Tesla has expanded its product footprint in India with the official introduction of the 2026 Model Y Premium Rear-Wheel Drive variant. The launch follows the domestic release of the three-row Model Y L six-seater last month, building out the automaker's direct-to-consumer retail strategy in the country.

The new rear-wheel-drive variant is priced at INR 50,89,000 (ex-showroom), with customer deliveries scheduled to commence in July 2026. To lower the barrier to entry for the premium electric segment, Tesla has paired the launch with a financing structure featuring a down payment of INR 600,000 and monthly EMI options starting from INR 39,990.

The Model Y Premium Rear-Wheel Drive relies on a rear-axle permanent magnet motor setup engineered for immediate torque response, including a claimed acceleration from zero to 100 kmph in 5.9 seconds, up to 500 km on a single charge under the WLTP testing cycle and 2,138 litres of total utility space accessible via power-folding rear seats.

The platform shares its structural safety architecture with the larger Model Y L variant. Both body configurations have secured maximum safety ratings from international crash-testing and safety evaluation authorities, including the NHTSA and IIHS in North America, Euro NCAP in Europe, ANCAP in Australia and New Zealand, and the C-IASI in China.

The interior of the Premium variant introduces hardware adjustments and revised aesthetics designed to elevate cabin ergonomics. The dashboard upgrades to a larger 16-inch first-row touchscreen console. The unit features a higher-resolution panel and an optimised user interface to speed up access to climate controls, navigation maps and media streaming.

The cabin debuts a standard all-black theme incorporating a blacked-out headliner and dark premium trim accents. Alternatively, buyers can configure the vehicle with a minimalist Zen Grey interior layout.

Tesla operates a direct-to-consumer retail and after-sales service model in India, bypassing traditional third-party dealership franchises. Orders are processed via the company's dedicated digital portal, supported by physical flagship locations. Active customer experience, service and delivery hubs include: Mumbai, Delhi, Gurugram and Bengaluru.

To support vehicle charging logistics, the company is deploying its Home Charging Program across all Indian states alongside continued investments into a localised, high-capacity public fast-charging network.

Isabel Fan, Senior Director at Tesla, said, “Tesla's mission is to build a world of amazing abundance. Tesla enables the use of electric vehicles by increasing the accessibility of Tesla technology and providing charging solutions around people’s lifestyles. Tesla will keep investing in the country to create a seamless EV experience in India, with more retail coverage, aftersales services and charging locations are coming soon."

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Kazam has introduced a seven-day programme to assist Charge Point Operators (CPOs) in connecting their existing networks to the Unified Bharat e-Charge (UBC) platform at no initial cost.

The initiative utilises Kazam’s Beckn Provider Platform to facilitate the onboarding of CPOs to the interoperability layer developed by the Ministry of Heavy Industries, BHEL and NPCI.

Unified Bharat e-Charge is designed to provide an open network that allows users to find charging stations, check availability, compare prices and manage payments through compatible applications. CPOs with OCPI-compatible systems can integrate their current management systems, applications, and pricing models into the network.

Akshay Shekhar, Co-Founder and CEO, Kazam, said, “India does not need every charging operator to build another consumer application. It needs every reliable charger to become accessible through an open and trusted network. Through this programme, we want to ensure that the cost of integration does not prevent capable CPOs from participating in Unified Bharat e-Charge. Kazam will provide the provider-side infrastructure so operators can connect their existing ecosystems without rebuilding them from the ground up.”.

Participating CPOs will receive support for network assessment, OCPI integration, protocol enablement, sandbox testing and transaction validation. By joining the network, operators can improve the discoverability of their charging stations while retaining control over their assets, pricing and customer relationships. Kazam is already live on the network, supporting transactions through BHIM and other participants.

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DRIVN and JBM Electric Vehicles (JBMEV) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deploy 500 electric buses across India over the next year. The initiative aims to support the adoption of electric commercial vehicles by offering integrated leasing, financing, maintenance and charging solutions.

The initial rollout will prioritise luxury intercity coaches, allowing fleet operators to transition to electric vehicles without large upfront capital investment. The partners intend to explore further collaborations in segments such as school transportation, employee mobility and airport transit.

Alpna Jain, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer, DRIVN, said, "Commercial fleet electrification requires an ecosystem that makes the transition both operationally seamless and financially viable. Our partnership with JBM Electric Vehicles combines technology leadership, EV ecosystem solutions and manufacturing excellence with an integrated leasing model to help fleet operators adopt electric buses with greater ease and confidence. By bringing together financing, fleet support and charging solutions, we are building a scalable pathway for accelerating commercial EV adoption across India."

Nishant Arya, Chairman, JBM Electric Vehicles, said, “India witnessed a growth of 40 percent in e-bus registrations in H1 CY2026 with 2,944 bus registrations across various states under the PM E-Bus Sewa and PM E-Drive schemes. This partnership with DRIVN comes in at an opportune time aptly complimenting the growing momentum in India’s e-bus deployment. At JBMEV, we believe that the transition to clean mobility must be both scalable and financially viable. By integrating our advanced electric bus technology with DRIVN’s innovative leasing and financing platform, this partnership is designed to unlock scalable adoption of e-mobility by addressing capital barriers and enabling a more sustainable, asset-light transition for fleet operators, corporates amongst others. This collaboration reinforces our commitment to building a future-ready, zero-emission mobility ecosystem while advancing India’s decarbonisation agenda.”

According to industry estimates, the Indian electric bus market is projected to reach USD 2.43 billion by 2030, with electric buses accounting for 4.5 percent of total bus sales in FY2026.

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VIDA, powered by Hero MotoCorp, has introduced the VIDA EVOOTER VX2 Plus 4.4 kWh at prices starting INR 143,990 (ex-showroom New Delhi).

The new variant features a total battery capacity of 4.4 kWh, delivered through two 2.2 kWh removable units, and provides an IDC-certified range of 187 km. The e-scooter comes with a 1 kW portable charger that can charge the battery from zero to 80 percent in 3 hours and 30 minutes, while DC fast charging provides the same level of charge in 65 minutes. The vehicle reaches a top speed of 90 kmph, supported by 6 kW of peak power and 26 Nm of torque. Features include three riding modes – Eco, Ride and Sports – as well as a 4.3-inch TFT display, smartphone integration, turn-by-turn navigation, OTA updates and 27.2 litres of under-seat storage.

Kausalya Nandakumar, Chief Business Officer, Emerging Mobility Business Unit, Hero MotoCorp, said, “Every innovation we drive is a direct reflection of our customers' needs. The demand for longer, uninterrupted journeys and faster charging is a critical requirement for EV adoption. With the VIDA EVOOTER VX2 Plus 4.4 kWh variant, we are offering a longer range that completely fulfills our riders' long-distance aspirations elevated by the first-in-industry 1kW portable charger. By expanding our portfolio to four distinct variants, we are ensuring that ‘GHAR GHAR EVOOTER’ isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, but a tailored choice backed by deep consumer trust and proven engineering durability.”

The launch follows an endurance test where the scooter completed a 12,111 km journey over 52 days, from Bengaluru to Delhi, earning the brand a place in the Asia Book of Records for the ‘Longest Journey by an Electric Scooter.’

VIDA is offering Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) plans to support the model, which will be available at dealerships nationwide by the end of July 2026.

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Chinese technology company Xiaomi EV has introduced the Sky Nomad, a series of reconfigurable SUVs designed to focus on cabin utility and occupant comfort.

While the company’s existing SU7 and YU7 series are designed for the driver, the Sky Nomad series is developed as a living space intended to adapt to different uses throughout the day, such as commuting, working from a parked vehicle or family travel.

The vehicle series is built on Xiaomi’s Kunlun Architecture, which supports a flat floor and a seating system that allows the interior to transition between driving, work and lounge configurations. The design integrates artificial intelligence and Xiaomi’s device ecosystem.

Lei Jun, Founder, Chairman and CEO, Xiaomi, said, "Our answer was to let intelligence define the space, to build a living interior that moves with you."

The Sky Nomad series is aimed at users who require a vehicle for a combination of daily commuting, family transport and work. The series was developed over three and a half years and is scheduled for launch in the Chinese mainland.

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