Maharashtra has dropped a 6 percent sales tax proposal on EVs priced above $35,000 (roughly Rs. 30 lakh) to boost adoption in India, where EV sales remain low at 2 percent of four million cars sold last year. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis cited unnecessary disincentivisation, while the federal goal aims for 30 percent EV adoption by 2030.
Tesla has long wanted to sell in the world's third-largest car market, but high tariffs, which its chief Elon Musk has said are among the steepest in the world, have been a deterrent. Even so, Tesla has in recent weeks finalised some showroom space in India and posted more than two dozen jobs, signalling it is getting closer to a launch
Elon Musk indicated he’ll visit India later this year after speaking yesterday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A trip this year would come at a pivotal moment for the billionaire entrepreneur, whose companies Tesla, Starlink and X face mounting challenges, globally and in India.
Tesla has delayed the production launch of its more affordable vehicles, including a stripped-down Model Y variant codenamed E41, according to a report. Originally slated for the first half of the year, the rollout is now pushed back by at least three months, according to sources familiar with the matter. The report did not specify the reason for the production delay.
Ola told India’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in a March 21 letter that it added customer bookings for 10,866 third-generation e-scooters as well as 1,395 Roadster X motorcycles in its February sales record, citing them as “confirmed orders.” Roadster motorcycles have not been rolled out so far, while third-gen scooter deliveries began in March.
Earlier this month, Rosmerta Digital Services Ltd had sought to initiate insolvency proceedings against Ola Electric Technologies Pvt Ltd. On Tuesday, March 25 Ola said it has amicably settled all dues with its former vehicle registration service provider.
Mahindra & Mahindra stated that while it has tried to absorb most of the additional costs, a portion of the increase must be passed on to customers. Starting April, the company will execute new pricing across its models.
Indian authorities have asked Ola to explain the mismatch between its vehicle sale and registration numbers for February, which were caused by a "temporary" backlog in registrations. Ola has been facing mounting challenges, from declining sales to increased regulatory scrutiny since last year.
Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) will hike prices of its vehicles by up to three percent effective in April 2025. The price increase is due to rising input costs, increased commodity prices and higher operational expenses, amongst other reasons, it said.
BYD’s new battery and charging system was capable of providing 470 kilometers (292 miles) of range in five minutes in tests on its new Han L sedan, Chairman and founder Wang Chuanfu said Monday.
Ola faces insolvency pleas from Rosmerta Digital Services Pvt. and Rosmerta Safety Systems — suppliers of vehicle registration services and high-security registration plates respectively. Ola said it strongly disputes the claims and is seeking legal advice on the matter.
Maruti Suzuki India on Monday announced its third price hike this year, raising prices of its vehicles by up to four percent. The price increase on the company's vehicles from next month will vary depending on the model.
Tamil Nadu will provide a subsidy of Rs. 20,000 to select gig workers for purchasing e-scooters, supporting the growing number of youth joining online delivery platforms. Gig workers, vital to the world's fifth-largest economy, are rising partly due to post-pandemic unemployment. The state will also launch an insurance scheme for 150,000 gig workers, offering compensation for accidental deaths and disability.
Bengaluru-based startup Simple Energy launched its latest electric scooter, dubbed Simple OneS in India on Wednesday. It joins existing options in the company’s EV lineup which include the Simple One and the One Gen 1.5. The new electric scooter is powered by a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) with a 8.5 kW peak power output, propelling it from 0 to 40 kilometres per hour (kmph) in just 2.55 seconds. As per the company, it delivers an Indian Drive Cycle (IDC) claimed range of up to 181 kilometres from one charge.
Ola Electric Mobility Ltd.'s shift to 4,000 brick-and-mortar showrooms since 2022 has faced regulatory challenges. A Bloomberg News investigation found that over 95 percent of the 3,400 showrooms analysed lacked trade certificates under India’s Motor Vehicles Act. In response to customer complaints, authorities across states have raided showrooms, seized vehicles, and issued show-cause notices to the company, highlighting compliance issues with unregistered two-wheelers.
Taxes on cars imported into India are as high as 110 percent, which Tesla chief Elon Musk has criticised as being among the steepest in the world. The EV giant last year shelved its plans to enter the world's third-largest car market for a second time.
Bengaluru-based startup Ultraviolette launched its new electric vehicles (EVs) in India on Wednesday. With the debut of Ultraviolette Tesseract, the company has forayed into the country's electric scooter market, taking on the likes of Ather Energy and Ola Electric. Alongside, the company also expanded its portfolio of electric bikes with the launch of the Ultraviolette Shockwave, which is an enduro bike.
Tesla has signed a lease deal to open its first showroom in Mumbai. The showroom will be situated in the Maker Maxity building in the business and retail hub of Bandra Kurla Complex near the city's airport, according to the papers.
Ola Electric received a letter from the federal government on Tuesday for missing a key milestone in the setup of its planned battery "gigafactory". The Rs. 181 billion ($2.07 billion) scheme required companies to set up manufacturing facilities within two years.
Elon Musk’s Tesla has finalised the location for its first showroom in India, according to a report. It is said to have leased a space in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex, also known as BKC ahead of the company’s anticipated foray into India’s electric vehicle (EV) space. For years, the EV maker faced hurdles related to localised factory investments, regulations, and high import taxes, factors which raised question marks over Tesla’s arrival in the country.
Xiaomi SU7 Ultra’s sale in China has officially commenced, the company announced on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Barcelona on March 2. First unveiled in July as the company's latest prototype electric vehicle (EV), it is a purely performance-focused version of the SU7 EV which has been on sale in the country since last year. The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra comes with triple electric motors and can achieve a 0-100 kilometre per hour (kmph) time of just 1.98 seconds, as per the company.
Ola Electric Mobility is laying off over a thousand employees and contract workers,, people with knowledge in the matter have told the media. The cuts at the SoftBank Group-backed firm, span multiple departments, including procurement, fulfillment, customer relations and charging infrastructure, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information is private.
India's EV policy will restrict them from using funds spent on charging infrastructure for such relief. But the policy will mandate that automakers can count only five percent of their total EV investment as coming from creation of charging infrastructure, even if they spend much more on the power network, according to government document.
Tesla is gearing up to make its long-awaited entry into India's electric vehicle (AI) market after years of dealing with hurdles related to localised factory investments, regulations, and high import taxes. Now, a report suggests that the initial batch of the Tesla cars, consisting of a few thousand units, will be arriving at the Mumbai port in the coming months ahead of the anticipated commencement of the sale which is slated to begin later this year.
Elon Musk’s Tesla has long been rumoured to foray into India’s electric vehicle (EV) market but has faced several hurdles related to localised factory investments, regulations, and high taxes. Now, a recent report suggests that the US-based company could finally be gearing up to bring its fleet of EVs to the country, beginning with several imported models being introduced as soon as April. It is also said to have finalised locations for the first two Tesla showrooms in the country, with Delhi and Mumbai likely to have been selected.
Tesla is hiring in India. The electric-vehicle maker sought candidates for 13 roles, including customer-facing and back-end jobs, according to advertisements on Monday on its LinkedIn page.
Zepto has partnered with German automaker Skoda’s Indian arm to offer test drives of its newest compact SUV in India, the Skoda Kylaq. The hyperlocal delivery platform has released a commercial teasing its new service which enables customers to experience test drives of the vehicles in just 10 minutes. This announcement comes amidst reports that Zepto will offer quick vehicle purchases through its platform, with the company later clarifying that “No, we're not delivering cars in 10 minutes”.
Ola Electric Roadster X series was launched on Wednesday as the latest addition to the company’s range of electric two-wheelers in India. The lineup comprises two electric bikes — Ola Electric Roadster X and Roadster X+, available in a total of five variants. They are built on the company’s scalable motorcycle platform and boast technologies such as brake-by-wire with single ABS, mid-drive motor, integrated motor control unit (MCU), and up to 501 kilometres (km) of claimed range (IDC).
Ola S1 Gen 3 electric scooters were launched in India on Friday. The company claims to deliver big improvements in terms of reliability, quality, and serviceability with its third-generation platform. As part of its latest portfolio, Ola has debuted four scooters — Ola S1 X, S1 X+, S1 Pro, and the S1 Pro+, and all of them come with varied battery pack options. The Gen 3 platform is said to offer a 20 percent increase in performance as well as range over the Gen 2 Ola Electric scooters while also reducing the cost by 11 percent.
Ola Electric will launch a new electric scooter based on its third generation platform next week, the company announced on Wednesday. First announced in August, the EV maker’s Gen 3 platform is claimed to deliver improvements related to reliability, quality, and serviceability over the previous generation electric scooter. The new generation products were initially planned for an August 2025 debut but the company has accelerated the launch timeline and the new scooters are now slated to launch later this week.
The move comes after several reports by local media and as users complained on social media that iPhone users were charged higher prices for the same ride than those using phones that ran on Android operating systems.
Tata's EV market lead shrunk to 62 percent in 2024 from 73 percent a year ago as rival JSW MG Motor gained share with its new cars. This year, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hyundai Motor and market leader Maruti Suzuki will also launch EVs in India.
VinFast unveiled its VF6 and VF7 SUVs at the India Auto Show in New Delhi, as it hopes to draw buyers to its EVs and contribute to India's goals of eliminating carbon emissions on a net basis, said Pham Sanh Chau, VinFast's Asia CEO.
Indian automakers plan to launch close to a dozen new electric car models this year. Electric cars will take centre stage at India's five-day auto show in New Delhi starting Friday.
Battleground Mobile India (BGMI) introduced the first electric vehicle in the game, the Mahindra BE 6. Test drives for this new eSUV began in six cities earlier this week, and gamers can also drive the Mahindra BE 6 in the game. The latest BGMI update includes Mahindra BE 6-themed content, events, and a month-long contest with a chance to win the real eSUV.
Dolby Laboratories showcased its latest advancements in in-car entertainment solutions for the automotive sector at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025 in Las Vegas on Tuesday. The company announced that the availability of Dolby Atmos — its spatial audio technology — is expanding with brands such as Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, and Rivian now on board. Further, it is also bringing Dolby Vision to cars and has joined hands with a leading display solutions manufacturer for its expansion.
The suspected driver of the Tesla Cybertruck that recently exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas used ChatGPT to plan the blast, officials have told the media. The suspect used ChatGPT to try and work out how much explosive was needed to trigger the blast, officials said.
SEBI has issued a warning to Ola Electric for not providing "equal and timely access" to its investors of information about a planned store expansion.
Sony Honda Mobility Afeela 1 was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025 in Las Vegas on Monday. It is the first electric vehicle (EV) as part of the joint venture between two Japanese conglomerates — Sony Group Corporation and the Honda Motor Company, which was formulated in 2022. The Afeela 1 is claimed to deliver a hassle-free and safe driving experience, leveraging over 40 sensors which power the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) suite. It also offers connected car features powered by Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Digital Chassis solutions.
Toyota Motor Corp. plans to move in the first 100 residents of a futuristic city at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan this year. A key part of Toyota’s broader Woven initiative is a new software platform and vehicle operating system it calls Arene, which is designed to speed up car development and lower costs.
The 2025 Ather 450 series was unveiled in India on Saturday. The latest lineup of the company’s electric scooter comprises three variants — Ather 450, Ather 450X, and Ather 450 Apex. While all models have received a price hike in India, they come equipped with several upgraded features such as a multi-mode traction control system, ‘Magic Twist’ regenerative braking as standard across all models, and more range compared to the previous generation electric scooters.
China is mulling over proposed export restrictions on some technology used to make battery components and process critical minerals lithium and gallium. If implemented, they would be the latest in a series of export restrictions and bans targeting critical minerals and the technology used to process them, areas in which Beijing is globally dominant.
Hyundai Creta Electric was unveiled in India on Thursday after months of anticipation. The electric vehicle (EV) will be launched at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 which kicks off on January 17. According to Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL), the Creta Electric is the company’s first localised electric SUV that will sit below the Ioniq 5 in the company’s EV lineup in India. It comes loaded with active air flaps (AAF), connected LED lamps on the front and rear, and aero alloy wheels.
A Tesla Cybertruck exploded in flames outside the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas on Wednesday. FBI special agent in charge Jeremy Schwartz later told reporters that it was not yet clear whether the blast was an act of terrorism.
Ola Electric has increased the number of showrooms and service centers to 4,000, Ankush Aggarwal, group head of financial services and retail auto business, said at an event Wednesday.
While their executives called the transaction a merger, Honda will take the lead in forming the new entity and nominate a majority of its directors. Nissan’s partner Mitsubishi Motors may also participate in the deal.
The presidents of Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motor — Nissan’s junior partner — were seen entering and leaving Japan’s transportation ministry on Monday morning, likely to inform officials of their plans to formally kick off merger talks.
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. has approached Nissan Motor Co. to take a controlling stake, a person with knowledge of the matter said. Foxconn, which has been investing heavily in factories to build electric vehicles, would be interested in the entirety of the maker of Pathfinders, Sentra sedans and GTR supercars.
Mahindra & Mahindra has announced a partnership with Dolby Laboratories to integrate Dolby Atmos experiences on its range of new electric-origin SUVs — the Mahindra BE 6 and XEV 9e. This move is said to be the first collaboration between the British-American technology corporation and any Indian automaker.
Security researchers have discovered security vulnerabilities of low-to-medium criticality in select Skoda cars that may enable malicious actors to trigger certain controls, a cybersecurity firm announced at the Black Hat Europe 2024 event this week. At least 12 new vulnerabilities were found impacting the infotainment systems in the latest model of Skoda Superb III.