Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Rolls Out 500,000th Engine From Chakan Plant
- By MT Bureau
- March 14, 2025
European auto major Skoda Auto Volkswagen India has achieved a new milestone in its India journey. The company recently rolled out the 500,000th Made-in-India engine from its Chakan facility in Maharashtra.
The facility currently has a manufacturing capacity of around 189,000 vehicles per annum. It manufactures vehicles for both Skoda and Volkswagen brands in India and also plays a key role in the Volkswagen Group’s export strategy. The company has invested significantly towards localising the TSI technology for the Indian market.

Andreas Dick, Skoda Auto Board Member for Production and Logistics, said, "Producing 500,000 engines at our Pune facility is a significant milestone, reinforcing India’s role in our global manufacturing network. Our investments in technology and workforce development continue to enhance our production capabilities, ensuring high-quality and cost-effective powertrains. India’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem and skilled workforce play a vital role in meeting global demand with high-quality, efficient powertrain solutions. This milestone reinforces our confidence in India’s ability to support Group’s international operations and future growth."
Piyush Arora, Managing Director & CEO, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, added, "This milestone highlights our commitment to localization and innovation in powertrain manufacturing. Since 2014, we have built a strong foundation, evolving to meet market needs with world-class engines. The high-degree of localisation in our made-in-India engines showcases the Groups focus on domestic sourcing and contribution to strengthen the Indian automotive manufacturing and supply ecosystem. We will continue to invest in expanding our capabilities and strengthening India’s position as a hub for world-class automotive manufacturing."
Volkswagen Group has been present in India since 2001 and is currently represented by five brands – Skoda, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini – in the country. The OEM is optimistic about the India growth story, which can be understood with Volkswagen’s India 2.0 strategy that aims to make the country a global manufacturing hub.
Solaris Opens New Assembly Hall In Sroda Wielkopolska
- By MT Bureau
- June 24, 2026
Solaris, a leading European bus manufacturer, has opened a production hall in Sroda Wielkopolska, which further supplements the company’s manufacturing operations, including a welding plant established in the area in 1998.
The 7,000-square-metre facility is dedicated to the assembly of city buses. Previously, this stage occurred only in Bolechowo, but production will now take place at both sites. This development increases production capacity by 500 vehicles per year, bringing the firm closer to a target of 2,000 vehicles annually. The project has created 300 jobs, with additional roles generated in the supply chain.
In 2025, Solaris delivered 1,631 vehicles, of which 86 percent were battery-electric, hydrogen or trolleybus models.
The company is supplying the buses to its customers in the United States and Canada and plans to further expand its intercity bus range in Europe.
Agata Standa, CEO, Solaris, said, “We are investing in expanding our production capacity and product portfolio to meet the growing demand for sustainable transport in Europe and in new markets.”
Solaris has secured 47 hectares of land in Sroda Wielkopolska for a second facility dedicated to intercity buses, which is scheduled to reach operational status in 2029.
- NIO
- World Economic Forum
- WEF
- NIO Factory Two
- NIO F2
- Global Lighthouse Network
- GLN
- World Economic Forum
- WEF
- McKinsey & Company
- Ministry of Industry and Information Technology
- MIIT
- Super Automotive Factory
- China Automotive Technology and Research Center
NIO Factory Two Recognised As Global Lighthouse Factory By World Economic Forum
- By MT Bureau
- June 24, 2026
Chinese new energy vehicle company NIO has announced that on 22 June 2026, the World Economic Forum (WEF) officially designated NIO Factory Two (NIO F2) as a member of its Global Lighthouse Network (GLN). This recognition highlights NIO’s success in deploying Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies at scale.
The WEF selection process, conducted in partnership with McKinsey & Company, evaluated NIO F2 on its ability to integrate advanced digital and AI-driven systems. NIO was specifically recognised for:
- Integrated Ecosystem: Developing a real-time, closed-loop system that connects in-vehicle AI, battery swap networks and a digital twin platform.
- Operational Efficiency: The factory manages over 3.6 million vehicle configurations, which has successfully accelerated speed-to-market by 44 percent.
- R&D Automation: The implementation of advanced systems has allowed for the automation of 90 percent of R&D workflows.
- AI-Driven Decision Making: Approximately 80 percent of manufacturing scenarios at the facility are now supported by AI-driven decision-making, leveraging a mix of industrial AI algorithms and in-house developed foundation models.
NIO F2 is a fully digitalised smart factory located in the Xinqiao Industrial Park. Prior to this international recognition, the site earned several domestic accolades, including the National Green Factory awarded by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the Super Automotive Factory designated by the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC).
Beyond its technical achievements, the factory maintains an open-engagement policy. Since 2018, NIO’s assembly plants have hosted nearly 300,000 global visitors, aiming to showcase the advancements in China’s intelligent manufacturing ecosystem.
NIO intends to use the GLN standards as a benchmark for its future manufacturing systems, continuing the integration of AI to set new standards in intelligent EV production.
- EKA Mobility
- VDL Groep
- Mitsui & Co
- NIIF India-Japan Fund
- Enam Holdings
- EKA 6S
- EKA 3S
- Marisa Gerards
- Dr Sudhir Mehta
EKA Mobility Rolls Out 1,000th Electric Small Commercial Vehicle From Pune Plant
- By MT Bureau
- June 05, 2026
EKA Mobility, a leading Indian electric commercial vehicle manufacturer, has announced the rollout of its 1,000th small commercial vehicle (SCV) from its manufacturing facility in Chakan, Pune.
Backed by global and domestic investors – including VDL Groep (Netherlands), Mitsui & Co. (Japan), NIIF India-Japan Fund, and Enam Holdings – the company operates as a Champion OEM under the Government of India's Auto PLI Scheme.
To mark the milestone, EKA Mobility organised two high-profile vehicle handovers highlighting local community integration and international diplomatic ties:
- Local Delivery: The 1,000th vehicle, an EKA 6S, was officially presented to the Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Trust, one of Pune’s prominent charitable institutions. The EKA 6S is India's first steering-wheel passenger electric three-wheeler featuring a driver plus six-seater capacity configuration. The trust will deploy the EV within its community service and humanitarian operations.
- International Diplomatic Delivery: The company handed over an EKA 3S electric three-wheeler to Marisa Gerards, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to India. The handover highlights EKA's bilateral connection with the Netherlands, which is home to its strategic engineering and industrial partner, VDL Groep.
The Chakan plant serves as EKA Mobility's primary industrial hub for SCV and truck production. It currently has an installed production capacity of 24,000 commercial vehicles per year. The site employs more than 1,000 people and features an on-site research and development centre staffed by over 400 engineers and designers.
Under its EvolutioNARI initiative, EKA Mobility has established an all-women-led assembly line specifically dedicated to its SCV production, focusing on diversity within the automotive manufacturing sector.
Furthermore, EKA Mobility is currently the only domestic OEM offering a full-stack commercial EV portfolio spanning three-wheelers, SCVs, buses and trucks. The company's assembly footprint is scaling across three distinct locations – Chakan, Pune, plant has an annual capacity to manufacture 24,000 SCVs and trucks. Koregaon, Pune, can manufacture 15,000 e-buses and upcoming Pithampur plant in Madhya Pradesh, which will have a combined manufacturing capacity of 4,000 buses.
Dr. Sudhir Mehta, Founder & Chairman, EKA Mobility, said, “The 1,000th SCV rolling off our Chakan facility is not merely a production number; it is proof of what Indian engineering, innovation, and determination can achieve. It reflects years of perseverance and a shared belief that India can emerge as a global leader in sustainable mobility through world-class products designed and manufactured at home. As we celebrate this achievement on World Environment Day, we are reminded that our purpose extends beyond manufacturing vehicles. We are building solutions that help businesses operate more sustainably, reduce environmental impact, improve everyday mobility, and contribute to a cleaner future for generations to come.”
Servotech Renewable To Invest INR 4 Billion In Haryana To Expand Manufacturing
- By MT Bureau
- June 02, 2026
Servotech Renewable Power System has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Haryana Enterprises Promotion Centre (HEPC), Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Haryana. The agreement outlines a proposed investment of approximately INR 4 billion to expand its manufacturing and warehousing operations within the state.
The proposed CAPEX will be deployed in a phased manner over the next 24 to 36 months. The expansion targets several clean-technology and power segments that have been identified as core thrust areas under the state's new industrial policy.
The investment will scale Servotech's manufacturing capacity across electric vehicle (EV) chargers, solar products, battery packs, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and power electronics.
While the company is currently evaluating specific site locations within Haryana, the capacity expansion is intended to scale overall production volumes, improve operational efficiencies, deepen import substitution, and support growing domestic and export market demand. Under the terms of the MoU, the Haryana Government, via the HEPC, will provide single-window facilitation support and ease-of-doing-business assistance to streamline project implementation.
The project is projected to generate around 500 direct and indirect employment opportunities, contributing to Haryana's industrial and economic growth.
The MoU was finalised in the presence of the Chief Minister of Haryana, Nayab Singh Saini, during the official launch of the ‘Make in Haryana’ Industrial Policy 2026 in Gurugram on 1 June 2026. The event also introduced a compendium of nine separate sectoral policies designed to attract industrial and clean-energy investments to the state.
Raman Bhatia, MD, Servotech Renewable Power System, said, “We are delighted to partner with the Government of Haryana. Haryana has emerged as one of India’s most progressive investment destinations, and the launch of the Make in Haryana Industrial Policy 2026 reinforces the state’s commitment to industrial growth, clean-energy manufacturing and innovation. Our proposed INR 4 billion investment aligns with Servotech’s long-term vision of scaling renewable energy manufacturing capabilities and is a meaningful step towards our stated ambition of reaching INR 15 billion in revenue by FY2027. We believe this collaboration will strengthen our operational footprint and contribute to Haryana’s clean-energy ambitions and broader economic development.”

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