data shows 103 of the 130 cities recorded an improvement in PM10 levels in 2024-25 compared to 2017-18. Sixty-four of them reduced these levels by more than 20 per cent, while 25 achieved cuts of over 40 per ...

India's lubricant majors bet on EVs, digital infra to fuel future growth

Castrol, Gulf Oil and others are expanding into EV fluids and thermal management for data centres while maintaining focus on ICE lubricants as long-term demand shifts reshape the industry

Indian EV makers face heat from China's export curbs on rare earth magnets

China's export restriction on key rare earth magnets has resulted in a supply chain bottleneck and impacted domestic industries, including electric vehicle manufacturers, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada said consultations have been held regularly with relevant stakeholders to explore measures to address the issue. He also said that Ministry of Mines has been working to ensure supply chain resilience for critical minerals, including rare earth elements, which are used in producing rare earth magnets, as they are key materials for different sectors including EVs. To develop cooperation with countries having rich mineral resources, the mines ministry has already entered into bilateral agreements with governments of Australia, Argentina, Zambia, Peru, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Cote D'Ivoire and international organizations such as International Energy Agency (IEA). "The recent impositi

Siam makes a case for N1 commercial vehicles' inclusion in PM E-DRIVE

Their inclusion is vital for reducing carbon emissions, strengthening energy security, improving operational cost efficiency, and supporting small businesses

Proposed GST rate tweaks on automobiles may end classification disputes

In upcoming sweeping reforms, the GST on automobiles - currently in the highest tax bracket - will be restructured to resolve classification disputes related to engine capacity and vehicle size, ultimately benefiting the common man, according to government sources. Presently, automobiles are taxed at 28 per cent, which is the highest GST slab. A compensation cess, ranging from 1 to 22 per cent, is levied on top of this rate, depending on the type of vehicle. The total tax incidence on cars, depending on engine capacity and length, ranges from 29 per cent for small petrol cars to 50 per cent for SUVs. Electric vehicles are taxed at a 5 per cent rate. Sources said, as per the Centre's proposal for moving the GST system to a two-tier rate structure of 5 and 18 per cent and a 40 per cent slab for a select few items, automobiles will be placed in a slab to put an end to disputes arising due to the classification of cars by engine capacity and length. A lower GST rate will boost demand

Automobiles to pharma & healthcare: India Inc earnings stay in slow lane

Corporate profits remained weak in Q1FY26, amid single-digit growth in revenues for the ninth consecutive quarter

Electric scooter maker Ather looks to withhold claims under PM E-Drive

Under the scheme, the government offers companies ₹5,000 per vehicle if they meet the PMP requirements for PM E-Drive

Ola Electric targets global market with ₹5 lakh Diamondhead EV motorcycle

Ola Electric unveils the Diamondhead EV motorcycle with a Rs 500,000 price tag, aiming for global market expansion, while integrating a homegrown 4680 battery into key scooter and motorcycle models

OSM to invest $25 million in EV assembly plant in Jafza over 5 years

Electric vehicle (EV) maker Omega Seiki Mobility (OSM) will invest USD 25 million (AED 92 million) over the next five years in its international EV assembly plant in Jafza (Dubai), which was launched on Wednesday, the company has said. Spanning over 42,000 sq ft, the first Jafza plant will assemble the company's range of electric two-and three-wheelers as well as handle storage and distribution of auto components and spare parts, OSM said. The facility is expected to commence assembly by the end of 2025, it stated. Strategically positioned to serve export markets across the Middle East and Africa, the plant will create over 100 jobs in its initial phase and strengthen UAE-India trade in clean technology, the company said. "Jafza gives us unmatched connectivity to more than 2 billion consumers and a business environment that enables speed, scale and sustainability. Through Dubai, we aim to make clean mobility accessible and commercially viable for partners across the Middle East and

Bulk of Mercedes-Benz cars in India are E20 compliant: MD Santosh Iyer

Mercedes-Benz India says all BS-6 cars sold since 2018 are E20 compliant, amid social media debate over ethanol-blended fuel's impact on performance and efficiency

Jawa-Yezdi motorcycles maker rides through Trump tariff headwinds

5,000 bikes stuck at US Customs as company hopes duty rates stay in the 0-10% range

Electric motorcycle maker Ultraviolette raises $21 mn in funding round

Premium electric motorcycle manufacturer Ultraviolette on Tuesday said it has secured USD 21-million in a funding round with strategic investment from deep tech investor TDK Ventures. TDK Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of Japanese firm TDK. "The investment round of USD 21-million saw strategic participation from TDK Ventures and strong continued backing from existing investors Zoho Corporation and Lingotto (previously Exor Capital) among other leading institutional investors," Ultraviolette said in a statement. Other investors in Ultraviolette include Sriharsha Majety (co-founder & CEO, Swiggy), Ankit Nagori (co-founder, Cure Foods; former Chief Business Officer, Flipkart), Aprameya Radhakrishna (Co-founder, TaxiForSure), and actor Dulquer Salmaan, the company said. The partnership with TDK Ventures represents a pivotal step in Ultraviolette's mission to develop and scale globally competitive performance-oriented EVs, it stated. "We look forward to bringing our TDK

EV car sales nearly double in July; two-wheeler demand slips: FADA data

Passenger EV sales surged 93% YoY in July 2025, even as electric two-wheeler volumes fell 4.3% due to production cuts and soft demand, FADA data showed

Auto sales fall 4% in July; PV, two-wheeler demand drags retail volumes

Passenger vehicle and two-wheeler sales saw Y-o-Y declines in July even as tractor sales rose 11% and commercial vehicle demand held steady, says Fada

Hyundai sees automotive demand recovery amid favourable govt policies

For the financial year 2025-26, HMIL projects its domestic growth to align with industry estimates of a low-single digit increase

Tata Motors Q1 preview: Profit may tank up to 50% YoY; other details inside

Analysts at Nuvama noted that the revenue is expected to decline Y-o-Y, led by volume drops across India PV/CV and JLR businesses.