Industry
SECI defers bid submission deadline for 97 MW solar project till May 21edit
State-owned SECI on April 29 again extended deadline for submitting bids for another renewable energy project as some of the queries of bidders have not been addressed yet. The last date for submission of the bids for setting up 97.5 MWP (megawatt peak) grid connected rooftop solar PV system was April 30, 2019, Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) said on April 29.
e-bike sales come to a halt in Apriledit
Electric two-wheeler sales have ground to a halt this month as new norms requiring re-certification of all existing vehicles under FAME-II hit the availability of models in the market. The government wants to promote e-vehicles through FAME, or the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles, to protect the environment.
I love my electric vehicle, but where do I charge it? This and other problems facing EV users in Indiaedit
The electric vehicles’ space – especially in the two-wheeler segment – is getting increasingly populated. Startups like GoGreenBov, Tork, Ultraviolette, and Strom are ready to showcase their vehicles (and have them available for sale) later this year. Early movers like Ather Energy are already present on our roads and expanding. Then there are new entrants like Revolt Intellicorp, which has announced big investments to speed up the release of their electric bikes.
More growth, more people, but less energy demand; here’s why growth-energy story is set to changeedit
Energy demand and economic growth has always been positively correlated — faster the economic growth, higher the demand for energy. However, a change of pattern is visible with decoupling between the rates of economic growth and energy demand, which in the decades ahead will become even more pronounced, says a report.
EV sales in India cross 750,000 units in FY2019 but FAME II may spoil the runedit
For India Auto Inc, FY2019 may have been a dampener for overall internal combustion-engined vehicle sales, given that they recorded single-digit growth. In comparison, albeit on a much lower base, the country’s nascent electric vehicle (EV) industry notched handsome numbers but the green vehicle segment may not have reason to celebrate in the future. Here’s why.
Electric Vehicle Production Comes To A Halt — Another Roadblock In The Electric Revolutionedit
New norms requiring re-certification of all existing electric vehicles have brought sales of all Electric Vehicles to a halt. Affected by this move are the two and three-wheeler electric industries. The need for re-certification has been called for by the government and is now a requirement under the FAME II scheme.
TVS to retain the moped in BS VI era, plans entry into EV space this fiscaledit
The introduction of the BS VI emission norm, from April 2020, is expected to lead to some casualties in the Indian automotive industry primarily due to the additional technology cost implications. One segment is vehicles with small diesel engines below 1.5 litres in cubic capacity and the other is entry-level petrol-run vehicles, primarily mopeds. While the former is happening as expected, the humble moped is set to put up a fight.
IIT Hyderabad Incubated Startup PURE EV Launches Long Range High Performance Electric Two-Wheelersedit
An Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad-incubated startup has developed long-range, high-performance electric two-wheelers specifically designed for Indian Conditions and is commercially launching them across the country next month. PURE is the electric vehicle vertical of PuREnergy, a startup incubated by IIT Hyderabad which manufactures high-performance Lithium batteries.
Green Number Plates Become Mandatory on all Electric Vehicles in Indiaedit
Last year, the Indian government had announced green number plates for all electric vehicles wherein the private electric vehicles will get white lettering on a green background and commercial EVs will yellow lettering. And now the Central Government has asked the state road transport departments to make green number plates mandatory on all types of electric vehicles irrespective of them being brand new or used.
Ford to continue selling diesel models in Indiaedit
US automaker Ford will continue to sell diesel models in India and has no plans to pull the plug on such vehicles, a senior company official Tuesday said. The automaker, which sells models like EcoSport and Endeavour in the country through a wholly-owned subsidiary, said it would also be ready with BS VI-compliant diesel powertrains for its model range before the April 1, 2020 deadline.
E-vehicles to get subsidies of up to ₹1 lakhedit
To encourage the use of electric vehicles, the state government is offering subsidies on their purchase. Buyers can get subsidies of Rs 5,000, Rs 12,000 and Rs 1 lakh on new two-, three- and four-wheelers, respectively. It is also offering an incentive of up to Rs 10 lakh for the establishment of vehicle charging stations.
BHEL signs MoU with ARAI for e-mobility projectsedit
Bharat Heavy Electricals and Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), an autonomous body affiliated to the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises have signed an MoU for cooperation on various projects related to e-mobility.
CERC extends validity of 1.2 lakh renewable energy certificates as prices riseedit
The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has extended the validity of 1.2 lakh renewable energy certificates (RECs) which were scheduled to expire by October 31. These RECs will now be valid till December 31. This development comes at a time when the prices of RECs are increasing with rising demand as states are gradually becoming more stringent about following renewable purchase obligation (RPO).
Competition
M&M stops producing India’s first electric car model amid flagging salesedit
Mahindra Electric Mobility, the electric vehicle arm of Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), has discontinued the production of the e2oPlus, the four-door hatchback based on the Reva platform, for the domestic market amid flagging sales and tightening safety regulations, said people aware of the development, marking the end of the road for India’s first electric car model. Mahindra produced the last unit of the e2oPlus on March 31.
Bosch, Powercell to mass produce fuel cells for heavy-duty commercial vehiclesedit
German auto supplier Bosch on Monday said it had reached a licensing agreement with Powercell Sweden AB to jointly mass produce hydrogen fuel cells for electrifying heavy-duty commercial vehicles. European Union rules call for trucks to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 15 per cent by 2025, and 30 per cent by 2030 which will force the industry to adopt hybrid and electric powertrains.
Benteler’s new EV platform is now series-readyedit
The Benteler Electric Drive System 2.0 is a showcase for the company´s entire engineering and metal-processing competence: from components and modules for chassis, body-in-white and engine and exhaust applications to modular e-mobility system solutions. The company says the EV platform is now ready for immediate implementation for its customers because it now includes tested and validated crash management and tuned axle systems for high driving comfort and handling. All interfaces to the car body are optimally defined.
International
Chinese EV maker CHJ seeks to raise up to $500 mln in growth push: Sourcesedit
Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker CHJ Automotive is seeking to raise $300 million to $500 million in its latest funding round, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said, joining its peers in tapping more investors to finance growth.
China electric car firm Faraday Future says obtains $225 mn in bridge financingedit
Chinese electric vehicle developer Faraday Future said on Tuesday that it had obtained up to $225 million in bridge financingfrom a U.S. merchant bank to allow it to complete the development of its flagship FF91 model.
China says to cut subsidies for some solar power generation from July 1edit
China will cut subsidies to some of newly installed solar powergenerators from July 1, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country’s macro-economic planner, said on Tuesday
Xiaomi HIMO T1 Electric Moped with a Range of 120km Launched in Chinaedit
Electric is literally the buzz word lately with many automobile manufacturers lining up or working on launching EVs – electric vehicles in the domestic and international markets. And now there’s a new name in that line-up who are not known for automobiles but cellphones and other electronic devices. Tech giant Xiaomi has launched their first ever electric moped called the Himo T1 in China.