Specific
Piaggio plans e-CVs with swappable batteriesedit
Chetan Maini, co-founder and vice-chairman, Sun Mobility, said, “This alliance backed by Piaggio’s state-of-the-art products will accelerate electric mobility as we scale our unique swappable technology further in the Indian market.
Industry
Revised E-bus Tenders from State Utilities Fetch Attractive Bidsedit
ET had on November 21reported that electric bus contracts floated under FAME received high quotes as the bid- ders factored in payment security risks with weak state transport de- partments. Stringent bid conditions too weighed on the high costs. “The im- proved bid conditions in the new ten- der reduced uncertainties, leading to lower prices,” an industry source said. BYD-Olectra, Tata Motors, Ashok Ley- land and PMI Electro Mobility Solutions are among manufacturers in the fray to supply and operate the e-buses.
No electric buses this year for Bengaluruedit
Despite Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation’s (BMTC) hopes, electric buses will not be rolled out in the city by the end of 2019. This time, the authorities have cited the bypolls as the reason for the delay. This is the second time that the deadline for the operation of the fleet on a lease-based model has been extended.
Academics To Help Design Electric Vehicles For Indiaedit
University academics have been awarded funding to help with the design and development of a four-wheeled electric vehicle for research, teaching and outreach in India. Loughborough University’s Professor Rui Chen, Professor Jin Xuan and Dr Ashley Fly, of the School of Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering, hope the collaborative international project will help the 1.3billion-strong country increase clean vehicle uptake, improve urban air quality and meet carbon emission targets.
Cash-strapped NMC to procure only 40 e-busesedit
Unable to deal with its present financial crisis, the BJP-ruled Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has decided to lose 60 electric buses being sponsored by the central government. Now, the civic body will procure only 40 electric buses under the central government’s FAME Phase-II.
ADB issues $250 mn loan to India to expand energy efficiency investmentsedit
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a USD 250 million loan agreement with the Centre to expand energy efficiency investments in India, according to an official statement. The loan agreement to provide loan to Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) was signed on Monday.
There’s Much Action in the Airedit
There was widespread agreement at the Climate Week NYC (New York City), organised by the UN and the City of New York, in September about countries needing to step up action if any tangible results in climate change mitigation are to be achieved. As seen by the increasing engagement of Japanese companies in climate action, private player participation was also important this year.
Competition
Maruti Suzuki to Focus on Hybrids Instead of All-Electric Carsedit
Maruti Suzuki had earlier this year said it won’t be launching its electric cars in 2020 as was previously planned. Maruti Suzuki chairman RC Bhargava said the company won’t be launching it because it won’t get mass acceptance.
Industry should be back on track after April: Mitsubishi Electricedit
India’s auto industry is going through one of the worst slowdowns in recent times. Wholesale figures for internal combustion engine-powered vehicles have been falling for more than a year now due to a raft of reasons like muted consumer sentiment caused by the shift to Bharat Stage VI emission standard and India’s push for electric mobility.
International
Europe is Going All-In on Electric in 2020. It Still Won’t Save the Struggling Auto Sectoredit
Next year could be a watershed moment for Europe’s automakers. Strict carbon dioxide emission targets are being phased in just at a time when the sector is at a crossroads as it continues on its bumpy ride away from polluting diesel and petrol engines towards electric.
Ford invests $14.5 billion in new and electric vehiclesedit
Storied U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co. is slated to add 3,000 jobs to the Detroit area, accompanied by a total of $1.45 billion in capital investment, according to reports. The funding will be split between two manufacturing sites: in Wayne, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, the Michigan Assembly Plant will receive $750 million and approximately 2,700 jobs will be created over the next three years. This plant is going to focus on manufacturing the new Ford Bronco SUV and a new Ranger small pickup truck.
Electric Vehicles Account for 7 Percent of All Automobile Sales Worldwide – Studyedit
More and more electric automobiles (both hybrid and all-electric) are being sold around the world, but trends in pricing for these vehicles vary enormously from continent to continent, which in turn has a direct impact on sales, points out a study published by automotive business intelligence consultant Jato.