Bengaluru-based electric motorcycle manufacturer Ultraviolette has announced that the prices for select variants of its flagship model, the F77 MACH 2, will be increased by up to five percent with effect from 1 January 2025. The starting price of the model will remain at INR 299,000.

Rising input costs and changing market conditions are the main reasons for this price change. Until 31 December 2024, Ultraviolette is offering a year-end discount of up to INR 14,000 on the F77 Mach 2 and Mach 2 Recon.

With a powertrain that produces 40.2 horsepower and 100 Nm of torque, the F77 Mach 2 redefines electric performance. It can accelerate from 0 to 60 kph in just 2.8 seconds. It has a 10.3 kWh battery and can go 323 kilometres in IDC on a single charge. The motorbike has several features, including a switchable traction control system, different ride modes, LED illumination and a TFT instrument cluster with Bluetooth connection.

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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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German luxury automotive brand BMW India has launched the locally produced i5 Long Wheelbase (LWB) electric sedan, priced at INR 7.96 million ex-showroom.

The EV is produced at the BMW Group Plant Chennai and represents BMW’s first locally assembled electric sedan in the country. A First Edition variant, limited to 99 units featuring select interior trims and rear-seat tablet mounts, was offered at the same introductory price point and sold out prior to the official announcement.

The i5 Long Wheelbase measures 5,175 mm in length, 2,156 mm in width and 1,520 mm in height, with a 3,105 mm wheelbase.

On the outside, it features an illuminated contour surround for the front grille, adaptive LED headlights, flush-mounted door handles and 20-inch alloy wheels. The cabin incorporates a dual-tone vegan leather interior, a curved digital display combining a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and 14.9-inch control screen, four-zone climate control, a panoramic glass roof and a Bowers & Wilkins sound system.

The powertrain features a single electric motor outputting 268 hp and 410 Nm of torque, enabling zero to 100 kmph acceleration in 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 195 kmph. Powered by an 81.6 kWh gross capacity battery pack, the model records a range of up to 669 kilometres under MIDC testing protocols. Charging capabilities include up to 11 kW AC home charging via an included wallbox unit and up to 160 kW DC fast charging, which replenishes the battery from 10 to 80 percent in just 33 minutes.

The EV comes with standard adaptive rear-axle air suspension, variable driving modes, and driver assistance systems such as adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, automated parking assistance and collision warning systems.

BMW is offering a two-year unlimited-kilometre standard warranty, alongside an 8-year or 160,000-kilometre warranty covering the high-voltage battery.

Hardeep Singh Brar, President and CEO, BMW Group India, said, “The first-ever BMW i5 Long Wheelbase is more than a new model launch; it is a defining statement of our India strategy. As our first locally produced electric sedan, it brings together the two strongest pillars of our future growth: electrification and long wheelbase luxury. Purpose-built for the expectations of Indian customers, it showcases our growing local manufacturing capabilities while reinforcing BMW's leadership in sustainable mobility. With its commanding presence, cutting-edge electric technology and class-leading rear-seat comfort, the BMW i5 Long Wheelbase is equally rewarding to drive and to be driven in. It seamlessly combines signature BMW driving dynamics with first-class chauffeur-driven luxury, creating an experience unlike any other in its segment. The first-ever BMW i5 Long Wheelbase sets a new benchmark for the modern executive sedan and redefines what customers can expect from electric luxury mobility. We are not entering a segment; we are creating one.”

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LG Energy Solution and a research team led by Professor Jongwoo Lim from Seoul National University’s Department of Chemistry have identified operating protocols that suppress gas generation in lithium manganese-rich (LMR) batteries.

The findings, published in the academic journal Nature Communications, address structural stability challenges in large-format cells for electric vehicles.

LMR cathode materials substitute cobalt with manganese to lower raw material costs while maintaining energy density through transition metal and oxygen energy storage mechanisms.

During charge and discharge cycles, incomplete oxygen reduction damages the internal cathode structure and releases gas. In large-format vehicle cells with restricted internal volume, gas accumulation increases internal pressure and reduces cell longevity.

The joint study analysed oxygen redox behaviour across varied voltage parameters, determining that oxygen reversibility depends on both upper charging limits and lower discharge thresholds. Lowering the upper charge limit from 4.6 V to 4.3 V increased the reduction of oxidized oxygen from 86 percent to 97 percent. Reducing the discharge cutoff voltage from 3.0 V to 2.0 V enabled oxygen to return to its initial state.

Using these measurements, LG Energy Solution adjusted the voltage parameters and formation process conditions for 40 Ah-class large-format LMR cells, introducing a lower-temperature formation phase. Following protocol modifications, test cells retained 92.2 percent of initial energy capacity after 883 charge and discharge cycles while maintaining suppressed gas evolution.

Professor Jongwoo Lim of Seoul National University, said, “This study identified the causes of degradation in LMR batteries from the perspective of oxygen reversibility and demonstrated that cell stability can be improved through electrochemical protocol design alone. We confirmed that achieving long-term stability in LMR batteries requires comprehensive consideration of not only charging conditions but also discharge conditions.”

An LG Energy Solution spokesperson said, “This research addresses one of the key challenges facing LMR batteries. It demonstrates that stable battery life can be secured even in large-format cells by effectively suppressing gas generation, providing an important foundation for growth in the next-generation LMR battery market.”

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