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.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Folks Motor, a start-up focussing on electric powertrain retrofit solution, has announced that it has secured INR 1 billion towards its ‘Folks Funds,’ an alternative investment fund (AIF) category II, which targets to raise INR 5 billion by end-2025.

The fund aims to bolster India's electric vehicle supply chain and local manufacturing capabilities. Folks funds is claimed to be India's first ESG-focused investment fund catering to EV supply chains for its consolidation and to aggregate the demand of EV systems and components.

A portion of the fund will be allocated to developing ‘The Blue IP,’ which the company claims is India's first xEV-focused warehousing and industrial park in Sonipat, Haryana. This initiative is designed to support the EV ecosystem by providing infrastructure for manufacturing and logistics.

The fund's investments will focus on areas such as powertrain systems, energy storage, Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) and system integration. The objective is to achieve a minimum of 50 percent domestic value addition in line with government policies promoting local manufacturing.

Folks Motor is in discussions with state governments in Telangana and Karnataka to expand its investment footprint.

The start-up claims that India's EV market is experiencing growth, with sales surpassing 2 million units in 2024, marking a 25.4 percent year-over-year increase. However, localisation levels for critical components like motors and controllers remain at 30-40 percent, indicating an opportunity for domestic manufacturing.

The EV sector is also a driver of employment, with projections estimating the creation of 5 million direct and 30 million indirect jobs by 2030.

Nikhil Anand Khurana, MD & CEO, Folks Motor, said, “Our vision with Folks Funds is to redefine India’s position in the global EV supply chain. With the Blue IP and our strategic partnerships, we are not just building infrastructure – we are building future-ready ecosystems for sustainable manufacturing. This fund is a step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat, enabling domestic innovation and job creation while attracting global interest in Indian-made EV components. Besides this, the fund will also focus on retrofitment technologies, which are critical to extending the lifespan of existing vehicles and reducing operational costs for commercial fleets. This dual approach supports both green mobility and economic efficiency.” 

Image courtesy: Rathaphon Nanthapreecha/Pexels

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Tata.ev, the electric vehicle brand from Tata Motors, has announced that it has launched the first 10 high-speed TATA.ev MegaChargers across key urban and highway corridors. Developed in partnership with ChargeZone and Statiq, the move is part of TATA.ev’s broader plan to scale up to 400,000 public charge points by 2027.

The MegaChargers are strategically located along high-traffic routes with an aim to ease long-distance travel and daily urban commuting for EV users by offering fast, reliable and accessible charging infrastructure. This launch is a flagship initiative under TATA.ev’s ‘Open Collaboration’ framework, which fosters partnerships with Charge Point Operators (CPOs) and Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).

Balaje Rajan, Chief Strategy Officer, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility and Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, said, “At a time when EV adoption is on its growth path, ubiquitous and dependable charging infrastructure is the need of the hour. These first 10 TATA.ev MegaCharger sites in key EV corridors of the country are the first tranche of a superfast charging network that we will have across major highways. The TATA.ev MegaCharger network will increasingly connect all major cities across India to remove charging anxiety. We are on a mission to provide fast, reliable, and effortless charging that enables seamless mobility across the country – and we are just getting started.”

The MegaCharger are set up at –

• Mumbai–Ahmedabad Highway (in partnership with ChargeZone):
• Shreenath Food Hub, Vadodara – 400 kW charger supports up to 6 vehicles, delivers 150 km range in 15 minutes
• Shanti Complex, Vapi
• Hotel Xpress Inn, Ghodbunder
• Delhi–Jaipur Highway (in collaboration with Statiq):
• SS Plaza, Gurugram
• Hotel Old Rao, Kaprivas
• Asli Pappu Dhaba, Hamzapur
• Hotel Highway King, Shahpura
• Other Urban & Intercity Sites:
• Rajgurunagar (Pune–Nashik Highway) – Akash Misal House (120 kW, with ChargeZone)
• Bengaluru – Monk Mansion, Electronic City (urban fast-charging with Statiq)
• Udaipur – Ramee Royal Resort (120 kW, tourist-friendly with ChargeZone)

As announced earlier, each MegaCharger location is equipped with amenities such as restrooms, dining, Wi-Fi and lounge areas, creating a premium and user-friendly experience for EV users.

Akshit Bansal, Founder & CEO, Statiq, said, “Our collaboration with TATA.ev is a milestone in building a trusted, nationwide EV charging network. By co-branding with them, we will make EV adoption more accessible and reliable for every Indian, empowering users to easily locate and use charging stations through the iRA.ev and  Statiq app.”

Kartikey Hariyani, CEO & MD, ChargeZone, said, “We are proud to partner with TATA.ev to unveil our first co-branded SuperCharging Station on NH48, which is strategically located along key National Highway corridors. Together, ChargeZone and TATA.ev are pushing the boundaries of EV charging in India by focusing on the needs of today’s EV drivers – fast, reliable and easily accessible solutions. We are building a seamless EV ecosystem that supports innovative features including auto charge, RFID tap and charge, which meets current demands and future mobility needs.”

With 500 TATA.ev MegaChargers planned nationwide, the company is aiming to make electric mobility a serious choice for passenger vehicle customers.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Tata Motors, one of India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturers has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Vertelo, an electric mobility solutions provider, to make electric commercial vehicles (e-CVs) more accessible for customers.

As per the understanding, Vertelo will provide customised leasing solutions on Tata Motors’ electric commercial vehicle portfolio, which will enable fleet owners transition smoothly to sustainable mobility.

Rajesh Kaul, Vice-President & Business Head – Trucks, Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles, said, “Tata Motors is committed to democratising electric mobility, ensuring that accessibility to sustainable transportation solutions is extended to all customers. This partnership with Vertelo marks a significant milestone in that journey, enabling broader access to our advanced electric commercial vehicles. Through such collaborations, we are not just accelerating the adoption of sustainable transport solutions but also contributing to the development of a robust EV ecosystem in India.”

Sandeep Gambhir, CEO, Vertelo, added, “We are delighted to join hands with Tata Motors in accelerating EV adoption across a wide range of electric commercial vehicles including buses, trucks and mini-trucks. This partnership will facilitate bespoke leasing solutions and facilitate creation of a sustainable ecosystem that makes electric mobility the natural choice for commercial fleet operators. This collaboration will enable Tata Motors and Vertelo to accelerate adoption of electric commercial vehicles and create eco-friendly mobility solutions at scale.”

At present, Tata Motors’ e-CV portfolio includes the Tata Ace EV for last-mile mobility and Tata Ultra & Tata Starbus range in mass-mobility solutions.

The OEM has also showcased the Tata Prima E.55S, Tata Ultra E.12, Tata Magna EV bus, Tata Ultra EV 9 bus, Tata Intercity EV 2.0 bus, Tata Ace Pro EV and Tata Intra EV, catering to wide applications and customer requirements across product lines.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Pune-headquartered electric vehicle manufacturer EKA Mobility has received the Letter of Award (LOA) for deploying 750 e-buses across 11 cities in Andhra Pradesh. The company has joined forces with GreenCell Mobility, a leading electric bus mass mobility solution provider, to execute this order.

As per the understanding, the partners will deploy 129 units of 9-metre and 621 units of 12-metre electric buses across eleven cities – Amravati, Anantapur, Kadapa, Kakinada, Kurnool, Rajahmundry, Nellore, Guntur, Vijayawada, Vishakhapatnam and Tirupati.

This award comes after CESL’s issuance of the Letter of Confirmation of Quantity (LOCQ) and Rajasthan’s LOA for 675 electric buses announced last week, marking a major milestone in India’s e-mobility journey.

Dr Sudhir Mehta, Founder & Chairman, EKA Mobility & Pinnacle Industries, said, “We are proud to partner with the government of Andhra Pradesh and collaborate with GreenCell Mobility to deliver green, smart, and efficient transportation solutions for the people of the state. This partnership marks a significant step toward building smarter, more sustainable cities across India.”

Devndra Chawla, MD & CEO, GreenCell Mobility, added, "We are honoured to join hands with the government of Andhra Pradesh to support the state’s transition to sustainable public transport. This project is a major milestone in our mission to transform mass mobility through zero-emission electric buses. Together, we are enabling cleaner cities, generating green jobs, and building a more sustainable future for millions."

Also read: GreenCell mobility to deploy over 1,200 e-buses from CESL under Pm E-Bus Sewa Scheme

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!