Page 7 - Electric Vehicles

Rajasthan needs ease of doing business, cost cuts: Experts at BS Samriddhi

Experts at Business Standard's Rajasthan Samriddhi 2025 said the state must cut business costs, improve logistics, and ease rules to attract investors and boost growth opportunities

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

GST tweaks may impact electric vehicle demand, near-term car sales

Move likely to benefit smaller cars which have been under pressure

Swiggy partners with Bounce to roll out e-scooters for delivery fleet

Swiggy partners with Bounce to deploy e-scooters for delivery partners, starting in NCR and Bengaluru, to lower costs and reduce carbon footprint of last-mile deliveries

Leapmotor outpaces China EV rivals with soaring sales, 200% stock surge

Ten-year-old Leapmotor has won over investors by outcompeting its peers in price, principally by producing a large proportion of components in-house

EVs set to dominate 2025 festive launches, rare-earth crunch a concern

India may see its busiest EV festive season in 2025 with SUVs, luxury cars and scooters set to launch, but rare-earth supply bottlenecks risk delaying rollouts

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

Electric 2W firms gear up to ride out China's rare earth magnet squeeze

Leading Indian two-wheeler manufacturer Bajaj Auto, according to senior sources, has imported light rare earth magnets (also called heavy rare earth-free magnets) from China

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

Ola Electric likely to unveil sports scooter segment at I-Day event

Ola Electric is likely to announce its foray into the sports scooter segment on August 15 as part of its plans to expand its product portfolio, according to sources. The company plans to unveil the new range at its upcoming annual event on August 15. In the run-up to its annual 'Sankalp' event, the company on Wednesday dropped a teaser on what looks like a sportier version of its scooter line-up. As per sources, Ola Electric is gearing up to expand its portfolio with its entry into the sports scooter segment. According to people in the know, these sports scooters could feature artificial intelligence features powered by Ola Krutrim. The sports scooter segment has been taking off in India on the back of products such as the TVS Ntorq, Yamaha Aerox and Aprilia SR160. Earlier this year, the company unveiled its Gen 3 scooter portfolio that boasted of first-in-segment features like brake-by-wire, dual ABS, and variants with its own 4680 cell.

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

Recharging the old: How retrofitting can help improve green mobility

Unlike new EV purchases, which remain unaffordable for many low-income users and small fleet operators, retrofitting leverages existing assets

Govt targets critical minerals security through mining law changes

The proposal, aimed at securing long-term access to resources like lithium, copper, cobalt, and rare earth elements, comes amid tightening global supply and rising geopolitical risks

EV adoption surges in developing nations, challenging oil demand narrative

Like the EV surge in Gulf oil nations, it signals a rapid global shift to electric mobility, making OPEC's forecast of a 50% rise in developing nations' oil use by 2050 seem unrealistic

Electric two-wheeler manufacturing loses charge amid rare earth shortage

Industry racing to fast-track magnet-free designs, diversifying sourcing

Lack of EV charging infra leading to range anxiety among customers: Maruti

Maruti Suzuki's Partho Banerjee states that the lack of sufficient charging infrastructure keeps electric vehicles from becoming primary cars. He also discusses the growth of SUVs and challenges with

Public charging infra development vital for EV adoption: Maruti Suzuki

The development of public charging infrastructure will play a vital role in faster adoption of electric vehicles as driving range anxiety has emerged as a deterrent to customers to accept an EV as a primary car in a household, according to a senior Maruti Suzuki India executive. The sales of electric passenger vehicles in the domestic market have almost doubled, but the overall base still remains small. "Total contribution of EVs is 4.5 per cent (overall PV sales), it has grown from 2.4 per cent to 4.5 per cent. Absolutely, if you see numberwise, growth is 100 per cent. But is it sustainable?" Maruti Suzuki India Senior Executive Officer (Marketing & Sales) Partho Banerjee said in an interaction. Maruti Suzuki is set to introduce its first electric model - e-VITARA this fiscal. Banerjee stated that the segment is not witnessing adequate growth as customers do not perceive EVs as the primary car in a household. "He (customer) has got many inhibitions that EV cannot be my first car.

PM E-DRIVE subsidy scheme extended for 2 years for certain segments

Govt extends EV subsidy scheme for e-trucks, buses, ambulances and charging infra till March 2028; support for e-2Ws, e-rickshaws and e-3Ws to end by March 2026

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