The automotive export figures released at the close of October 2024 indicate that China has increased its lead over Japan, defying tariffs. After achieving a lead in 2023, China expanded its export gap throughout 2024 by meeting international standards and by addressing key market opportunities.

Capturing much attention, China’s automotive exports have given the Asian country a significant lead over Japan, which held the title of the world's largest vehicle exporter for nearly five decades until last year.

China exported 5.22 million vehicles in 2023, out numbering Japan’s vehicle exports at 4.42 million units. Between January 2024 and September 2024, China exported 4.7 million units. Japan, on the other hand, shipped 3.06 million units.

While Japan’s vehicle exports declined by four percent in the period between January 2024 and September 2024, China’s vehicle exports grew by a good 26.7 percent year-on-year.

The factors that are said to have contributed to a rise in vehicle exports by China are an outlook for new opportunities the world over against a saturating domestic market. The other reason is the significant uptick in electric vehicle adoption at 38.6 percent.

Chinese companies like BYD have found a strong hold in export markets of Europe despite tariffs. This Chinese electric vehicle company has smartly moved up in valuation as compared to Tesla of USA.

Increasingly aligning with international demand, Chinese vehicular exports have come to include competitively priced SUVs and technologically advanced EVs that rival European and US counterparts in quality and appeal.

What is perhaps very interesting is how China's export reach has shifted in the last few years. From focusing on Africa and less-developed regions, Chinese automakers have come to target higher-income, densely populated countries in other continents to ensure a significant export growth.

EVs clearly remain a stronghold, accounting for a substantial chunk of the export volume. The Asian country exported 1.77 million EVs in 2023. This accounted for over 30 percent of its total vehicle exports.

The first nine months of 2024 saw EV exports from China accounting for 1.524 million units, representing 32.4 percent of all auto exports – a 22 percent increase from the same period last year.

Among the export markets that Chinese vehicle manufacturers have targeted are in Europe, Asia, Central and South America and the Middle East.

To counter tariffs, Chinese vehicle manufacturers are luring buyers in the overseas markets by providing cost-effective, feature-rich vehicles interestingly.

Image for representative purpose only

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Amara Raja Energy and Mobility has announced its financial performance for Q2 FY2027, reporting revenue from operations of INR 38.43 billion, up 13.43 percent increase compared to INR 33.88 billion a year ago.

The profit before tax and exceptional items stood at INR 2.5 billion for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, compared to INR 2.8 billion in the same period of the prior year. For the half-year ended September 30, 2026, revenue reached INR 78.84 billion as against INR 67.38 billion in the previous half-year, while profit before tax stood at INR 5.2 billion.

The company attributed the performance to demand in the automotive battery aftermarket and original equipment manufacturer segments, home energy operations and stationary telecom battery packs.

Harshavardhana Gourineni, Executive Director of Automotive and Industrial, Amara Raja Group, said, "Robust OEM demand across 4W and 2W, together with healthy aftermarket volumes, drove domestic revenue growth of over 10 percent, while Industrial UPS grew over 7 percent. International demand remains strong, but geopolitical shipping disruptions have temporarily limited our ability to fulfil it. As logistics normalise, we are confident of accelerating growth."

Vikramadithya Gourineni, Executive Director of New Energy Business, Amara Raja Group, said, "We continue to see strong volume growth, led by the stationary segment, while our Giga Factory-1 in Telangana remains on track. With the Telecom sector rapidly shifting to lithium, we are confident of sustaining our market leadership through this technology transition. Our BESS plant is also expected to come online next month, further strengthening our capabilities across the energy storage value chain."

Jayadev Galla, Chairman and Managing Director, Amara Raja Group, "We delivered a solid performance this quarter. Our Lead Acid Business continued to perform strongly, supported by broad-based traction across segments, while the New Energy Business maintained its growth momentum. The progress on our Giga Factory remains on track, reinforcing our confidence in building a strong, future-ready energy platform."

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Olectra Greentech has introduced 35 air-conditioned electric buses in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, which was formally inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, on 1 November 2026, at the Divisional Sports Complex.

The e-buses have been deployed to support the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation for modernising public transport network. Operated by Evey Trans, passenger services are scheduled to begin on 2 November 2026, across various urban routes.

The 9-metre electric buses feature monocoque construction, blade battery technology, front and rear air suspension, disc brakes, an Antilock Braking System and regenerative braking.

Passenger amenities include air curtains at doors, CCTV systems, digital destination boards with integrated announcement announcements, vehicle location tracking, USB charging points and digital instrument clusters.

Olectra Greentech operates over 4,500 electric buses across more than 55 cities, accumulating over 750 million green kilometres.

Mahesh Babu, MD, Olectra Greentech, said, "India is making remarkable progress in its transition towards cleaner and more sustainable public transportation. The introduction of 35 Olectra electric buses in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is another important step in making clean, reliable and efficient mobility a reality for more people. With 4,500+ Olectra electric buses on the road across more than 55 cities, covering over 750 million green kilometres, we believe the true measure of progress is not just the number of buses deployed, but the positive impact they create on everyday mobility, passenger experience and the environment. We thank the Government of Maharashtra and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation for their continued trust and support. Olectra remains committed to shaping the future of sustainable public transportation through innovation and reliable electric mobility solutions."

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Pune-headquartered EKA Mobility and Pinnacle Industries have inaugurated six manufacturing facilities across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh as part of the EKA 'Avirbhava' event in Pune.

The group has invested over INR 35 billion in its manufacturing platform, alongside an R&D investment exceeding INR 6 billion. The expansion brings the group's total footprint to 11 manufacturing units across 120 acres, with an annual production capacity of over 40,000 electric commercial vehicles.

The newly opened sites include an SCV plant and a Bus & Trucks plant in Pune, the VDL Pinnacle Engineering plant, the Instor India facility for EV bus body structures and battery enclosures, a Pinnacle Seating and Interiors unit in Pune and Pinnacle's bus and rail seating plant in Pithampur. EKA Mobility reported a YoY sales growth of 1,243 percent in H1 FY27 and holds an order book of over 11,000 buses valued at USD 1.7 billion.

The company operates as a Champion OEM under the Indian Government's Automotive PLI Scheme, backed by 300 intellectual properties and a workforce of 6,000 employees, including 1,000 R&D engineers. Operations are supported by telemetry software EKA Connect, which tracks 1,500 vehicle parameters every half-second while retaining data within domestic servers. Internationally, the firm has deployed electric buses in Zanzibar and small commercial vehicles in Nepal, with assembly plants being established in South Africa and Australia.

Sudhir Mehta, Founder & Chairman, EKA Mobility and Group Companies, said, "EKA Avirbhava marks a defining milestone in our journey of building a future-ready, globally competitive manufacturing ecosystem rooted in India. The inauguration of six manufacturing facilities across our group reflects our unwavering commitment to innovation, indigenous engineering, sustainable mobility, and manufacturing excellence. These facilities are more than infrastructure; they represent our vision of creating world-class capabilities, generating meaningful employment, nurturing talent, and contributing to India’s emergence as a global manufacturing powerhouse. As we take this significant step forward, we remain focused on delivering transformative mobility solutions that create lasting value for our customers, our nation, and future generations."

"We have always believed that commercial EVs are about more than vehicles. The diversity of our product portfolio is not an accident. It is a conscious idea, because to make a real difference, we must impact every Indian and every traveller. That means looking at mobility holistically: goods and passengers, from the first mile to the last mile. Public transport is the backbone of India. Until we make it accessible and affordable for all, we will not have achieved our vision, and no amount of technology matters if it does not reach the people who depend on it every day. Our products, their performance and their profitability are an example of how sustainability can be profitable for all: for the operator, for the passenger and for the country. That is why we have built all this, the plants, the engineering and the technology, in India, for India," added Mehta.

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Montra Electric has partnered with Chennai-based logistics platform VFRYT, supplying 50 electric commercial vehicles to support the launch of VFRYT's on-demand commercial vehicle booking service.

The agreement integrates Montra Electric's Super Cargo eCX d+ vehicles into VFRYT's logistics platform, which connects fleet operators and owner-drivers with businesses requiring intra-city freight transportation.

VFRYT's platform uses GPS, SIM-based and FASTag tracking, alongside artificial intelligence-enabled monitoring to provide real-time shipment visibility. The initial VFRYT fleet comprises approximately 185 electric vehicles alongside diesel and CNG options, with Montra Electric's units deployed across its channel mobility partner network in Chennai prior to planned expansion into other Indian regions.

The Montra Electric Super Cargo eCX d+ features a 13.8 kWh battery delivering a range exceeding 150 kilometres per charge, a cargo capacity of 170 cubic feet and telemetry integration via the One Montra App. The vehicle includes a five-year battery warranty and a chassis designed for commercial freight operations.

Jalaj Gupta, Managing Director, Montra Electric, said, "For electric commercial mobility to scale, the business case must be as compelling as the technology itself. The real opportunity lies in integrating electric vehicles into the everyday flow of commerce and ensuring they create tangible value for the businesses that depend on them. By connecting our vehicles with an on-demand platform like VFRYT, we are expanding opportunities for their deployment while bringing electric mobility closer to the daily realities of Indian logistics."

Pradeep Murali, Founder & CEO, VFRYT, said, "Our vision at VFRYT is to make commercial transportation more accessible, transparent and efficient through technology. This collaboration with Montra Electric is an important step towards bringing sustainable mobility into the everyday logistics ecosystem. We aim to give businesses greater access to efficient transportation solutions through our on-demand platform, while accelerating the adoption of electric mobility and supporting cleaner urban logistics. We believe that the convergence of technology and electric mobility will play a key role in shaping the future of goods transportation in India."

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