Tyre technology pact with Michelin to boost Hyundai’s EV performance

Hyundai and Michelin have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to conduct research and development (R&D) for making next-generation tyres for premium electric vehicles (EVs) and this would certainly boost the performance of Hyundai cars.

 

This R&D would be done over a period of three years. Both the companies will conduct joint research in a bid to develop eco-friendly tyres. To do this, the duo plans to significantly increase the usage of sustainable materials.

Ola Electric will be new four-wheeler brand, so pricing strategy is key

Ola Electric has teased its first electric vehicles (EVs) for India’s market, but as it plans to launch its four-wheelers, the pricing strategy would be important because it will be a new car brand.

In fact, it recently planned to enter the four-wheeler market and had lined up ambitious plans but all these have been marred by the fire incidents of its scooters.

Many may flock for Hyundai’s budget car

Many manufacturers are working on budget electric vehicles (EVs) with Hyundai also jumping into the fray and this could see many flocking for these vehicles, if they are priced around the Rs 5-lakh (Rs-500,000) mark.

However, for micro EVs, the scope may not be good enough in a country like India as the chaotic traffic in cities would deter their presence.

A peek into the earliest electric vehicles

It was so early when the first electric vehicle (EV) hit the road that its competition was not with petrol or diesel cars but… horses!

The 19th Century is the period we are talking about, when the main mode of transportation was horses. And, at that time, both EVs and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles were evolving.

MG Motor entry-level EV E230 to be priced steeply

MG Motor India is gearing up with an entry-level electric vehicle (EV) based on the Wuling’s Air that was unveiled in Indonesia recently but the car may not see many takers in the medium to long term because it is likely to be priced steeply. 

The Wuling’s Air EV — code-named E230 — is being designed for low-cost markets and can ideally be used as a mini commuter vehicle in small cities, semi-urban and rural areas in India.

Can Tesla maintain its dominance in the global EV market?

With all the carmakers flocking to the electric vehicle (EV) space globally, can Tesla maintain its market dominance in the medium-to-long term?

With even luxury brands like Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Jaguar and Land Rover as well as BMW gearing up to enter the electric car segment, there will not be any dearth of top-quality e-cars.

Will PMV’s EaS-E go the Tata Nano way?

PMV Electric plans to launch its first micro electric car — EaS-E — in the country in July 2022 and despite being India’s cheapest electric vehicle (EV) at Rs 4 lakh (Rs 400,000), will it go the Tata Nano way?

PMV claims that its micro car will have a driving range of up to 200 km per charge, which is commendable for a small car. It can be fully charged in less than 4 hours with its 3 kW AC charger.

Will Contessa come in a new EV or hybrid avatar?

It seems the once fuel guzzler Contessa is on a return journey but will Hindustan Motors (HM) bring it back in the form of an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid car?

Just a few days back, there was buzz that HM is bringing back the iconic Ambassador in the form of an EV or traditional fuel variants. It now seems that both the Contessa and the Ambassador are seeing rebirth.

Mahindra must price XUV300 EV smartly to take on Tata Nexon Max

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has announced that it will launch the electric version of its XUV300 but whether it will be able to take on the Tata Nexon electric vehicle (EV) would depend on M&M’s pricing strategy. 

With the plan for an XUV300 EV, it is clear that Mahindra wants to play the volume game in India’s e-car market, and to reach volume customers, it may be having a strategy to get the pricing right.

Kia’s first e-car in India EV6 price similar to BMW EV!

Kia is testing India’s electric vehicle (EV) market with a premium offering, the EV6, but will this strategy work for a car that could carry a price tag of Rs 60 lakh, which is almost close to BMW’s electric i4?

When Hyundai India had rolled out its electric Kona in 2019, Kia did not drive in its sister car, the Niro EV. But now, it wants to test the EV market in India, perhaps with not the best offering in terms of price.

After i4 smart pricing, will BMW become India’s top luxury EV maker soon?

Premium carmaker BMW has launched a new electric car, the BMW i4, in the country, and its smart pricing could make the German car giant India’s top luxury electric vehicle (EV) maker soon.

The range of the BMW i4 is a whopping 590 km and this could be a game-changer in the luxury EV segment.

If new Ambassador EV is launched, will it sell well?

Hindustan Motors (HM), maker of the once-ubiquitous Ambassador that had gone into oblivion, is planning to recharge itself with an electric vehicle (EV) foray, and maybe soon we will see an Ambassador e-car, but the big question is, will it sell well?

HM has tied up with a European auto company in the electric vehicle space. A pact has been inked and due diligence could take around 2-3 months.

When will Tata Nano EV launch, would it be affordable?

There is buzz that Tata Motors may be planning to launch a Nano electric vehicle (EV), and the first questions that come to mind are when will it launch and would it be affordable, or simply the cheapest e-car?

Considering the failure of the Nano petrol variant, Tata Motors has to not only go for a redesign but will have to price it judiciously for it to gain acceptance among the people.

EV charging concerns | 50% of Brits prefer petrol or diesel cars

It seems concerns regarding charging are paramount among Brits and this one reason has resulted in almost 50 per cent of respondents preferring petrol or diesel cars over electric vehicles (EVs), says a study.

The study conducted on 1,000 Brits by insurance firm NFU Mutual saw that 45 per cent of respondents said they would not swap petrol or diesel cars for EVs in the next 10 years.

CAR REVIEW | Tata Nexon Max a winner compared to Standard variant

The Tata Nexon Standard electric vehicle (EV) is a runaway success in the Indian market where Tata Motors has done a clever balancing act so far as space, pricing and premium features go but the new Max is a clear winner.

Those who have made the Tata Nexon a part of their lives have benefitted tremendously, especially during their long drives, where they have saved substantial costs.

Tesla battle | Why did India lose out to Indonesia?

Irked with India, Elon Musk is exploring other nations in Asia — including Indonesia — for setting up a Tesla factory. 

The high import duties and lack of an ecosystem for electric vehicles (EVs) have prompted Musk to shy away from India despite Union minister Nitin Gadkari assuring all help to Tesla. 

Tips to take care of your electric vehicle

In their bid to minimise the carbon footprint, many nations around the world are slowly adopting electric vehicles (EVs) but people who are flocking to buy e-cars are not fully aware on how to care for an electric car.

In the long term, petrol or diesel cars will be a thing of the past and it will be EVs as well as hybrids all the way. And, this will lead to a cleaner environment.

Ford’s PLI scheme withdrawal | Is poor profit-sharing math responsible?

Ford has withdrawn its application from the Centre’s production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the auto sector and is the poor profit-sharing math responsible for the American auto giant’s exit?

So, what is this profit math? This is something that shows how much profit a car manufacturer can make for every car it sells in India.

Tata Nexon EV Max versus Tata Nexon Standard EV

Tata Motors has finally launched the new long-range Nexon electric vehicle (EV) Max in India and the first question coming to everyone’s mind is how different is it from the Standard Nexon EV?

Tata hasn’t phased out the older Nexon and is offering it along with the Max, which means a wider choice for its prospective customers.

EV two-wheeler fires | Insurance firms not to raise premiums for now

Lately, we have seen many electric vehicles (EVs), especially two-wheelers, catch fire, but insurance companies have said that they will not be raising premiums for this, at least in the near term. 

For a vehicle owner to get a claim on fire, he or she will need comprehensive insurance cover.