The narrower, bigger diameter tyres of electric vehicles are encouraging innovation around them. Supporting lower rolling resistance, the tyres are pushing suppliers and OEMs to explore new technological innovations. A leading German auto supplier for example has developed a ‘mechanical’ technology to ensure superior manoeuvring with near 180 degrees turn of the steered wheels. 
This is a development that could be applied to ICE rear-wheel drive vehicles as well. Even, light-duty commercial vehicles such as the Tata Ace/1000 or the Switch Iev3/Iev4 that are aimed at the last mile delivery segment were backing up into a tight parking spot or navigating through a narrow lane is part of the job. 
As designers and engineers toy with the idea of larger wheel wells and the ability of the steered – front – wheels to turn as much as 180 degrees, the use of narrower, bigger diameter tyres with low rolling resistance in electric vehicles is spurring yet another round of innovation, albeit as a part of the entire platform architecture that is rather software driven and subject to much virtual development in the interest of ‘time-to-market’ and a differentiated user experience. 
With over 14 million small electric vehicles sold in 2023 the world over, the push has been to develop tyres that enhance operation and performance. Provide a typical ‘family’ car the ability to transform into a sports car given the wave of high torque available from the word ‘go’ in an electric vehicle. 
With electric vehicle sales poised to increase 17.5 percent year-on-year globally to bridge 41.2 million units in 2029, electric vehicle tyres are expected to facilitate a further drop in rolling resistance while employing sustainable raw materials, technologies and manufacturing processes. 
A sustainable EV tire design should consider the whole lifecycle of the product. Tires can be composed of well over 100 different raw materials. These are mixed and the rubber compounds are machined resulting is several components of the tire construction. EV tires are expected to be stronger and lighter, with less rolling resistance due to its importance in CO2 emissions and fuel consumption. 
A key challenge being the development of tyre formulations for electric vehicles with the tread compound that is more resistant to abrasion, it is the instant torque availability that is necessitating tyres that may look like ICE vehicle tyres but are quite different in the way they handle traction and aid a longer drive range. There is the issue of kerb weight as well, not to overlook the new environmental pressures for durability and abrasion resistance. 
Interestingly, new opportunities are being created on the vehicle engineering and dynamics side as well as on the side of electric vehicle tyre development and manufacture. 
Starting with materials that are broadly classified as ‘renewable’ (can be sustained on time) and as ‘recycled’ (re-used and made from recovered end-of-life tyres), it is the tandem mixers that are producing more homogeneous rubber compounds, including tread compounds that employ optimised silica fillers.
Tyres for electric vehicles are demanding the use of triple or quadruple extruders for treads and sidewalls as per the vehicle weight, application and dynamics. Roller head or roller die units are also being used to produce inner liners as a single or multilayer sheet
In terms of textile coating of steel cord components in e-vehicle tyres, four-roll and Z-type calendars are used. Also, full tyre assembly machines that can produce tyres to tighter tolerances, higher specs such as superior uniformity and sans operator invention. 
With electric vehicle tyres and ICE vehicle tyres being tested and validated differently primarily because of the higher load bearing capacity and low rolling resistance, electric vehicle tyres are made up of a different (softer) rubber compound than regular tyres with an eye on less noise, mentioned a testing expert at an OEM that is increasingly producing electric vehicles in India. 
Pointing at an electric passenger vehicle the company launched in India recently, he averred, “Softer compounds are used to ensure less rolling noise and better transmission of torque from the motors to the road.” 
With finer tolerances in need, optical machine vision systems for end-of-line quality inspections, including new technologies such as X-rays to check steel belts, cords and bead reinforcement are increasingly used. 
They are used to check for air bubbles in inner liners as well. Advances in tyre design and manufacture include new developments in simulation software to model the performance of new designs quickly. This is without material input cots. 
AI is being increasingly used to ensure superior analysis. AI is also used to automate manufacturing process as part of Industry 4.0 workflows. 

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Zelio E-Mobility, an electric two-wheeler company, has opened its new manufacturing facility in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The company invested up to INR 10 million in the site.

The new plant will support its expansion in South India is spread across 39,000 sqft and will be used for assembly, storage and logistics operations. The facility has an annual production capacity of 60,000 units, increasing the company's total manufacturing capacity to 240,000 units per annum.

Production is expected to start with 24,000–30,000 units annually before scaling to meet market demand. The plant currently employs 30 workers, with plans to add over 100 personnel.

Kunal Arya, Managing Director, Zelio E-Mobility, said, “The launch of our Coimbatore facility marks a major milestone in Zelio E-Mobility’s growth journey. South India represents one of the most promising electric mobility markets in the country, and this expansion strengthens our ability to serve customers, dealers, and partners with greater speed and efficiency. This facility will play a crucial role in supporting our next phase of growth, improving supply chain responsiveness, and reinforcing our commitment to accelerating EV adoption across India.”

For FY2026, Zelio E-Mobility reported its revenue grew 81.8 percent YoY to INR 3.13 billion in FY2025–26, with a revenue CAGR of 121 percent over the past four years.

The company maintains a network of over 400 dealers across 25 states and intends to increase this to over 550 dealerships by FY2027.

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Renault Group has reached the milestone of producing one million electric vehicles in France. This achievement, spanning 15-years of manufacturing, reflects the company’s focus on the electric vehicle value chain within the country.

The company’s electric vehicle production began in 2010 with models such as the ZOE and Kangoo ZE. Production now includes light commercial vehicles like the Trafic Van E-Tech electric and the Master E-Tech electric. The group plans to introduce a Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) in the commercial segment with the launch of the New Trafic E-Tech electric in late 2026.

Francois Provost, CEO, Renault Group, said, “The milestone of one million electric vehicles produced by Renault Group in France is, above all, a source of collective pride: pride in our teams and suppliers who build them, pride in our customers who choose them, and pride in a Group that has made a long-term commitment to France. Since 2021, we have invested EUR 13 billion to build the electric vehicle value chain across our operations in France. Provided the right conditions are in place, we plan to invest a further EUR 13 billion as part of our mid-term plan, futuREady.”

In the industrial hub of Electricity, which encompasses sites in Douai and Maubeuge, the company has produced 600,000 electric vehicles. The Renault 5 E-Tech electric, produced at this hub, reached a production figure of 100,000 units by end-2025 and is projected to exceed 200,000 units this year. The Maubeuge facility also produces the Renault 4 E-Tech electric.

To support this growth, the hub has created 700 permanent jobs between 2022 and 2025, with an additional 300 positions expected by 2027. The northern production sites are multi-brand, manufacturing vehicles for Renault, Alpine, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Ford.

Beyond production, Renault Group has implemented an internal training programme called Reknow University, which has trained 53,000 employees in areas including electrification, battery technology, artificial intelligence, and the circular economy. The company notes that its electric vehicle operations support 35,000 indirect jobs within its supplier network.

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Axalta Coating Systems is participating in Prawaas 5.0, a passenger mobility summit held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from 9–11 July 2026. As a supplier of coatings to the bus and commercial vehicle sector, the company is using the event to discuss technology with manufacturers, body builders and operators.

The company is presenting its low-cure coatings, which are compatible with fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) substrates to support vehicle weight reduction. Other technologies on display include waterborne coatings designed to lower volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and heat-reflective coatings intended to reduce thermal load on electric buses.

Additionally, Axalta is showcasing a portfolio for electric buses that includes motor insulation and battery assembly materials.

Dr Prameela Susarla, Vice-President & MD, Axalta India, said, “Axalta is the global #1 provider of world-class coating solutions for commercial vehicles. Our sustainable coatings provide not only excellent finish and aesthetics but also best-in-class asset protection, durability and productivity in the paint shop, enabling low total cost of ownership for bus OEMs. We are committed to meeting the evolving needs of shared mobility and are excited to be a participant and driver in this critical infrastructure ecosystem. Our ambition is clear - to make Axalta the most trusted and preferred coatings partner for India's commercial vehicle industry."

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Toyota Motor North America has announced an investment of 3.6 billion USD in its plant in San Antonio, Texas. The project will add 2.5 million square feet to the campus and double its size by 2030. The expansion includes a second vehicle assembly line and will create 2,000 jobs, bringing the local workforce to approximately 6,000 people.

As part of this transition, the production of the Tacoma will move from the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Baja California plant to the Texas site over a four-year period. Once the expansion is complete, the San Antonio plant will assemble the Tundra, Sequoia, and Tacoma. The expansion will increase the annual production capacity of the plant by 150,000 units. Furthermore, the production of the Tacoma mid-size pickup will move from the Baja California plant in Mexico to the San Antonio facility over a period of four years.

Ted Ogawa, President and CEO, Toyota Motor North America, said, “Toyota’s continued investment in North America is a testament to our confidence in the region’s workforce, innovation and long-term growth potential. By expanding our San Antonio plant, we are deepening our commitment to American manufacturing, creating meaningful and sustainable jobs, while advancing our mission to deliver high-quality vehicles that meet the changing needs of customers today and into the future.”

Greg Abbott, Texas Governor, noted, “Texas is where the world builds bigger, and Toyota shows it once more with a USD 3.6 billion expansion in San Antonio that doubles their factory footprint and creates 2,000 new jobs. This Texas-sized investment reflects the strength of our workforce and the unmatched business advantages found only in our state. Supported by the Texas Enterprise Fund and JETI program, this expansion will deliver economic opportunities to generations of San Antonio families and further cement Texas as the premier destination for world-class advanced manufacturing.”

Frank Voss, group vice president of truck manufacturing at TMNA and president of Toyota Texas, added, “We are so proud of Team Texas and what they have accomplished over the past two decades. The 2,000 acres of South Texas ranchland our plant stands on today was purposefully selected for its ability to scale with vehicle demand, and today marks the first step toward realising that potential. We’re excited to add the beloved Tacoma to our existing award-winning lineup, and we thank the State of Texas, Bexar County and City of San Antonio for their longstanding support.”

This investment brings Toyota’s total spending at the San Antonio site to USD 8.3 billion since 2003. The facility currently supports 23 on-site suppliers and produced over 197,000 vehicles last year.

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