Chennai EV Capital of India, Says Hans Raj Verma

Bridgestone Goes Digital with Paperless Inspections

The Tamil Nadu Technology Development & Promotion Centre of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) organised the EV Summit 2022 with the theme “Indigenization of EV Supply Chain in India”.

Hans Raj Verma, IAS, Chairman & Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation Ltd, Government of Tamil Nadu, said, “The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has a vision to make Tamil Nadu a $1 trillion economy by 2030 and this can be made possible with the much-needed EV push. Tamil Nadu is a very vibrant economy and Chennai is the EV Capital of India apart from being called the Detroit of Asia. The government welcomes EV companies to set shop and we are willing to assist them in every possible way.”

Tamil Nadu has two auto and electronic industrial clusters complimenting and supporting each other, a press release said. One of the clusters – the Sriperumbudur cluster has majors such as
Hyundai and Foxconn while the second being the emerging Hosur-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri cluster with players like Ola, Ather, and more establishing their presence.

Rajesh Kumar Pathak IP & TAFS, Secretary, Technology Development Board, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, said, “The Technology Development Board is looking to fund and support disruptive technology including the EV Space. We welcome startups including startups in the EV domain to share their proposals as the INR 1000 crore Private-Public Partnership model for funding startups which would be launched shortly.”

He further said that the EV Summit was organised in the backdrop of the Government of India push to enhance national energy security, mitigate adverse environmental impacts from road transport vehicles and boost domestic manufacturing capabilities for electric vehicles.

Additionally, with the Phase-II of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme to stimulate the market of EVs in the country, de-licensed the charging infrastructure business and specified guidelines and standards for charging infrastructure for electric vehicle thereby opening up the market of public charging infrastructure & ensuring a roadmap for development of charging infrastructure, and introduced various financial incentives to reduce upfront cost of EVs and charging infrastructure.

Mahesh Babu, Chairman - EV Summit and Director & Chief Executive Officer, Switch Mobility, said, “The Indian EV Industry has seen a fundamental transformation in the past decade and it is very critical for India to further transform in the coming decades. The current outlook for EVs is optimistic as the sector has seen the evolution of several trends that that are defining the growth of EVs.

EV adoption can be seen across different vehicle segments as well as different business segments. The electrification of vehicles has started gaining momentum and has opened new mobility avenues for India to tap into. India is all set to position itself as one of the leading marketplaces for Electric Vehicles (EVS)”.

Dr V Sumantran, Board of Director, Switch Mobility, said, “India is a very different market when compared to other countries. It has been repeatedly seen in many domains and will be seen in the EV space too. The potential for EV in the two-wheeler market should be tapped further as Indians use more of two wheelers compared to other vehicles. To build a stronger ecosystem, companies should talk to each other, resulting in an exchange of ideas. A consortia should be formed to help the domain grow at a faster pace.”

The Indian automobile industry is the fifth largest in the world and is expected to become the third largest by 2030. As per India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), the Indian EV industry is expected to expand at a CAGR of 36 per cent while NITI Aayog aims to achieve EV sales penetration of 70 per cent for all commercial cars, 30 per cent for private cars, 40 per cent for buses and 80 per cent for two and three-wheelers by 2030.

Prideep Kumar, Assistant Vice President, Caresoft Global, said, “The key influencers for the Indian EV market to grow is the Range, Technology, Design Disruptions and Profit.”

P Ravichandran, Former Chairman, CII Tamil Nadu & President, Danfoss Industries, said, “Tamil Nadu should find its own space in the EV space even as the TN Government is keen to strengthen the EV industry while launching major schemes to promote indigenization of supply chain.” (MT)

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    MG Windsor Pro With Higher Range & Updated Tech To Be Launched On May 6th

    Windsor EV

    JSW MG Motor India is set to expand its EV portfolio with the MG Windsor Pro, which is set to be introduced on 6 May 2025.

    The MG Windsor Pro is expected to offer a higher range, more features, improved safety and minor design tweaks. While technical details are yet to be released, it is safe to understand that the company is looking to further drive sales of its popular EV, targeting a new set of customers.

    Launched on 11 September 2024, the company positioned the Windsor as a CUV (crossover utility vehicle) and the most comfortable EV in its segment.

    The Windsor EV has already surpassed 20,000 units sales since launch, and has been the highest selling electric passenger vehicle for the last several months in a row.

     

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      Wardwizard Maintains Profitability in FY25 Despite Revenue Decline, PAT at INR 63.6 Million

      Wardwizard Innovations

      Gujarat-headquartered electric vehicle maker Wardwizard Innovations & Mobility, the maker of ‘Joy e-bike’ and ‘Joy e-rik’ brand, has reported a consolidated net profit of INR 63.6 million for FY2025, maintaining profitability for the fifth consecutive year despite industry headwinds and a 5.1 percent drop in annual revenue.

      The company’s total consolidated revenue stood at INR 3.04 billion, down from INR 3.2 billion last year. However, EBITDA rose 13.9 percent YoY to INR 3.6 billion, and EBITDA margins improved by 222 basis points to 12.11 percent, reflecting strong cost discipline and operational efficiency.

      Despite a 52.7 percent YoY dip in PAT, largely due to a high base in FY2024, Wardwizard remained in the black – underscoring resilience amid a challenging EV market environment.

      Yatin Sanjay Gupte, Chairman & MD, Wardwizard Innovations & Mobility, said, “While annual revenues saw a slight decline, EBITDA rose 14 percent YoY. Our profitable performance, sustained for five consecutive years, sets us apart and reinforces the strength of our strategy.”

      In Q4 FY25 (Jan–Mar 2025), the company recorded a 62.2 percent YoY rise in PAT to INR 64.5 million, with EBITDA nearly doubling to INR 1.8 billion. PAT margins for the quarter expanded to 5.91 percent, and EBITDA margins reached 17.26 percent, reflecting improved product mix and cost optimisation.

      During the last fiscal, the company deployed over 400 electric two-wheelers across major cities like Kolkata, Pune, and Ahmedabad as well as the launch of L5 electric rickshaws in Maharashtra. Ongoing partnerships and a USD 1.29 billion EV initiative in the Philippines are expected to drive future growth.

      “With continued innovation and targeted execution, we are building a stronger foundation for long-term growth,” Gupte added.

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        OPG Mobility Appoints Ajay Dhiman As President, COO & CTO To Lead EV Business

        Ajay Dhiman

        OPG Mobility (formerly Okaya EV) has appointed Ajay Dhiman as the new President – Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to lead its electric vehicle and EV components business.

        In this strategic leadership role, Dhiman will be responsible for operations and technology functions spanning manufacturing, R&D, product development, quality, sourcing, supply chain and business strategy.

        He joins OPG Mobility with over 20 years of experience in the automotive and EV sectors. He previously served as Senior Vice-President at Revolt Motors, where he is said to play a key role across CXO-level functions and was instrumental in accelerating product development and delivering high-quality electric mobility solutions. His career includes leadership stints at Honda, Renault-Nissan, Subros and Sonalika Group, contributing across two-wheeler, three-wheeler, and four-wheeler segments.

        Anshul Gupta, Managing Director, OPG Mobility, said, “We are delighted to have Ajay Dhiman join our leadership team at a pivotal moment in OPG Mobility's journey. As we step up our presence in the EV ecosystem, Ajay’s deep experience in product development and operations will be invaluable in scaling our EV and components business. His thorough knowledge of both legacy systems and new mobility technologies will drive value, innovation, and faster execution across our transformation journey.”

        Ajay Dhiman, added, “It’s an honour to join OPG Mobility at such a transformative time. The brand’s vision of delivering inclusive and innovative electric mobility solutions aligns strongly with my passion for engineering excellence, innovative products and future-focused manufacturing. I look forward to working closely with the leadership and teams to strengthen our product pipeline, accelerate product innovation, strengthen our technological edge, enhance operational excellence, and scale solutions that support India’s evolving mobility needs. We aim to position OPG Mobility as a frontrunner in shaping India’s electric mobility revolution.”

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          Maharashtra Government Announces INR 19 Billion EV Policy 2025 To Drive Green Vehicle Adoption

          Electric Vehicle - Freepik

          The Maharashtra government has given rolled out the Electric Vehicle Policy 2025 for a period of five years (till 2030) with an estimated outlay of INR 19.93 billion.

          The forward-looking policy aims to not only incentivise purchase of electric vehicles, but also aims to boost adoption and real-world usage.

          As per the policy, certain EVs plying on highways will be given a toll waiver, EV charging infrastructure strengthened with an ambition have charging facilities every 25km on the national highways.

          Electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, private four-wheelers, state transport corporation buses, private buses and transport undertaking under civic bodies will get concession of 10 percent on purchase of an EV on the original cost. For goods carrying three-wheelers, four-wheelers and electric tractors will be eligible to a concession of 15 percent.

          The government has also waived off registration fee on EVs. Lastly, electric four-wheelers and buses will also get toll exemption on Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Atal Setu, Samruddhi Mahamarg, along with 50 percent concession on state and other national highways.

          Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, said, "The state government has approved a new Electric Vehicle (EV) policy, under which passenger EVs will be given subsidies. EV manufacturing and their use should increase in the state."

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