SUMMARY
Benedict Cumberbatch will endorse MG Motors EV in India
Exide to start assembling e-rickshaws for Indian market
Tesla Model 3 accounts for 75% of total EV sales in the US
This week, the Indian government has decided to test out Hyundai’s long-range SUV Kona electric as a part of the electric vehicle (EV) procurement programme run by Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL). The energy services company has already placed initial orders to infuse Kona into the government’s fleet.
Previously, EESL had placed orders for 10K Tata Motors Ltd’s Tigor and Mahindra and Mahindra’s (M&M) e-Verito electric sedan in 2017. But looking at the government official dissatisfaction and concerns regarding the performance and quality of the products, EESL has now decided to give heavily priced Kona a try. Moreover, EESL has reportedly limited the previous order to Tata Motors and M&M to 3000 cars by March 2020.
However, at the same time, Noida Authority, in collaboration with EESL, is planning to lease out five Tata Motor’s Tigor for six years. This is Noida authority’s first step towards adopting clean energy transportation and raising awareness among citizens.
Chart of the week: OPEC Expects More From India’s EV Industry
EV News From India
Toyota Ties Up With Suzuki To Launch Compact Hatchback EV In India
Japan-based automobile giants Toyota and Suzuki, on October 22, announced their plan to introduce a compact electric car in India. The companies did not give much detail about the product, except that it would have a range of 100 Km on a single charge. Toyota chose to tie up with Suzuki, keeping in mind the company’s share in the Indian market.
FAME II Regulations: Only 3K Electric Scooter Sold In H1 FY2020
The sale of high-speed electric e-scooters has crashed by 94%, with the sale of only 3000 e-scooters in the first half of the FY2020 due to the updated certification policy under FAME 2. During the same time period last year, over 48K electric two-wheelers were sold. The sale of low-speed e-scooter, which do not fall under FAME 2, remains unaffected with 49K units sold in the first half of this fiscal year.
Ampere Vehicles To Sell E-Scooters on Amazon
Greaves Cotton subsidiary Ampere Vehicles have partnered up with Amazon to take its electric scooter online. The electric scooter will be available online for select cities from Diwali on Amazon. Through this, Ampere is looking to tap into digitally savvy users, especially millennials who might be more interested in buying EVs.
Exide Set To Enter Commercial EV Space
Indian auto battery manufacturer Exide, on October 17, announced that it will be starting off its EV journey by assembling e-rickshaws. Exide reportedly wants to generate INR 120 Cr of revenue in the first year of full operations. “We already have batteries for electric vehicles and this was a natural step further as part of our forward integration plan,” Exide CEO Gautam Chatterjee said.
Benedict Cumberbatch To Endorse MG Motors Electric SUV
The Indian unit of UK-based automotive company Morris Garages (MG) Motor, on October 23, announced Hollywood actor Benedict Cumberbatch as the face and ambassador for their upcoming connected electric SUV, MG ZS EV, in India. The EV is expected to launch on December 2019 and will cost about INR 23 to 25 Lakh. The electric car is powered by 44.5 kWh and can cover up to 262 Km on a single charge.
Startup Of The Week: Meladath Auto Components
Founded in 2016 by Rakesh MK, Meladath Auto Components is an automotive startup that focuses on components, subsystems and systems for the global transportation sector. The Karnataka-based company has recently won Atal New India Challenge (ANIC) under e-mobility category.
Meladath Auto Components has developed a retrofit conversion kit for petrol scooters. The product is fitted into any scooter can convert it to a hybrid one allowing riders to switch between petrol or diesel mode to electric mode easily. Moreover, the product comes with a removable battery that can be charged using a domestic charging point.
Previously, the company had also won the Karnataka government’s Elevate innovation hub prize and got a special mention at Amrita Technology Business Incubator (TBI) programme of 2016.
EV News From Around The World
Tesla Model 3 Accounts For 75% Of Total EV Sales In US
According to a report by CleanTechnica, Tesla’s electric car Model 3 accounted for approximately 60-70% of the total sale of EVs in the US, between January to September 2019. After adding other models by Tesla — Model S and Model X— the number figure rises up to 80%.
China Records 27% Fall In Plug-In EV Car Sales
Sales of passenger plug-in electric cars are down by 27%, with 76,676 units at 4% market share sold in September. In addition, the total passenger car sales have fallen by 6%. Previously, the plug-in cars had shown exponential growth, even when the automotive market in China was shrinking.
