From left: Kunal Khattar, Founder, AdvantEdge Founders; Sandeep Divakaran, CEO & Co-founder, Exponent Energy; Arun Vinayak, CEO & Founder, Exponent Energy.

Bengaluru-based energy technology company Exponent Energy has unveiled Exponent One, a comprehensive fintech and asset management initiative designed to overcome a significant obstacle in commercial electric vehicle adoption: the challenge of securing practical and accessible financing. This new venture will be led by Sandeep Divakaran, an experienced professional in financing and mobility who joins as Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer.

Exponent Energy has established a comprehensive energy ecosystem for commercial EVs by tackling critical issues such as rapid charging, dependable battery performance and consistent operational uptime. This work has yielded deep, real-world energy intelligence within the commercial mobility sector. Although EV technology has progressed considerably, widespread adoption remains limited by financing hurdles. Exponent One directly confronts this issue with an advanced underwriting and asset management platform developed specifically for commercial EVs, drawing on the aforementioned energy insights. The primary goal is to achieve financing parity with internal combustion engine vehicles by providing flexible financial products and mitigating risk through assurances and buyback programmes.

By collaborating with established financial institutions, the new venture seeks to enable large-scale EV financing for commercial operators. Its focus will be exclusively on commercial electric vehicles, encompassing three-wheelers, light commercial vehicles, four-wheelers, buses and trucks. Support will extend to both individual driver-owners and fleet operators, covering the entire ownership journey from initial acquisition through lifecycle management to eventual upgrades. Leveraging Exponent’s energy intelligence, the platform employs an AI-driven adaptive financing model that facilitates access to livelihoods. It also integrates embedded insurance to protect against health and asset-related difficulties, while guaranteed buybacks help cultivate a robust secondary market, offering crucial reassurance to vehicle owners and financial partners. Additional features like savings options, supplementary loans and upgrade paths are intended to support drivers in their professional growth.

To accelerate its early deployment and broaden its footprint in key commercial EV centers, Exponent One has secured USD 2 million in pre-seed investment from AdvantEdge Founders, aiming to deliver its adaptive financing solutions to a greater number of driver-owners.

Sandeep said, “Commercial Vehicle driver-owners operate real-world businesses with daily variable earnings and limited buffers, yet lending models are still run on personal credit rails, with fixed monthly assumptions (EMIs). This rigid approach, focuses on only output metrics of timely payments, and hence fails the driver and leads to the ecosystem viewing commercial EV financing as risky. At Exponent One, we believe in something fundamental: if the driver-owner fails, the system fails. Our vision is to enable sustainable micro-entrepreneurship in electric mobility by building financing that adapts to real world earnings and not monthly averages, manages asset risk, provides buffers and gives drivers the confidence to switch and grow with EVs. Our adaptive lending model focuses on input metrics – asset quality, charging patterns, energy consumption – giving us the ability to differentiate between bad luck and bad intent and help support driver-owners through their circle of life.”

Arun Vinayak, Founder and CEO, Exponent Energy, said, “Energy in EVs is an upfront capex problem, hence viable-financing products are needed to transform this higher capex to meaningful opex benefits to the driver-owners. Electric Commercial Vehicles are fundamentally energy assets. Our ability to influence battery life and manage them on a daily basis with real-time energy data gives us an edge in understanding these assets better and in knowing their residual value. EVs are digital, earnings are digital and the energy stack with Exponent is digital, and all these input metrics, layered with innovations in AI tech, enhances our ability to contextually underwrite and support the driver-owners through their circle of life. This is a first of its kind partnership, with energy and financing coming together to provide integrated adaptive finance and asset management solutions. We’re excited to have Sandeep lead this effort to build the financial layer needed to address the commercial EV financing gap. Together, Exponent Energy will power the assets and Exponent One will power the driver-owner.”

Kunal Khattar, Founder, AdvantEdge Founders, said, “Commercial EV scale in India isn't just a technology challenge; it's a data and capital challenge. Lenders must understand how these assets actually earn and age to unlock true scale. At AdvantEdge, we’re backing Exponent One because they’ve replaced ICE-era assumptions with real-time operational intelligence, aligning financing with daily earnings and long-term asset performance. By building a durable financial layer tailored to the EV ownership lifecycle, they are addressing the core risk mismatches that have held this industry back. We believe this is the missing piece that will finally move electric fleets from pilot to mass adoption.”

Tesla has opened online reservations for the new Roadster in select global markets, including India, with production scheduled to begin in 2028 for left-hand drive configurations. Alongside the reservation announcement, Tesla India has also introduced a complimentary Acceleration Boost for its Model Y L six-seater SUV.

The new Roadster design incorporates aerospace-inspired elements and SpaceX components. In the domestic product lineup, the Model Y L SUV receives an Acceleration Boost software update, reducing its zero-to-100 km/h acceleration time to 4.5 seconds while offering an operating range of up to 681 kilometres under WLTP testing standards.

Tesla currently offers the Model Y and Model Y L in India. The entry-level Model Y is priced at INR 5.08 million, while the Model Y L starts at INR 6.19 million. The EVs carry safety evaluations from global testing bodies, including NHTSA, Euro NCAP, ANCAP and C-IASI.

To support vehicle ownership, Tesla's domestic charging infrastructure comprises 20 Supercharger stalls and 28 Destination Charger stalls, with three additional sites planned by the end of 2026.

Home charging setup has been established for owners across 23 Indian states. The manufacturer has also introduced its Refer and Earn program in India, offering purchase discounts for buyers and referral credits for existing owners.

VIDA, the electric mobility brand powered by Hero MotoCorp, has unveiled the DIRT.E K3 6DAYS Limited Edition at the 100th FIM International Six Days Enduro in Grândola, Portugal.

The release marks the first collaboration between an Indian electric vehicle manufacturer and the event as an official partner of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme.

The model is limited to 100 units, with each unit assigned a number corresponding to an edition of the event. The electric two-wheeler features Portuguese flag-inspired green and red livery, race competition typography and official 6DAYS branding.

First introduced in December 2025, the DIRT.E K3 is an electric off-road vehicle designed for youth riders. It incorporates a modular frame that adjusts without tools at three points, allowing handlebar height, footrest positioning, and seat height to be adjusted as the rider grows.

The DIRT.E K3 comes with a removable 360 Wh lithium-ion battery with a three-hour full charge cycle, three software-managed speed modes reaching up to 24 kmph via thumb throttle, a magnetic power cut-off kill switch and a 60 mm rear disc brake system.

Kausalya Nandakumar, CBO of the Emerging Mobility Business Unit, Hero MotoCorp, said, "Being part of the historic 100th edition of FIM ISDE is a proud milestone for VIDA and an opportunity to showcase how electric innovation can shape the future of off-road riding. The VIDA DIRT.E K3 brings together the spirit of motorsport with forward-looking technology, building on the recognition it received at CES 2026 and the Red Dot Design Award. With our Portuguese- inspired 6DAYS® Limited Edition, we are celebrating the legacy of this iconic event while bringing a fresh perspective to electric off-road mobility. At VIDA, we believe innovation should go hand in hand with a safe, engaging, and empowering riding experience for young riders."

Fabio Muner, Marketing and Digital Director, FIM, said, "On behalf of the FIM, I would like to sincerely thank Hero MotoCorp for its active participation in the 100th Edition of the FIM 6DAYS®. Thanks to the DIRT.E K3 6DAYS® Limited Edition bike, young riders have the chance to experience first-hand the beauty of motorcycling and enduro, an opportunity that is essential for building the future of our sport. The fact that these vehicles will be available on the market is a further great achievement for the FIM 6DAYS®. It is another example of how this historic FIM World Championship continues to widen its borders year after year, opening its doors to new generations and new ways of riding. Thank you, VIDA for sharing this vision with us."

Epsilon CAM, one of the leading battery cathode active material manufacturers, and cell technology firm C4V have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to evaluate and qualify lithium iron phosphate and bio-mineralised lithium mixed metal phosphate cathode active materials.

The agreement establishes a framework to evaluate Epsilon CAM's cathode materials for cell-level integration across C4V's battery platforms and North American manufacturing programs, including those operated by sister company Near Prime Technologies.

As per the arrangement, Epsilon CAM will provide material samples and engineering data for testing, including electrochemical performance validation, cycle-life evaluation and process compatibility assessments. Subject to technical qualification and definitive contracts, the firms plan to explore multi-year material supply arrangements and technology integrations.

The evaluation will assess supply-chain sourcing for critical raw material inputs, including lithium, manganese and phosphorus, to align with North American content requirements.

Epsilon CAM is advancing plans for a 20,000-tonne-per-annum cathode active materials plant in India by 2028, positioning its production as a non-foreign-entity-of-concern source for global cell manufacturers.

Vikram Handa, MD, Epsilon CAM, said, "This LoI brings together complementary capabilities across cathode materials, cell technology and manufacturing. Our focus is to demonstrate material performance at the cell level and to work with C4V toward scalable, high-quality LFP and LMFP solutions that address the evolving needs of battery manufacturers and automotive customers."

Dr. Shailesh Upreti, CEO, C4V, said, "Epsilon is helping address one of the most important gaps in the U.S. battery supply chain: reliable access to scalable, ex-China phosphate cathode active materials. C4V is currently evaluating Epsilon’s materials through our Digital DNA qualification process for potential use across C4V cell platforms and U.S. manufacturing programs at Near Prime. Successful qualifications would create an important pathway connecting advanced cathode materials with C4V battery technology and domestic cell manufacturing."

JSW MG Motor India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has launched the MG Windsor INDULGE Edition at INR 1.79 million ex-showroom.

The MG Windsor INDULGE Edition features a dual-tone exterior with a Shadow Gold body finish paired with a black roof, black exterior mirror housings, 18-inch black alloy wheels and edition badges on the C-pillar.

The interior adopts a tan and black upholstery scheme, embroidered headrests, and a rear-seat entertainment display screen supplied as standard equipment, alongside rear cabin accessories including themed cushions and window sunshades. The EV retains its 38 kWh battery pack delivering 100 kW of power and 200 Nm of torque, with a certified driving range of 332 kilometres per charge.

Vinay Raina, Chief Commercial Officer at JSW MG Motor India, said, "The MG Windsor is an important product not only for us but for the EV segment, as it has encouraged many fence-sitters to embrace electric mobility. Reaching over 80,000 families in just 24 months is a remarkable milestone and a testament to the value the Windsor delivers to customers. Building on this success, the INDULGE Edition introduces exclusive enhancements and an elevated cabin experience, offering customers a more premium and personalised expression of the Windsor lifestyle. It reflects our commitment to continuously evolving the product in line with changing customer preferences while retaining the qualities that have made the Windsor a preferred choice in the EV segment."

The SUV retains its structural layout, including rear seatbacks capable of reclining up to 135 degrees and a 15.6-inch central infotainment touchscreen, as JSW MG Motor expands its electric vehicle lineup across domestic retail networks.