Subaru Begins Production Of BEVs At Upgraded Gunma Yajima Plant
- By MT Bureau
- February 04, 2026
Marking a significant step in its electrification strategy, Subaru Corporation has initiated domestic production of Battery Electric Vehicles at its Gunma Yajima Plant. This launch coincides with the finalisation of extensive upgrades to the plant’s production systems, a project commenced in August 2025. Central to these enhancements is a new, flexible assembly line engineered to manufacture the all-new E-Outback alongside traditional petrol and hybrid models within a single, integrated process. This approach leverages Subaru's established expertise in mixed-model production, allowing the company to adapt efficiently to the evolving automotive landscape.
The E-Outback itself represents a key milestone as Subaru's second global BEV, developed through a longstanding alliance with Toyota Motor Corporation. This partnership, celebrating its twentieth anniversary in 2025, has grown to encompass collaborative efforts in development, production and supply chain management. The recent manufacturing advancements are a direct result of deepened cooperation in electrification technologies, combined with continuous refinement of Subaru’s own manufacturing, or monozukuri, capabilities.
Looking forward, Subaru intends to further increase manufacturing flexibility. This focus aims to achieve greater production efficiency and development agility, thereby strengthening the company's ability to respond to market shifts and bolster its overall competitiveness. The Subaru E-Outback is scheduled for introduction in the United Kingdom during Summer 2026, with full specifications to be disclosed nearer the launch date.
Hyundai Motor India Introduces BaaS Model For Creta Electric At INR 1.09 Million
- By MT Bureau
- July 02, 2026
Hyundai Motor India (HMIL), one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has launched a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) ownership model for the Creta Electric. Under the BaaS model, the Creta Electric is available at a starting price of INR 1.09 million (ex-showroom), with battery repayments starting from INR 3.9 per kilometre.
Alongside the BaaS model, the company has updated the Creta Electric with an integrated side foot step. Additionally, Home Charger (HC) variants now include a 7.4 kW wall box charger to assist with home charging requirements.
The Creta Electric SUV is available with two battery options: 51.4 kWh and 42 kWh. It offers a range of up to 510 km (ARAI certified) and supports DC fast charging, allowing a 10–80 percent charge in 39 minutes. Other features include Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology, SmartSense Level 2 ADAS, i-Pedal for single-pedal driving, a digital key, and active air flaps. The battery is covered by a warranty of 8 years or 160,000 km.
Tarun Garg, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India, said, “At HMIL, we believe the future of mobility must be accessible, intelligent and customer centric. The introduction of Battery-as-a-Service for the Hyundai Creta Electric is a transformational step towards democratising electric mobility in India. By significantly reducing the initial acquisition cost and offering flexible battery rental plans, we are enabling more customers to confidently transition to EVs while enjoying Hyundai’s trusted technology, safety and innovation.”
Ather Energy Launches 450X Overtones Series And Upgrades
- By MT Bureau
- July 01, 2026
Bengaluru-headquartered electric vehicle company Ather Energy has introduced the 450X Overtones Series, featuring a tone-on-tone treatment across three colourways: Still White, Space Grey and Lunar Grey.
Over the years, the company’s e-scooter lineup has received multiple hardware and software updates, including features such as AutoHold, Magic Twist and Multi Mode Traction Control. Ather has also implemented Infinite Cruise, which facilitates speed management across varied terrains.
Ather Energy’s recent rollout of Atherstack 7 includes new safety features such as CrashAlert that detects accidents and notifies emergency contacts. ParkSafe for providing warnings regarding parking zones and LockSafe, which enables motor immobilisation via the app.
Additionally, the company is introducing a 900W charger, which decreases 450 charging times by 30 percent.
Bengaluru-based electric vehicle maker Ola Electric has announced that it registered 16,144 electric two-wheelers in June 2026, as compared to 20,697 units for the same period last year.
For Q1 FY2027, the retail sales came to 43,719 units, as compared to 22,252 units sold in Q4 FY2026.
“Q1 FY27 marks a significant milestone in our growth journey, with registrations doubling sequentially and June registering 16,144 vehicles - our strongest monthly performance in recent quarters. The sustained momentum reflects the success of our operational improvements, strong product portfolio and continued customer preference for Ola Electric. We remain focused on accelerating EV adoption through technology leadership, manufacturing scale and delivering a differentiated ownership experience," the company said in a statement.
Ola Electric attributes its performance to improvements in retail execution and product availability.
Kazam And AEEE Launch Report On EV-Ready Residential Infrastructure In India
- By MT Bureau
- June 30, 2026
EV charging and energy management company Kazam, in collaboration with the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE), has unveiled a report emphasising residential charging infrastructure's role in India's net-zero journey. Titled ‘The Net-Zero Transition Starts at Home’, the document was released at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. The launch was attended by Amal Sinha from BSES, Sameer Pandita of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Irfan Ahmad from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and other energy regulators.
The findings draw from Kazam's dataset of over 80,000 residential charger installations, gathered through field surveys and consumer interviews across 5,000 pin codes, including high-adoption states like Assam, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The analysis examines how EV adoption is altering household electricity consumption patterns nationwide.
India's EV transition diverges from global markets, driven by light electric vehicles, with two-wheelers and three-wheelers comprising roughly 90 percent of 2025 sales. These vehicles are typically charged overnight at home, yet nearly half of potential buyers lack access to formal residential charging infrastructure.
The report identifies three primary obstacles to safe residential charging. Prolonged overnight cycles strain grids not designed for sustained loads, causing overheating, socket melting, voltage fluctuations and inadequate earthing. Structural challenges persist in urban areas, where 70 to 75 percent of residents live in apartments, facing issues like lack of dedicated parking and resistance from housing associations.
Kazam and AEEE convened a roundtable with government bodies, utilities and real estate firms, proposing a four-layer framework defining EV readiness across sanctioned load, metering, earthing, wiring and awareness. Kazam also launched an online quiz for buyers to assess home preparedness. The report notes that for India's growing gig workforce, home charging is vital, as public stations can triple or quadruple electricity costs.
Akshay Shekhar, Co-Founder & CEO, Kazam, said, “Creating safe and EV-ready homes will be critical to sustaining long-term confidence in electric mobility and ensuring the benefits of EV transition are available to all. EV-readiness must become a core component of how residential projects are planned, approved and built, not as an afterthought. From affordable housing to redevelopment projects, charging infrastructure should be embedded into building approvals and occupancy certificates as a fundamental requirement. At the same time, schemes such as PM E-DRIVE and state EV policies can play a critical role in supporting residential electrical retrofits, particularly for low-income households and rental-heavy communities where dependence on electric two- and three-wheelers is the highest.”
Sumedh Agarwal, Director, Smart and Resilient Power and Mobility, Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE), said, “India has made significant progress on EV adoption being increasingly driven by people who use their vehicles to earn a living, but our residential infrastructure remains unprepared for the transition at scale. Charging access at home directly shapes the economics of vehicle ownership, particularly for delivery partners, commercial drivers and small entrepreneurs who depend on their vehicles for daily earnings. EV-readiness must now be built into our buildings, electricity networks and urban planning frameworks. The next phase of India's EV transition will be won or lost in our residences, and it must be safe, inclusive and capable of delivering long-term economic and environmental benefits at scale."
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