Agratas, the Tata group’s global battery business, has completed the steel frame at its Sanand site in India. This achievement brings the site significantly closer to operational readiness and confirms that the production is on track to begin in 2027.

The completed steel frame measures 700 metres in length, 150 metres in width and reaches 34 metres at its highest point, covering a built-up area of 105,000 square metres. More than 24,000 tonnes of steel were used in the main structure, while work on associated buildings advances in parallel. Tata Projects Limited is executing the project with support from Tata Consulting Engineers and multiple steel contractors. All steel and the majority of other materials have been sourced from across India, strengthening domestic supply chains and reducing import dependence, with sustainability integrated into the design and construction approach.

India has committed to net zero emissions by 2070 and set a target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 2030, requiring rapid acceleration in electric mobility and grid scale energy storage supported by a robust domestic supply of advanced battery cells. The Sanand facility will have an annual capacity of 20 GWh in its first phase, producing advanced battery cells for electric vehicles and energy storage applications once operational. This will enable a faster and more affordable transition away from fossil fuels while positioning India as a key player in the global battery value chain.

Beyond manufacturing, the Sanand plant is expected to generate widespread employment across production, maintenance, quality assurance, engineering and technical roles. Agratas is also investing in local workforce development, building a pipeline of skilled professionals to support India’s emerging battery ecosystem and its position in the global value chain.

Sudhir Ghalsasi, Vice President – Capital Delivery, Agratas, said, “This milestone reflects the scale, complexity and pace of execution at Sanand. In a dynamic and evolving environment, translating detailed designs into on-ground reality comes with its own set of challenges. What began as a vision is now taking shape through strong collaboration, disciplined execution and a shared commitment across teams. Together with our partners, we’ve turned our plans into tangible progress, building a future-ready facility that will deliver long-term value.”

Deepak Khare, Vice President – Manufacturing Operations, Agratas, said, “Completing the steel frame at Sanand marks an important step in our journey towards operational readiness. As we move forward, our focus is on building the systems, processes and capabilities required to deliver reliable, world-class batteries made in India for the world while developing a highly skilled workforce to support safe and high-quality manufacturing.”

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Chennai-headquartered electric vehicle company Raptee.HV has opened an electric mobility Centre of Excellence at Rajalakshmi Engineering College, establishing an industry-academia partnership focused on electric vehicle technology.

The new facility, inaugurated on World EV Day, is spread across 3,000 square feet and will operate under the Raptee.HV Academy initiative will introduce industrial exposure and prototyping tools to academic institutions.

The project represents an INR 5 million investment and accompanies a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Raptee.HV and Rajalakshmi Engineering College. The agreement covers industrial training, site visits, guest lectures, internships, academic courses and research projects.

It is designed for students across electrical, electronics and automotive engineering; the laboratory contains a Raptee.HV T30 motorcycle, core electric vehicle components, a stripped motorcycle fitted with digital twin technology and equipment for testing battery packs, electric motors, power electronics, charging systems, vehicle communications and diagnostics.

Dinesh Arjun, Co-Founder and CEO, Raptee.HV, said, "The next generation of mobility will be built by engineers who understand the machine from the cell to the software. But you cannot build that understanding from a classroom alone. You have to get your hands dirty, take systems apart, question how they work, experiment and build again. The HV Lab is our attempt to bring that experience into engineering education. If even a few students walk out of this lab wanting to build the next great EV technology, we have done our job."

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Zuno General Insurance has launched Fuel Guard, a car insurance add-on offering financial protection against component damage caused by manufacturer-approved blended fuels.

The policy addition targets private motor vehicles in India as alternative and blended fuel adoption expands across the country. The coverage applies to specified engine and fuel-system parts in cases of accidental or unforeseen damage arising directly from approved blended fuel use.

At present, the insurance cover eligibility is restricted to private cars registered on or after 1 April 2023, provided the vehicle manufacturer has endorsed the specific fuel blend used. Vehicle owners must adhere to the manufacturer's prescribed maintenance schedule without making unauthorised modifications to the engine or fuel system. Fuel Guard can be added to private car package policies, standalone own-damage coverage, bundled options and three-year long-term policies.

Shanai Ghosh, Managing Director and CEO, Zuno General Insurance, said, "At its core, Fuel Guard is built around a simple idea: as the mobility ecosystem evolves, insurance protection needs to evolve with it. At Zuno, we continuously look at how changes in mobility are shaping customer expectations and ownership experiences. Fuel Guard reflects our effort to translate those insights into simple, practical solutions that make protection more relevant in everyday life."

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Japanese automotive major Honda has become the first company globally to earn a five-star rating in the products and services category of the FIA Road Safety Index. The award was presented at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza during the FIA Formula One Italian Grand Prix.

The FIA Road Safety Index measures organisational impacts on road safety across operations, supply chains, products and services. The FIA expanded the index from a 3-star to a 5-star framework, introducing modules for planning, performance monitoring, safety culture management and supply chain or product coverage.

To qualify for the updated framework, Honda expanded its assessment scope to cover 17 countries, representing over 90 percent of its global motorcycle and automobile sales volume. The evaluation reviewed Honda's safety governance, global fatality tracking, safety technology deployment and traffic safety data disclosures. The company maintains targets to halve traffic collision fatalities involving its vehicles per 10,000 units sold by 2030 compared to 2020 levels, with a long-term goal to eliminate traffic collision fatalities by 2050.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA, said, “Road safety remains one of the world’s most urgent challenges, and no single organisation or sector can address it alone. Progress depends on action at scale across the public and private sectors, uniting all stakeholders around our shared goal of saving lives on the road. The FIA has an important role to play in accelerating that change for road users worldwide. Alongside our work with companies, we encourage governments to consider how the FIA Road Safety Index methodology can support regulatory compliance frameworks and strengthen road safety standards globally. We aim to build a shared culture in which road safety is recognised as a fundamental responsibility. I congratulate Honda on leading the way and becoming the first organisation to receive five stars.”

Willem Groenewald, FIA Secretary General for Automobile Mobility, Sustainability and Tourism, said, “The expansion of the FIA Road Safety Index to five stars marks an important step in our ambition to make road safety a measurable and accountable part of corporate decision-making. Organisations worldwide have a significant influence on road safety through their operations, employees, products, services and supply chains. With this expanded methodology, they can not only understand that impact more broadly, but set targets, measure progress, showcase in-depth commitment and continuously improve their performance. Honda becoming the first organisation to achieve the new five-star rating demonstrates the level of ambition we want the Index to inspire. We hope this milestone will encourage many more organisations across the public and private sectors to measure their road safety footprint and take concrete action to save lives.”

Mikihito Kojima, Assistant Vice-President and General Manager of Traffic Safety Promotion Operations, Honda Motor Co, said, “We are deeply honoured that Honda safety initiatives have received the 5-Star rating, the highest recognition in the FIA Road Safety Index. At Honda, our goal goes beyond delivering safer products. We look to the safety of each and every customer who uses our products, and everyone sharing the road around them. Through the advancement of our safety technologies, activities to promote safe driving and riding practices, and a clearer understanding of how traffic collisions occur so that we can keep improving, we work to reduce the number of traffic collisions themselves. The FIA Road Safety Index brings visibility to corporate road safety efforts, and has given us a clearer view of where we stand today and of what we need to address next. We see this recognition as an important milestone on the way to our challenging goal of achieving zero traffic collision fatalities involving Honda motorcycles and automobiles globally by 2050, and we will continue to take on that challenge. We also hope that the FIA Road Safety Index will encourage broader commitment to road safety among companies and organisations worldwide beyond individual companies and industries, helping to drive road safety forward across society.”

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French automotive major Renault Group has appointed Jean-Pierre Diernaz as Vice-President Renault Brand Global Marketing and Chief Branding Officer for all group brands, effective 14th September.

In his dual role, Diernaz will lead marketing activities for the Renault brand while directing the strategy for the group’s brand portfolio, which includes Renault, Dacia and Alpine.

As Vice-President of Renault Brand Global Marketing, Diernaz will oversee marketing operations with a focus on integrating digital systems, data analytics, artificial intelligence and performance management tools into customer engagement strategies. His mandate forms part of the group's futuREady strategic plan, which aims to drive electrification in European markets and expand sales presence across international territories. In his capacity as Chief Branding Officer across all brands, he will manage the market positioning and distinction of each individual badge within the Renault Group portfolio.

Diernaz comes with over 25 years of automotive industry experience. He began his career at Ford before moving to Nissan in 2005, where he held leadership positions including Advertising Director Europe and Vice-President, Marketing & Digital Europe, alongside executive roles at Infiniti.

In 2019, he joined automotive digital transformation firm MotorK as Chief Strategy Officer. Prior to his appointment at Renault, he served at General Motors Europe as Chief Marketing Officer and subsequently as President and Managing Director.

Fabrice Cambolive, CEO Renault Brand and Chief Growth Officer of Renault Group, said, "Jean-Pierre Diernaz is joining Renault at a pivotal moment. Over the past few years, we have embarked on a profound transformation, and our ambition is now to go even further: harnessing the power of the brand, customer insights and new technologies to deliver stronger and more sustainable growth. Jean-Pierre will be responsible for continuing the work already underway to strengthen our ability to create emotion, desire and brand preference. He will also make a decisive contribution to the evolution of our marketing activities by further integrating data, AI and new performance management tools. His ability to combine creativity and digital innovation in service of the business, together with his international perspective, will be essential to sustaining the momentum around electrification in Europe, supporting our development in international markets and contributing to the implementation of the futuREady plan."

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