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  • MG Windsor EV Set to Electrify India: Launch Date Announced

    JSW MG Motor India has officially revealed that the MG Windsor EV will make its debut in the Indian market on September 11, 2024.

    This eagerly anticipated electric crossover, rebranded from the Wuling Cloud EV, will be MG’s third all-electric offering in India and is targeted at the Rs 20 lakh segment.

    Specifications

    Length: 4,295 mm

    Width: 1,850 mm

    Height: 1,652 mm

    Wheelbase: 2,700 mm

    Interior Features

    Italian leatherette upholstery

    ‘Sofa mode’ recline function for rear seats

    Powered tailgate

    360-degree cameras

    Wireless phone charging

    Six-speaker audio system

    Ambient lighting

    Two-spoke multifunction steering wheel

    Panoramic sunroof

    Safety Features

    Four airbags

    Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

    Disc brakes on all four wheels

    Hill hold assist

    Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including features such as adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, and lane departure warning

    Powertrain

    Battery: 50.6 kWh lithium ferro-phosphate (LFP)

    Motor: Single electric motor

    Power Output: 134 bhp

    Torque: 200 Nm

    Range: Up to 460 km on a single charge

    Charging

    Regular AC Charger: Over 7 hours for a full charge

    DC Fast Charger: 80% charge in just over 30 minutesMG Windsor EV Set to Electrify India: Launch Date Announced.

  • Ola Electric reports Rs 347 crore loss in April-June quarter, revenue up 32 pc

    Bengaluru, Aug 14: Ola Electric Mobility on Wednesday reported loss at Rs 347 crore for the April-June quarter, compared to Rs 267 crore in the same period last fiscal.

    The Bhavish Aggarwal-led company, which is now a listed firm, saw its consolidated revenue from operations jump 32 per cent to Rs 1,644 crore in Q1 FY25, compared to Rs 1,243 crore in the same period last fiscal.

    Ola Electric’s shares closed 2.6 per cent higher at Rs 111 apiece on Wednesday.

    The company delivered 1,25,198 vehicles in the quarter as against 70,575 units in the same period last year. It ramped up deliveries of its mass market scooter portfolio (S1 X portfolio) during the quarter which helped accelerate growth.

    The existing product portfolio (S1 Pro, S1 Air, S1 X+) also saw strong demand which continued growth momentum throughout the quarter, said Ola Electric in a statement.

    The automotive segment inched closer to breakeven with an EBITDA margin of 1.97 per cent for the quarter.

    Ola Electric has announced the integration of its cells in its own vehicles Q1 FY26, and is set to launch its electric motorcycle portfolio across mass and premium segments during its annual flagship event on August 15.

    For Q1 FY25, the company posted adjusted gross margin of Rs 377 crore for the quarter ended June 30. The adjusted gross margin stood at 21.94 per cent of revenue, up 873 bps YoY from 13.21 per cent for the same quarter last year.

    “The increasing scale of operations has benefited the company in the form of lower manufacturing costs and supply chain optimisations,” Ola Electric said.

    These benefits of scale are further amplified by the company’s scalable platform-based product development and manufacturing technology that results in high degrees of commonality across its products, it added.

  • As sale of EVs decrease, automotive firms slash technology spend

    After a post-pandemic surge, global automotive companies have started showing weakness this year. This is majorly because of sluggishness in EV (electric vehicle) sales, whereas last year saw an f EV boom. Consumers across the world purchased EV vehicles both in four-wheeler and two-wheeler segments in big numbers. This prompted automobile companies to come up with many new launches and splurge on research and development activities. But, the euphoria around EVs seems to be undergoing a sobering effect. Of course, there are many reasons for this. According to Goldman Sachs, there are concerns with regard to capital costs of EVs. It pointed out that used EVs were not able to realise much price in the market place. This has raised questions over return on capital on buyer’s mind. Secondly, consumers and investors are keenly looking at the policy norms coming out from different governments with regard to EVs. In an election year in the US and European economies, key stakeholders are waiting important policy announcements with regard to EVs such as subsidies and duties, among others. In the absence of that clarity, buyers are in a wait and watch mode. Thirdly, as EVs see higher adoption, there is now tangible deficit of charging infrastructure.

    Without the support of such critical facilities, buyers are holding back their purchases. This holds true for both developed and developing economies like India. Against this backdrop, now EV sales are falling for most segments across nations. For instance, sales in India plummeted by a sharp 14 per cent in June at 106,081 units as against May’s figure. This also marked the lowest monthly sale in the current calendar year. Last year, EV sales in the country declined due to the Centre’s decision to reduce the maximum subsidy for electric two-wheelers from approximately Rs. 60,000 to around Rs. 22,500. This move led to an increase of more than 20 per cent in the average price of two-wheelers. Experts also are of the opinion that consumers are giving preference to hybrid vehicles over EVs. As the sales figures dip, EV makers are now also holding back their investment plans. Many are reducing headcount, some are slashing spend on R&D. This spending cut is gradually impacting IT and engineering services companies across the world.

    Globally, automotive firms were betting big on EVs and that was the reason that technology firms had benefitted from higher technology spends. Today the spending cut is leading to loss of projects or ramp downs in the technology world. The market has already started to witness this factor playing out in the first quarter of FY25. Most engineering firms and even IT companies have not been to see much growth in this segment during Q1, mostly because the volume of work has come down. Most analysts don’t see the spend coming back till sales recovery in the EV space. This has forced IT and engineering services firms to go back to the drawing board and devise new plans for navigating through this evolving situation.

  • People should be wary of fly-by-night products like Ola Maps: MapmyIndia CEO

    MapmyIndia has claimed that Ola Electric took the license of its APIs and SDKs and then embedded and integrated it with their software. Verma also questioned Ola’s claim to have used OpenStreetMap to develop Ola Maps

    Homegrown digital navigation firm MapmyIndia has questioned claims of Ola-parent ANI Technologies on developing a navigational map of India and called the announcement a “gimmick”.

    In an interview after sending a legal notice to Ola Electric, MapmyIndia CEO Rohan Verma questioned Ola’s claim that the map has been supplied by a startup Geospoc Pvt Ltd, which was acquired and became a subsidiary of ANI Technologies, based on its financial records as developing a digital navigational map of a large country like India requires huge investments and expertise.

    Verma denied any risk to the company’s business due to Ola Maps as its quality is not good.

    “We don’t see a business risk, because we don’t see a good product coming from there. People are complaining left, right and centre, about their (Ola) updated cab app, their updated electric vehicle app, that their maps are pathetic and causing users problems. Everybody knows that these are just announcements and gimmicks,” he said.

    When contacted, an Ola spokesperson said, “Ola strongly refutes the baseless and motivated statements made by MapmyIndia. They are a clear indication of the company’s desperate attempts to stay relevant by maligning its competitors. The company’s single-product business has clearly lost its edge to superior and new-age players.”

    Ola has responded to MapmyIndia’s legal notice and now the responsibility rests with them to prove their case. Ola stands by the integrity of its business and will take all steps needed to protect its interests.” MapmyIndia sent a legal notice to Ola on July 23, three days before the release of Ola Electric’s Red Herring Prospectus, for breach of terms and conditions of the licence agreement that Ola Electric had signed in 2021 with the company to use APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) and SDKs (software development kits) for navigation.

    Verma said ANI Technologies had signed a licence agreement with MapmyIndia way back in 2015 to use map data.

    Electric two-wheeler maker Ola Electric in its RHP has stated that Ola Maps is owned by, and supplied to it by an extremely small startup Geospoc Pvt Ltd. “One should see Geospoc’s bona fides and investments, or more pertinently the lack of them, whether before or after the acquisition by Ola, and then add on the context that Ola Electric licensed Mapmyindia APIs and SDKs…Then one really wonders as to the veracity and bona fides and quality and accuracy of Ola’s claims about Ola Maps,” Verma said.

    MapmyIndia has claimed that Ola Electric took the license of its APIs and SDKs and then embedded and integrated it with their software.

    “It is known that building maps is a serious business. It requires long investment of time, capital and expertise. World over, despite many trying, you have very few players globally who sustained or succeeded. It is just not possible that someone can just come up and say suddenly that I have created maps without the right track record and bona fides, let alone somebody that has been actively using map data and APIs and SDKs of some other company for multiple years,” Verma said.

    He also questioned Ola’s claim to have used OpenStreetMap to develop Ola Maps. “If any well-meaning Indian goes to www.openstreetmap.org, they themselves will realise why it shouldn’t be used. The accuracy of these various competitors’ maps is definitely something that people will find very much lacking. It’s not easy to build an accurate map. On the product side, people should be very careful of these gimmicky, Fly By Night products,” Verma said.

    Talking about the company’s June 2024 quarter financial performance, Verma said that CE Info Systems, owner of MapmyIndia brand, has had a good start to the year. “We are on track for our milestone of achieving Rs 1000 crore revenue by Financial 2027 or 2028. We are an annual business, and quarters can be lumpy,” he said.

    CE Infosystems posted a 12.1 per cent increase in consolidated profit after tax to Rs 35.9 crore in the first quarter ended June 30, 2024. The company had reported a net profit of Rs 32 crore in the same period a year ago. The consolidated revenue from operations grew by 13.5 per cent to Rs 101.5 crore during the reported quarter from Rs 89.4 crore in the June 2023 quarter.

    “We ended last year with, I think, an open order book of Rs 1300 crore and that grew from Rs 900 crore open order book the year before. Those are the predictors for the growth in the revenue. It’s fairly easy to predict growth in our revenue based on seeing the order book history,” Verma said.

    He said that the company is now also going to foray in international markets with an initial focus on South East Asian countries.

  • Maruti Suzuki starts Fronx export to Japan

    Hyderabad: Maruti Suzuki India on Tuesday said it has commenced export of its sports utility vehicle Fronx to Japan.

    The first consignment of over 1,600 vehicles left for Japan from Gujarat’s Pipavav port, the country’s largest carmaker said in a statement. Fronx will be the first SUV from Maruti Suzuki stable to be launched in Japan, it added. The company rolls out the model exclusively from its Gujarat plant. Fronx is the second model from Maruti Suzuki to be exported to Japan, after Baleno in 2016. Suzuki Motor Corporation, which owns around 58 per cent stake in Maruti Suzuki, plans to introduce Fronx in the Japanese market later this year.

    “Japan is one of the most quality-conscious and advanced automobile markets in the world. Our export to Japan is a testament to Maruti Suzuki’s capability to manufacture world-class vehicles that exemplify cutting-edge technology, exceptional performance, internationally recognised safety, and quality standards,” Maruti Suzuki India MD & CEO Hisashi Takeuchi said.

    The Fronx embodies the best of engineering and design finesse and is a beacon of Indian auto manufacturing excellence, he added. “I am confident that it will be received well by Japanese customers,” Takeuchi said. Unveiled globally at the Auto Expo 2023, Fronx was launched in India on April 24, 2023. The SUV became the first model in the country to clock the fastest 1 lakh sales within 10 months from launch. In July 2023, the company commenced export of Fronx to destinations like Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. Cumulatively since launch, Fronx has recorded total sales of over 2 lakh units in domestic and export markets. Maruti Suzuki led passenger vehicle exports last fiscal with shipments of over 2.8 lakh units to over 100 countries The company currently has a 42 per cent share in the exports of passenger vehicles from the country. In the April-June quarter of the current fiscal, Maruti Suzuki has already exported 70,560 units, the highest ever in any Q1 of the company.

  • Indians Who Pre Booked Tesla Model 3 in 2016 Now Seeking Refunds After Delays

    In 2016, Elon Musk extended an invitation to Indians to place a preorder for the Tesla Model 3. The first person to pay a $1,000 deposit on a car that never got delivered till date is Vishal Gondal, the founder and CEO of the health technology company GOQii.

    Since 2016, several automakers have introduced their own electric vehicles, in contrast to the American automaker that failed to live up to expectations. Elon Musk cited the high cost of taxes in India as well as the challenges of establishing an Indian facility to move production from China as the reason for the delay.

    Given the murky explanation provided by Tesla on its arrival in India, Gondal opted to purchase an electric SUV from German automaker Audi. He was able to get his $1,000 in January 2023, thanks to a friend who assisted him in locating a Tesla sales manager in India. “I think Tesla may be a great tech company. But they just don’t know how to sell luxury cars,” Gondal said.

    Director of a design company in Mumbai, Hemant Suthar, who had also pre booked a Tesla in 2016 and eventually received his money back in 2023, expressed doubts about the basic Tesla’s ability to compete with some of the more opulent EVs currently being driven in India.

    In 2019, Musk went on to voice fears that import duties would drive up the cost of Tesla manufactured in India, rendering them unaffordable. He abruptly cancelled an anticipated trip, citing extremely demanding Tesla duties, despite the expectation of many in India that he would reveal plans for a factory there in April.

    In the last five years, the EV market has experienced significant changes in India and other countries, and Tesla’s position has shifted as a result of the company building massive plants in China, Germany, and the US. For the past two quarters, global sales have decreased year over year due to the limited market for its sole new product, the ‘Cybertruck EV’, outside of the United States.

    Tu Le, founder of the consultancy Sino Auto Insights, said, “To keep a leading position among global automakers, Tesla needs new, more affordable cars for emerging markets like India. Even a car priced at $25,000 is not competitive in China given the dominance of Chinese EV makers like BYD. They’re expanding overseas with both cheap and premium cars, wiping out Tesla’s first-mover advantage in a place like India.”

  • BluSmart crosses 1,500 electric trips milestone in UAE since launch

    BluSmart crosses 1,500 electric trips milestone in UAE since launchDubai, UAE  13 August 2024: BluSmart, UAE’s first all electric full-stack, chauffeured premium limousine service announced a significant milestone completing over 1500 electric trips in a short span since its launch in the UAE. Since June 1, BluSmart has rapidly gained traction, underscoring its commitment to providing sustainable, efficient, and high-quality transportation solutions.

    BluSmart is decarbonizing, electrifying & revolutionizing mobility at scale. The premium BluSmart Audi e-tron EV fleet has completed a remarkable 24,000 clean kilometres and saved over 2.3 tonnes of CO2 emissions since its launch, reinforcing its mission to reduce the carbon footprint and promote green mobility in the UAE.It has significantly elevated the customer experience and has been rated 4.95/5 on iOS & android.

    “We are delighted to receive such a positive response in the initial months of operations in the UAE. Our aim is to provide exceptional service quality and eco-friendly transportation solutions while keeping customer delight, safety and reliability at the heart of our operations. Following the customer response and success in Dubai, we plan to expand our operations by adding more fleet to the UAE market year on year.” said Anmol Singh Jaggi, Co-founder, BluSmart.

    BluSmart’s International foray with the expansion into this region aligns with the UAE’s vision for sustainable development and smart city initiatives. By offering a clean and efficient alternative to traditional ride-hailing services, BluSmart is setting new standards in the industry and contributing to a greener future.

    With over 7,600 EV fleet in India , BluSmart has completed more than 17 million emission-free trips, saving over 40 million kgs of CO2 emissions. Customers can download the BluSmart App from the iOS or Android play store and book their luxurious, eco-friendly ride and contribute in saving carbon emissions and be part of this net zero journey.


    Mansi Praharaj

  • Maruti Suzuki begins SUV Fronx export to Japan

    New Delhi, Aug 13: In a boost to the ‘Make in India’ initiative, leading automobile company Maruti Suzuki India on Tuesday started exporting its SUV Fronx model to Japan.

    The first consignment of over 1,600 vehicles left for Japan from Gujarat’s Pipavav port, according to the company.

    It will be the first SUV from Maruti Suzuki to launch in Japan. After Baleno in 2016, this is the second car of India’s largest automobile player (in terms of selling four-wheelers) to be exported to Japan. Fronx is manufactured at Maruti Suzuki’s Gujarat plant.

    Fronx is likely to be launched in Japan by Suzuki Motor Corporation, Maruti Suzuki’s parent company, in the autumn of 2024.

    Fronx was launched in India in the second quarter of 2023. In July 2023, the company commenced export of Fronx to destinations like Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.

    Hisashi Takeuchi, MD & CEO of Maruti Suzuki India Limited said, “I am proud to share that our ‘Made-in-India’ Fronx will soon be seen on the roads in Japan. Japan is one of the most quality-conscious and advanced automobile markets in the world. Our export to Japan is a testament to Maruti Suzuki’s capability to manufacture world-class vehicles that exemplify cutting-edge technology, exceptional performance and internationally recognised safety, and quality standards. It underscores our strong commitment to excellence.

    “The Fronx embodies the best of engineering and design finesse and is a beacon of Indian auto manufacturing excellence. I am confident that it will be received well by Japanese customers,” he added.

    According to the SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers) report, Maruti Suzuki exported over 2.8 lakh units to over 100 countries in FY 2023-24. The company has a 42 per cent share in the exports of passenger vehicles from the country.

    The company shipped 70,560 units in Q1 FY 2024-25, the highest ever in any Q1 in the company’s history.

    Earlier this month, Maruti Suzuki reported sales figures for July 2024 at 1,37,463 units which was lower by 9.6 per cent compared to the same month last year.

  • Global demand muted, gradual improvement expected: TataMotors

    New Delhi: Tata Motors expects demand to remain sluggish in overseas markets this fiscal while pinning hopes on a gradual bounce back in the domestic market on the back of new launches and the upcoming festive season.

    Earlier this month, the Mumbai-based automaker reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 5,566 crore and total income of Rs 1,09,623 crore for June quarter. “Overall, from a demand perspective, we do anticipate that as far as the global demand is concerned, it is likely to remain muted. It has been that way. It’s likely to remain muted. No immediate changes there,” Tata Motors Global CFO PB Balaji said in an analyst call.

    In the domestic market, the company expects a gradual improvement in demand during the rest of the year aided by government plans to invest on infrastructure, healthy monsoons, favourable overall economic macros, new launches and upcoming festive period, he noted. “So there is a need for absolute reason why there is optimism as far as the domestic demand buildup is concerned, how gradual it’s going to be, we will have to wait and see,” Balaji said. He noted that commodities are also likely to remain range bound and therefore, in this situation, the automaker is confident of sustaining the performance in the coming quarters, and delivering a strong year. “So financials wise, this business is on a strong wicket and is likely to remain that way in the coming quarters and the full year as well,” Balaji said. Passenger vehicle industry retail sales witnessed decline for two consecutive months — May and June, this fiscal.

    Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles MD Shailesh Chandra cited high channel inventory as a notable challenge. “We have an all-time high channel inventory with further buildup which happened in Q1, did add stress on the wholesales.

  • Electric LCV region-wise sales trend in India









    Electric LCV region-wise sales trend in India | Jan 24 to Jun 24 • EVreporter



























































    Leading Indian States – H1 | Jan 2024 to Jun 2024

    Source: EVreporter Research, Vahan and Telangana open data portal.

    Observations:

    • 3689 e-LCVs were registered in India from Jan 2024 to Jun 2024.
    • Maharashtra has the highest sales for e-LCVs, with 794 units sold from Jan 24 to June 24, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, with 580 and 462 units registered, respectively.
    • Top 15 states account for 93.6% of e-LCV sales, with 3453 units.
    • Tata Motors accounts for 92% (731 units) of Maharashtra’s e-LCV sales and 95.3% (553 units) of Uttar Pradesh’s e-LCV sales.
    • Out of 580 units sold in Uttar Pradesh, 503 units were sold in Lucknow.
    • In Delhi, Tata Motors sold 306 units (87%) of the 352 units sold during the period.

    Top OEM wise e-LCV sales in India | Jan 24 to Jun 24

    Source: EVreporter Research, Vahan and Telangana open data portal.

    Observations:

    • Maharashtra has the highest sales for e-LCV(N1), with 794 units sold from Jan 24 to Jun 24, 731 of which were sold by Tata Motors.
    • Tata Motors sold 553 units in Uttar Pradesh and 206 units in Karnataka.
    • Out of the total 59 units registered for Evage Automotive, 49 were sold in Chandigarh, and 10 were sold in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Punjab).
    • Switch Mobility sold 21 units in Delhi and 15 units in Maharashtra out of the total 59 units sold during the period.
    • VE Commercial Vehicles sold 14 units in Delhi, 9 in Maharashtra, and 6 units in Tamil Nadu out of a total of 35 units.
    • Pinnacle Mobility sold 16 units in Maharashtra out of the total 22 units sold.
    • QUCEV is a new player in the e-LCV category and sold 2 units in Telangana in Jun 2024.

    Disclaimer: Data as per ‘Goods Carrier’ category, filtered by Electric Powertrain and availability of electric LCV models by particular OEMs.

    Did you know?

    IPLTech Electric manufactures 55T e-Trucks and sold 15 units all over India from Jan 24 to June 24, with 10 units sold in Noida and 5 in Jagatpura, Jaipur.

    Also read: Electric vehicle region-wise sales trend in Q4 FY 23-24

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