Greaves Cotton, a leading diversified engineering company, has announced the appointment of Ramachandra Puttanna as the new Business Head for EV Solutions & New Businesses within Greaves Retail.

In his new role, Puttanna will be responsible for driving the strategic growth plan for Greaves Retail’s electric vehicle (EV) components and new verticals. He will report to Narasimha Jayakumar, CEO, Greaves Retail, as Greaves continues to advance its strategy in sustainable mobility solutions across India.  

Greaves Retail is focussing on being a fuel-agnostic provider, delivering comprehensive sales, service, and spare parts solutions across three-wheelers (3W), two-wheelers (2W), small commercial vehicles (SCVs), electric vehicles (EVs), and construction equipment.

The company specialises in ensuring high vehicle uptime and maximised asset productivity, positioning it among the top three in the aftermarket segment. 

Puttanna come with over 35 years of extensive experience and has worked with companies such as Fenner India, Bosch India, Oman Trading, Magneti Marelli, and ZF Group.

Most recently, he served as Vice-President of the Aftermarket business at ZF Group, where he managed operations across India and the SAARC regions.

He is a Mechanical Engineering graduate from Mysore University, Puttanna has furthered his education with a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management (Marketing) from Bangalore University and an Advanced Program in Business Management from IIM Bangalore.  

“I am honoured to join Greaves Cotton at this pivotal stage in the company’s journey towards sustainable mobility. I look forward to leveraging my experience to drive the growth of Greaves Retail’s new businesses and enhance our offerings for a broader range of customers,” said Puttanna.

Narasimha Jayakumar, CEO, Greaves Retail, said, “We are thrilled to have Ramachandra join us. His proven track record aligns well with our commitment to customer-centric, innovative solutions. Ramachandra’s leadership will be instrumental in advancing Greaves Retail’s new businesses.”

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Chinese technology company Xiaomi Auto has unveiled its SkyNomad SUV series at its autumn flagship launch event, introducing four extended-range electric models built on the company's Kunlun technical architecture. The lineup spans five-seat and seven-seat configurations, with prices ranging from CNY 209,900 to CNY 299,900.

The entry-level SkyNomad N70 Pro five-seat model is priced at CNY 209,900, while the all-wheel-drive N70 Max variant costs CNY 239,900. The seven-seat N90 Max flagship is priced at CNY 269,900, and the range-topping N90 Max Studio variant retails for CNY 299,900.

The N70 series measures 4,960 mm in length, 1,998 mm in width and has a 2,950 mm wheelbase. Built on a flat-floor platform with a 2.95-degree incline and 1.56-metre sliding seat rails, the interior offers up to 1,410 mm of second-row legroom and cargo capacity expanding from 1,203 litres to 2,425 litres.

Powering the N70 Pro is a 52 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery providing a 351-kilometre pure-electric CLTC range and 1,351-kilometre combined range. The N70 Max utilises a dual-motor setup paired with a 76 kWh ternary lithium battery, delivering 505 kilometres of electric range and 1,461 kilometres overall.

The larger N90 Max measures 5,285 mm in length with a 3,080 mm wheelbase and features a 2+2+3 seating arrangement. Equipped with a 76 kWh battery and all-wheel drive, it achieves a zero to 100 kmph acceleration time of 5.9 seconds, a 464-kilometre electric CLTC range and a total range of up to 1,705 kilometres. Depleted-battery fuel consumption is rated at 6.26 litres per 100 kilometres on the WLTC cycle.

The N90 Max Studio variant incorporates an electric lifting cabin roof that increases interior standing height to 2,294 mm, creating an upper loft sleeping area measuring 2,110 mm by 985 mm. The second-row seating converts into a 1.87-metre by 1.24-metre flat bed. The cabin includes heated composite aluminium flooring, an 11.5-inch vanity mirror, a 20-litre storage cabinet and a 30-inch projection screen setup.

Across the lineup, safety and electronic hardware includes high-strength steel and aluminium construction, up to 12 airbags, NVIDIA Thor-U assisted driving processors delivering 700 TOPS of computing power, LiDAR units, and third-generation Snapdragon 8 cockpit platforms. The vehicles support 92, 95 and 98 octane fuel grades for their range-extender engines.

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Pune-headquartered electric vehicle manufacturer Kinetic EV has launched the upgraded DX and DX+ electric scooters, featuring a 3.1 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack on the flagship DX+ variant.

The e-scooter incorporates electric powertrain updates and convenience features into the metal body structure of the original DX platform.

The DX+ 3.1 kWh variant features a 3.8 kW peak-power hub-mounted BLDC motor paired with the LFP battery, achieving an Indian Driving Cycle (IDC) certified range of up to 132 kilometres per charge. The e-scooter includes two riding modes – Range and Power – alongside the K-Coast energy regeneration system for power recovery during deceleration. The company claims it can be charged from zero to 80 percent in approximately three hours and features an integrated charging cable mechanism.

In terms of dimension, the Kinetic DX has 1,315 mm wheelbase, 165 mm ground clearance and 12-inch tubeless tyres at both ends. Braking is managed by a 220 mm front disc brake and a 130 mm rear drum brake. The e-scooter provides a 714 mm seat length, 37 litres of under-seat storage space, IP67-rated water and dust protection, park assist with reverse function and onboard telematics.

The Kinetic DX 3 kWh variant can be had for INR 118,599 and INR 127,650 for the Kinetic DX+ 3.1 kWh model, which includes the integrated charging cable and telematics package.

The DX+ is available in five colour options – Black, Silver, Blue, White and Red, while the standard DX comes in Black and Silver. Purchase promotions for the launch period include price reductions of up to INR 3,000, extended warranty packages, Amazon cashback and subsidy benefits under the PM E-DRIVE initiative.

Ajinkya Firodia, Managing Director and Vice-Chairman, Kinetic EV, said, "The DX has always stood for practicality, reliability and a design that connects with generations of Indian consumers. With the new 3.1 kWh LFP battery, we are taking that familiar experience a step forward by offering greater range, enhanced performance and greater confidence for everyday riding. The upgraded DX+ brings together the strengths of our iconic design with modern electric technology and thoughtful features, making the transition to electric mobility even more practical and appealing for Indian customers."

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Jio-bp has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with electric vehicle leasing platform DRIVN to evaluate charging solutions for commercial electric vehicles across India.

The agreement focuses on developing charging infrastructure tailored to the operational requirements of electric buses and trucks along city routes and highway corridors.

The collaboration connects DRIVN’s vehicle leasing services with Jio-bp’s charging network. The partners will assess options to integrate charging location discovery into DRIVN’s platform, while evaluating preferential tariffs and turnkey charging projects for fleet operators. The initiative aligns with fleet requirements including route schedules, battery capacities, and operating patterns, supporting national fleet transition goals under India's PM E-DRIVE program.

Alpna Jain, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer, DRIVN, said, "As commercial EVs become a larger part of fleet operations, charging infrastructure has to keep pace with where and how these vehicles are used. For buses and trucks, the location of a charger and the route it serves can directly affect operations. Our MoU with Jio-bp gives us an opportunity to address these requirements as we expand our commercial EV business and make charging infrastructure easier for fleet operators to find and use. This partnership is first of many and a decisive step towards building the ecosystem required to make electric mobility more scalable and commercially viable."

Sarthak Behuria, Chairman, Jio-bp, said, "India's transition to electric mobility is no longer a question, it is happening quickly. At the heart of this transformation are commercial fleets – buses and trucks that keep our people, cargo, and economy moving every day, often covering the longest distances and the toughest routes. At Jio-bp, we believe EV charging infrastructure is a critical part of national infrastructure and our partnership with DRIVN marks an important step towards building the charging backbone needed to cater to the demands of this transition."

Akshay Wadhwa, CEO, Jio-bp, added, "Jio-bp pulse has been built on a simple promise – accessible, reliable, high-uptime EV charging wherever needed. With DRIVN, we are further strengthening our focus on commercial fleets, which have distinct needs shaped by routes, battery capacities and operating patterns. This MoU lets us address those needs directly, while exploring practical charging and financing solutions for fleet operators. Together, we aim to make reliable charging more accessible for electric buses and trucks."

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CHARGEZONE, one of the leading electric vehicle charging solutions providers, has announced that it has secured long-term energy contracts valued at over USD 1 billion (approximately INR 105 billion) for EV charging across intercity buses, trucks and commercial car fleets.

The contracted demand will support the deployment of 1,000 charging stations along national highway corridors, adding 180 MW of capacity to bring the company's total network capacity from 120 MW to 300 MW.

The EV charging infrastructure expansion is anchored in commercial fleet requirements, where routes and charging frequencies provide demand visibility prior to station construction.

Once deployed, the expanded network is projected to support over 15,000 electric vehicles and 15,000 charging sessions daily. CHARGEZONE estimates the network will deliver approximately 700 GWh of energy annually and operate at an average network utilisation rate of 30 percent, compared to its current rate of 14 percent.

To fund the expansion, the company has obtained USD 25 million (INR 2.5 billion) in debt financing from Indian banks and plans to raise a further USD 100 million during 2026–2027. Capital allocation will cover supercharging stations, micro-grid infrastructure, energy-management software, and site integrations of solar power and battery energy storage systems (BESS).

Kartikey Hariyani, Founder & CEO, CHARGEZONE, said, “India's EV charging market is entering a phase where scale will be measured not only by how many chargers are deployed, but by how much energy is delivered and sold through them and how consistently those assets are utilised. With long-term demand contracted across buses, trucks and fleets, we can build new capacity against visible energy consumption rather than wait for demand to emerge after deployment. That improves the economics of every station and creates a stronger foundation for bringing long-term capital into charging infrastructure at scale.”

Manish Madhogaria, Chief Financial Officer, CHARGEZONE, said, “EV charging is a capital-intensive infrastructure business, so the quality and visibility of demand behind every asset becomes critical as the network scales. These long-term contracts give us greater visibility into future energy revenues and allow us to deploy capital more selectively against infrastructure with a clearer demand profile. As we raise the next pool of capital, our focus will be on building the right mix of debt and equity to fund this expansion while maintaining capital discipline.”

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