Arranged in one corner of Hall 6 of Pragati Maidan in the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 was an air-taxi called Shunya. Developed by Sarla Aviation, a Bengaluru-based startup, the air-taxi attracted a good deal of crowd, reflecting a new and future mode of transport or mobility.

The Shunya air-taxi prototype could facilitate a new mode of mobility much like a radio-taxi does to travel between Mumbai and Pune; between Mumbai and Kalyan; between Delhi and Jaipur or between Delhi and Meerut, for example.

Intending to launch the electric air-taxi in Bengaluru by 2028 to become the first to introduce urban air transport in India, Sarla Aviation (the company’s name is inspired by Sarla Thakral, India’s first female pilot) is steadfastly focusing on an indigenous design and manufacture since the beginning of the operations.

A testament to Sarla Aviation’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, the Shunya air-taxi proto has been designed to execute short trips of 20 to 30 kms with speeds of up to 250 kmph with up to six passengers onboard. As the first eVTOL of its kind in the country, it marks a pivotal moment in the history of Indian civil aviation, showcasing the nation’s growing prowess in cutting-edge aerospace technologies.

Capable of carrying a maximum load of 680 kg, according to a source aware of the development, the air-taxi offers a market-leading payload capacity such that every passenger can bring his or her luggage. The luggage is conveniently stored in the rear of Shunya with exterior access for ease.

Prioritising safety, purpose-driven performance and accessibility, Shunya – poised to redefine mass transportation – can take off from any flat surface, whether on top of a building or in a rural area, making it the most infrastructure-efficient mode of mass mobility ever, according to the company.

Working on a strategy that will see Shunya facilitate efficient commuting in megacities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi and Pune, Sarla Aviation is also looking at how its offering could facilitate social commitments in the form of an air ambulance that reaches where no vehicle or other means of mobility is able to reach. An air ambulance could also be used in urban and semi-urban areas to beat the road congestion.

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British construction equipment manufacturer JCB has announced capital investments across its manufacturing footprint and a leadership transition following the establishment of a land speed record using its hydrogen combustion technology.

George Bamford will become Joint Chairman alongside his father, Lord Bamford, marking the first leadership change at the top of the company in over 50 years.

The company reported its financial results for 2025, with sales turnover reaching GBP 5.7 billion (USD 7.62 billion), compared to GBP 5.8 billion (USD 7.67 billion) in 2024. Profit before tax stood at GBP 642 million (USD 858 million), down from GBP 687.3 million (USD 900 million) the previous year, while total machine sales reached 113,498 units against 119,848 units in 2024. The business maintains zero net borrowings.

Furthermore, JCB has announced a capital expenditure of GBP 100 million (USD 133 million) to modernise its headquarters in Rocester, Staffordshire, including a GBP 60 million (USD 80 million) automated powder paint plant and shop floor upgrades.

In North America, JCB will open a one-million-square-foot manufacturing plant in San Antonio, Texas, next month, which will produce Loadall telescopic handlers and access equipment while adding 1,500 jobs over five years.

In technology development, JCB is producing hydrogen combustion engines following a GBP 100 million (USD 133 million) research program. The technology was demonstrated at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, where the JCB Hydromax vehicle, powered by two Derbyshire-manufactured hydrogen engines and driven by Wing Commander Andy Green, achieved a speed of 406.320 mph (653.909 kmph).

Lord Bamford, Chairman of JCB, said, “Last year JCB celebrated its 80th birthday and, as we look ahead, we are investing heavily in the future of the business – from the transformation of our Staffordshire headquarters and pioneering hydrogen technology, to our new factory in Texas. As part of that next chapter, I’m delighted that my son George will become Joint Chairman of JCB. We have never been a company that stands still, and these investments will ensure JCB is well placed to seize the opportunities ahead.”

George Bamford, Joint Chairman of JCB, said, "From the day my grandfather founded JCB in 1945, innovation and investment in Great Britain has been at the heart of everything we do. JCB Hydromax showed the world what British engineering can achieve. That same spirit is in every machine we build. While JCB has expanded globally over the years, our home has always been here, and the record investment we are making in our facilities and in new products is good news for Britain and good news for JCB."

Graeme Macdonald, CEO, JCB, said, “While 2025 was a more challenging year with mixed market conditions around the world, JCB delivered a robust performance overall. Machine sales were down by around 5 percent, but turnover remained broadly stable due to a more favourable market and product mix. Despite nil market growth in North America and a 12 percent market contraction in India – both important markets for JCB – we increased our global market share during 2025, which is an encouraging result. The overall outlook for 2026 is for moderate growth, despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, and with new capacity coming on stream in Texas and Staffordshire we are well placed to take advantage of it."

The company also expanded its educational intake, receiving 708 applications for 314 places at the JCB Academy for the September intake, while adding 116 apprentices and graduates to its workforce from over 6,300 applicants.

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Trev Mobility, an electric mobility platform, has appointed Ayush Agrawal as Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer. He joins the company from Shoffr, where he served as Chief Operating Officer, and will manage operations and market expansion alongside Founder and Chief Executive Officer Naveen Gupta.

The appointment coincides with Trev's expansion from city transit into long-haul and intercity electric vehicle operations across new regional markets. From an initial fleet of two electric vehicles, Trev now operates over 100 electric vehicles, having completed 60,000 rides and entered Jaipur as its first market outside Delhi-NCR.

In his new role, Agrawal will oversee fleet deployment, vehicle utilisation, chauffeur operations, regional management teams and service delivery systems.

Naveen Gupta said, “India’s EV ecosystem is moving into a phase where the conversation has to go beyond putting more electric vehicles on the road. The next opportunity is to build operating models that can make EVs work reliably across different use cases, including long-haul and intercity mobility. Ayush brings valuable experience from building and operating a chauffeur-driven fleet business, along with a strong understanding of fleet economics, utilisation and on-ground operations. That experience will be important as we build Trev’s next phase. Together, we want to create an operating model that can demonstrate how EV mobility can scale reliably across cities and longer-distance journeys, while maintaining the level of service and customer experience that Trev is built around.”

Trev provides airport transfers, city transit, chauffeur rentals, corporate travel, and outstation mobility using an all-electric fleet. The company is developing standard operating processes covering vehicle uptime, charging schedules, route planning, chauffeur management, and service consistency across intercity corridors.

Ayush Agrawal said, “Having worked on the fleet operations side of chauffeur-driven mobility, I have seen how much the success of an EV fleet depends on what happens beyond the vehicle itself. Utilisation, charging, chauffeur deployment, route planning and service consistency all become critical as the distance and complexity of journeys increase. Trev has an opportunity to build this operating model with EVs at the centre, particularly across long-haul and intercity travel, and I am excited to work with Naveen and the team on building that at scale.”

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Arete 22 Limited, an integrated precision aluminium mobility solutions provider, has submitted its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) as it moves towards an initial public offering. The proposed issue consists of fresh equity shares with a face value of INR 10 each, aggregating up to INR 440 crore.

The company intends to deploy the net proceeds across several priorities. Working capital requirements would receive INR 150 crore, while INR 120 crore would go towards full or partial repayment and prepayment of certain borrowings. Approximately INR 34.82 crore has been earmarked for plant and machinery at existing manufacturing facilities, with the balance directed to general corporate purposes.

Incorporated in February 2021, Arete 22 acquired Unicast Autotech Private Limited in 2026. The company manufactures aluminium alloy wheels and precision aluminium high-pressure die-cast components for automotive original equipment manufacturers. Its core business centres on alloy wheels for motorcycles and scooters, while Unicast produces high-pressure die-cast components for engines, transmissions, powertrains and structural uses.

Operating on a business-to-business basis, Arete 22 supplies directly to two-wheeler OEM customers under a build-to-print model, producing wheels according to designs and specifications set by buyers. Two alloy wheel plants support this output: a Bilaspur, Haryana, facility with 3.60 million wheels of annual installed capacity and a Kolar, Karnataka, site with 2.40 million, together totalling 6.00 million wheels and spanning roughly 27,042 square metres near major automotive clusters.

Revenue distribution has widened considerably. Karnataka led in Fiscal 2026 at INR 144.29 crore, or 26.82 percent, followed by Tamil Nadu at INR 119.47 crore, Haryana at INR 110.85 crore and Uttarakhand at INR 91.60 crore. Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan added INR 37.00 crore and INR 33.16 crore, respectively, a marked change from Fiscal 2024 when Tamil Nadu alone represented 76.85 percent.

Financial and operational metrics have climbed sharply. SKUs expanded from 9 to 49 between Fiscal 2024 and Fiscal 2026, wheels sold rose from 745,000 to 3,179,000 units and revenue per wheel grew from INR 1,457.58 to INR 1,671.46. Revenue from operations reached INR 537.95 crore from INR 112.46 crore, while profit after tax rose to INR 44.97 crore from INR 2.92 crore and EBITDA to INR 94.68 crore from INR 13.79 crore. Unistone Capital Private Limited is banker to the issue, with Bigshare Services Private Limited as registrar.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has released its Sustainability Report 2026, titled 'Progress that Powers Everyone', outlining the company's environment, social and governance (ESG) performance and manufacturing operations in India.

The report was presented by Ramalinga Reddy, Minister of Forest, Ecology & Environment for the Government of Karnataka, alongside B. Padmanabha, Senior Executive Vice President of Manufacturing at Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

In its product operations, the company maintains a multi-pathway powertrain strategy encompassing hybrid electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles, hydrogen technologies and alternative fuels. Hybrid models from Toyota represent approximately 80 percent of total hybrid vehicle sales in India, while the company introduced the Urban Cruiser Ebella as its first battery electric vehicle in the domestic market.

In manufacturing operations, Toyota Kirloskar Motor operated its facilities using 100 percent renewable electricity for the fifth consecutive year, eliminating Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions. The company reported avoiding over 594,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions since FY2012-13, while recycling more than 95 percent of manufacturing waste and sourcing over 90 percent of its operational water through recycling and rainwater harvesting.

Ramalinga Reddy said, "Environmental protection cannot remain confined to policies alone; it must become a habit that is reflected in the choices we make every day. Whether it is conserving water, reducing waste, adopting clean energy or preserving biodiversity, every effort counts. Industries have a significant role in leading this transformation because their actions influence people, communities and future generations. TKM's Sustainability Report 2026 is a reminder that sustained commitment and collective action are essential for building a greener and more resilient India."

B Padmanabha said, "At Toyota, sustainability is an integral part of how we create value for society. Guided by the Toyota Way and our commitment to ‘Producing /spreading Happiness for All', we continue to balance sustainable business growth with environmental stewardship and social progress. This Sustainability Report reflects the collective efforts of our employees, suppliers, dealers, and partners in advancing carbon reduction, resource efficiency, community development, and responsible governance. While we are encouraged by the progress made, we remain committed to continuous improvement and to contributing to a cleaner, safer, and more prosperous future for all. We believe that true success lies not only in making ever-better products, but in creating lasting value for society and future generations."

On human capital and community development, Toyota Kirloskar Motor trained over 140,000 individuals through the Toyota Technical Training Institute and partnerships with 120 Industrial Training Institutes and 30 Government Tool Room & Training Centres. During FY2025-26, the company allocated over INR 1,047 million towards corporate social responsibility initiatives covering education, healthcare, sanitation, water conservation, road safety and environmental restoration.

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