Supplying cars to the Vatican for 94 years, Mercedes-Benz has delivered an electric Popemobile based on the G-Class for the first time. Helping the Vatican go electric in terms of its ‘main’ fleet car, Mercedes-Benz has delivered the vehicle well in time for the 2025 Jubilee event, which takes place every 25 years and with millions of pilgrims visiting. 
Overcoming challenges like adapting the electric drivetrain to low speed travel given the public appearances by Pope Francis, the electric Popemobile is a result of a team that managed the project in Rome. The drivetrain parallelly was developed and adapted to the needs of the Popemobile by a team in Graz. The experts from Sindelfingen produced the bodywork, interior fittings and customised equipment using traditional craftsmanship. 
The electric drivetrain that is engineered to support the vehicle’s slow travel during public appearances is from the Mercedes-Benz G580. Its EQ technology (with a combined energy consumption of 30.4-27.7 kWh per 100 km and a combined CO₂ emissions of 0 g per km) has four near-wheel motors. 
Replacing the bench seat that would be ideally found in the G580, the team that realised the Popemobile replaced it with a centrally positioned and height-adjustable single seat. This swivelling main seat should make it possible for Pope to move around flexibly and address an audience from different angles. 
Behind the single seat, two single seats have been integrated on the left and right for additional passengers. The roof – removed at the B-pillar – meant the B-pillar itself was harmoniously transitioned into the side wall to create an unmistakable side profile. 
In case of rain or bad weather conditions, a separate hardtop offers protection for the occupants. The left rear door was removed and rebuilt by the specialists – in traditional coachbuilding style – from a single piece and seamlessly welded into the bodyshell. On the right-hand side, the hinges of the rear door were relocated to the opposite side.
Like the previous Popemobiles, this one is also painted in classic pearl white on the outside.

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Ashok Leyland, one of the leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, has launched a nationwide initiative titled ‘GET ZET - Electric Truck Awareness to Acceptance’ in partnership with the Centre of Excellence for Zero Emission Trucking (CoEZET) at IIT Madras. The initiative will run from September 2026 to February 2027, the campaign will cover 40 cities across India to promote the commercial deployment of battery-electric trucks.

The roadshow will traverse logistics hubs and industrial corridors across 15 states, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. The events will convene fleet owners, logistics operators, financiers, freight providers, infrastructure developers and policymakers.

As part of the campaign, Ashok Leyland and CoEZET will showcase the BOSS Electric truck alongside charging infrastructure, offering trial rides and technical demonstrations to evaluate real-world vehicle performance and operational requirements.

Shenu Agarwal, MD & CEO, Ashok Leyland, said, “The transition to zero-emission mobility will be defined not just by the maturity of technology, but by the confidence of the users to adopt it at scale. At Ashok Leyland, we believe the best way to build that confidence is by taking electric trucking closer to the people who will use and enable it. Through ‘GET ZET - Electric Truck Awareness to Acceptance’, in collaboration with Centre of Excellence for Zero Emission Trucking (CoEZET), IIT Madras, we are bringing the electric truck technology to 40 cities, creating opportunities for customers and stakeholders to experience its real-world potential first-hand. This is a step towards making electric mobility more accessible, practical and ready for the future of India’s freight ecosystem.”

Manu Santhanam, Dean (ICSR) at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, said, “CoEZET, IIT Madras has been working towards the adoption of zero-emission trucks since 2022, with a vision of achieving 100 percent ZET penetration by Viksit Bharat 2047. Our work spans policy, technology, skilling and outreach. The current Outreach Acceptance Initiative builds on our earlier awareness activities across hundreds of locations and focuses on enabling stakeholders to experience, evaluate and build confidence in battery electric trucks, as we move towards the next phase of adoption. Through in-depth interactions and hands-on trial rides, we aim to demonstrate the quieter, smoother and more comfortable experience of electric trucks, while helping address driver concerns and build greater acceptance among the trucking community. We are glad to collaborate with industry partners such as Ashok Leyland in this effort and look forward to engaging with a wider range of stakeholders to strengthen acceptance and enable the wider adoption of zero-emission trucks in India.”

The joint programme forms part of broader efforts to support zero-emission freight transportation across key national transport corridors.

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Bengaluru-based electric vehicle company Ultraviolette Automotive has confirmed that its upcoming Shockwave e-motorcycle will be built on the company's 100V architecture, with commercial launch scheduled for Q1 of 2027. The high-voltage platform is engineered to improve power delivery, thermal efficiency and charging speeds for the motorcycle.

The Shockwave, categorised under the FUNDURO platform, is designed as a lightweight model inspired by two-stroke motorcycles. Ultraviolette confirmed that the vehicle will be offered in both single-seat and dual-seat configurations. To prepare for the Q1 2027 rollout, the company has begun installing a dedicated production line within its existing manufacturing facility in Bengaluru.

The decision to utilise the 100V architecture follows Ultraviolette’s earlier announcement that the same powertrain technology would be deployed in its Tesseract model. While the Shockwave and Tesseract target different riding applications, both models have been developed in parallel over the past year as part of the manufacturer's powertrain strategy.

Narayan Subramaniam, Co-Founder and CEO, Ultraviolette Automotive, said, “From the outset, we envisioned the Shockwave as a motorcycle that would bring back the pure enjoyment of riding. Bringing our 100V architecture to the Shockwave is an important step in realising that vision. When it launches in Q1 2027, we are certain it will be an exceptionally engaging motorcycle to ride. The Shockwave and Tesseract have been in parallel development over the past year and work is already underway to set up the Shockwave production line at our existing facility.”

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Chennai-headquartered Switch Mobility, the electric vehicle arm of Hinduja Group, has secured an order to supply 840 electric buses to Antony Road Transport Solutions under Phase I of the Government of India’s PM E-Drive scheme.

Under the agreement, Switch Mobility will supply 420 units of 9-metre and 420 units of 12-metre air-conditioned electric buses. Antony Road Transport Solutions was selected as the operator to deploy the fleet with the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and the Transport Department, Delhi, for public transit operations across the National Capital Region.

Formal agreements for vehicle deployment have been executed between Switch Mobility and Antony Road Transport Solutions. The e-buses are constructed on Switch's EiV platform, which incorporates electric powertrains, modular battery layouts, regenerative braking systems and dual-gun fast-charging capabilities. Fleet monitoring and diagnostic functions are managed through the Switch iON software system. Safety and passenger features include low-floor entry, fire detection and suppression equipment, and multi-level battery protection measures.

Ganesh Mani, CEO, Switch Mobility, said, “We are pleased to partner with Antony Road Transport Solutions for deployment of 840 electric buses across Delhi by Delhi Transport Corporation & Transport Department, Delhi. This order is a strong testament to the growing confidence in electric mobility solutions for large-scale public transportation. With a mix of 9-metre and 12-metre electric buses, we are enabling operators to address diverse passenger mobility requirements while supporting the transition towards cleaner and more sustainable transportation. At Switch Mobility, we remain committed to working closely with our partners to deliver reliable, efficient and commercially viable electric mobility solutions that create long-term value for operators and communities.”

Jimmy John, Director, Antony Road Transport Solutions, said, “Our long-term relationship with Ashok Leyland and the trust we have in the Hinduja Group have led us to place this order. We believe this partnership will go a long way towards supporting the NCR’s sustainable mobility journey.”

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Electric vehicle charging network Charge_iN by Mahindra has expanded its public charging infrastructure to 50 locations across India, reaching 200 operational charging points. The company commissioned its latest installation at the HP Auto Care Centre in Sajgaon along the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

The Sajgaon installation represents the first operational station resulting from a collaboration established in March 2026 between Mahindra and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) to deploy charging infrastructure across HPCL retail outlets in India. Additional sites under the agreement are currently under construction across highway routes. Mahindra plans to expand the Charge_iN network to 250 stations comprising approximately 1,000 charging points by December 2027.

The network utilises 180 kW dual-gun chargers designed to supply power to electric vehicles, including Mahindra models such as the XEV 9e, BE 6 Sporteq and XEV 9S. The stations are situated along highway corridors alongside commercial amenities and dining facilities.

The Charge_iN system operates as an open network accessible to electric vehicle owners of all vehicle brands through the Charge_iN by Mahindra application, the Me4U application, and third-party aggregator platforms, with integration into the HP eCharge application scheduled for release. Mahindra electric vehicle users can access approximately 35,000 public charging points, including HP eCharge sites, across charge point operators via the Me4U platform.

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