Axalta Coating Systems, a leading global coatings company, has announced Evergreen Sprint as its Global Automotive Color of the Year for 2025.

Axalta has been introducing its automotive colour of the year for 11 years, and this is the second time that a green hue has been highlighted. Evergreen Sprint honours the renowned British racing green, a hue that has adorned the best racing vehicles and represents performance and speed. It is a deep, rich forest green. Axalta's newest hue is ideal for all car types because it combines the excitement of motorsport with a hint of refinement for sedans and SUVs.

Dan Benton, Global Color Marketing Director, Axalta, said, “This striking hue revs up our global automotive colour of the year. Evergreen Sprint stands out on the road and evokes the spirit of competition and adventure. The dynamic colour is sure to attract the hearts of passionate drivers.”

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The Indian automotive retail sales has grown 13 percent YoY with 29.6 million vehicles sold across segments in FY2026, as compared to 26.1 million units a year ago. Barring the construction equipment segment (-12 percent YoY), all segments clocked a healthy double-digit growth as per the latest data shared by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA India).

Sales data for March 2026 points out to a robust 25.28 percent YoY growth with 2.69 million vehicles sold, as compared to 2.14 million units sold a year ago. The growth was seen across the two-wheeler segment (+28.69 percent YoY), three-wheelers (+10.52 percent YoY), passenger vehicle (+21.48 percent YoY), tractor (+10.87 percent YoY) and commercial vehicle (+15.12 percent YoY).

On the other hand, the e-rickshaw (passenger) and construction equipment industry reported a negative growth of 19.73 percent YoY and 16.17 percent YoY, respectively.

For FY2026, the two-wheeler sales came at 21.4 million units, an uptick of 13 percent YoY, as compared to 18.8 million units sold a year ago. Three-wheeler sales came at 1.36 million, up 12 percent YoY, as compared to 1.22 million units sold a year ago.

Interestingly, passenger vehicle sales grew by 13 percent YoY with 4.7 million units sold, as compared to 4.16 million units sold in FY2025. The tractor industry surpassed 1 million units with 1.05 million sold up 19 percent YoY, as compared to 882,825 units sold last year.  

C S Vigneshwar, President, FADA, said: “FY 2025-26 has been a landmark year for Indian auto retail — delivering an all-time high of 2,96,71,064 units with a broad-based 13.30 percent YoY growth that saw 5 of 6 vehicle categories set new annual records. This is not just a number — it represents the industry approaching the 3-crore mark, a milestone that would have seemed distant just two years ago. What makes this year particularly significant is that the growth was structurally sound, underpinned by improving affordability, widening mobility demand across urban and rural India, and a diversifying powertrain mix.”

He further pointed out that the sales performance for the year was not linear. “The first five months (April through August) were a period of measured momentum, with monthly growth ranging between 2 percent and 5 percent as the market navigated residual caution from the previous year’s sluggish inventory cycle, selective financing constraints and consumer wait-and-watch behaviour in anticipation of policy clarity. During this phase, enquiries remained tentative, conversions stayed uneven and the dealer community exercised understandable restraint,” he explained.

GST Rationalisation 

The FADA president highlights that the turning point arrived in September with the implementation of GST 2.0, which meaningfully reduced the effective tax burden on mass-segment two-wheelers, small cars, three-wheelers and select commercial categories – improved real affordability at a time when the consumer was already positioned to respond.

“From September onwards, we witnessed a clear inflection: the festive convergence of Navratri and Diwali in October delivered an all-time record monthly retail of over 4 million units, and the momentum carried through the remainder of the year. January, February, and March 2026 each registered strong double-digit YoY growth, validating that the upshift was not merely festive but structural,” he said.

The retail sales highlights in FY2026 for the automotive industry include – two-wheeler retails reaching pre-pandemic peaks. Passenger vehicles crossed the 4.7-million mark for the first time, growing by 13 percent. This was supported by a shift towards SUVs and alternative powertrains.

Tractor sales at record high surpassing million-unit mark for the first time due to a strong monsoon and improved farm economics.

Commercial vehicles too surpassed the million-unit mark with 11.74 percent growth, led by infrastructure demand.

Three-wheelers set a third consecutive annual record with 11.68 percent growth, where electric vehicle (EV) penetration now exceeds 60 percent.

The shift towards cleaner energy deepened throughout the year. Total EV retails reached 2.45 million units, a 24.63 percent expansion. EV market share rose to 6.54 percent in two-wheelers and 4.25 percent in passenger vehicles. CNG also strengthened its position, accounting for 21.98 percent of PV sales.

Inventory management for passenger vehicles improved, with stock levels correcting from over 50 days to approximately 28 days by March 2026. This healthily aligns wholesale dispatches with actual ground demand.

Outlook and Risks

The auto retailer body has maintained a cautiously positive outlook for FY2027, with 74.72 percent of dealers expecting growth for the full year. However, the industry is monitoring risks including the geopolitical situation in West Asia, which has caused supply disruptions for 53.2 percent of dealers. Rising fuel prices and potential logistics delays remain primary concerns for the near term.

FADA hence remains constructively cautious — structurally optimistic but operationally watchful for the next three months.

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Alpine has appointed Massimo Fumarola as Vice President Strategy & Product Performance, with effect from 1 April 2026. He will become a member of the Alpine Management Committee and report directly to CEO Philippe Krief. Fumarola replaces Sovany Ang, who is moving to a new position elsewhere within Renault Group.

Bringing more than three decades of international automotive experience, Fumarola has deep knowledge in product and portfolio strategy, project management, product development and premium brands. His career includes leadership roles at IVECO, CNH Industrial, Ferrari, Audi, Lamborghini and most recently as CEO of Morgan Motor Company, where he led that brand’s strategic turnaround.

Since joining Renault Group in 2025, he has served as Director of Renault Couture while also handling broader product and project management duties. In his new capacity, Fumarola will shape Alpine’s long‑term plans and product strategy, ensuring that brand identity, technological advances, market trends and future vehicle development remain closely aligned.

Holding a Master’s in Engineering of Industrial Technologies from Politecnico di Milano and an MBA from Cranfield University, Fumarola combines technical grounding with strategic leadership, international perspective and P&L experience. His background in high‑performance, premium and luxury vehicles will be crucial as Alpine pursues its goal of becoming a distinctive electric brand focused on performance.

Krief said, “First of all, I would like to thank warmly Sovany for her dedication, commitment and support over the last years, it has been a pleasure to collaborate with her and her team. While I wish her all the best, I will not forget her and she is now next door. I am now looking forward to working closer with Massimo. His solid expertise combining product, strategic vision and customer experience with high-end sportscars brands will certainly help us to deploy our new strategy and future product portfolio. Massimo is joining at an exciting time for the brand, as we are just starting to unveil our Alpine Performance Platform, which will be our strongest asset for our upcoming product range.”

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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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Volvo Group, Daimler Truck and Toyota Motor Corporation have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate within the fuel cell joint venture, cellcentric.

As per the understanding, Toyota intends to acquire an equal shareholding in the entity alongside the two founding partners. The collaboration aims to accelerate the development, production and commercialisation of fuel cell systems for heavy-duty vehicles and stationary applications.

Toyota and cellcentric plan to jointly manage the production of fuel cell unit cells, which serve as the core component of the power systems, along with related control elements and architecture.

The partners intend for cellcentric to operate as an autonomous centre of competence. While the three companies will collaborate on the underlying technology and hydrogen infrastructure, they will remain independent competitors in all other areas of their respective businesses.

The agreement focuses on achieving the scale required to make hydrogen a viable energy source for decarbonising the transport sector. The partners aim to support the broader hydrogen value chain, aligning with the objectives of the European Green Deal and the Hydrogen Society Act in Japan.

The transaction is not expected to have a significant impact on the financial position of the Volvo Group. The final legally binding agreement remains subject to approval by relevant boards and regulatory authorities.

Martin Lundstedt, President and CEO, Volvo Group, said, “We are thrilled to explore this collaboration with Toyota, so that we through cellcentric can accelerate and create critical mass for hydrogen applications. This is an important signal to customers, suppliers, and others in the ecosystem. Given the importance of accelerating the transformation into net-zero transportation, the need of great companies coming together and collaborating is more important than ever. Welcoming Toyota onboard will be a big leap towards realising decarbonisation of our industries.”

Karin Radstrom, President & CEO, Daimler Truck, said, “We are proud that Toyota plans to join cellcentric as a shareholder. This will enable us to strengthen development and further scale hydrogen technology, which we believe must complement battery-electric drives in decarbonising transport.”

Koji Sato, President and CEO, Toyota Motor Corporation, noted, “We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to soon be joining Daimler Truck and Volvo Group as partners in building a hydrogen society. Cellcentric which possess deep expertise in commercial fields together with Toyota ‘s over 30 years of fuel-cell development in the passenger car sector, can combine their strengths to deliver one of the world-leading fuel cell systems for heavy commercial vehicles. Toyota will continue to contribute to realising a hydrogen society alongside like-minded partners.”

Nicholas Loughlan, Managing Director, cellcentric, added, “We are extremely proud that Toyota is intending to join as a shareholder of cellcentric - a great sign of trust in our company from one of the world‘s leading automotive companies. Together, in this new set-up, we look forward to seizing the opportunity to significantly improve our company across the entire value chain.”

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