Tata Motors, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, held the groundbreaking ceremony of its new production facility to manufacture cars and SUVs, at Panapakkam in Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu.

The facility will produce next-gen vehicles for Tata Motors and Jaguar Land Rover for both India and international markets.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin and N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons & Tata Motors.

Tata Motors Group intends to invest about INR 90 billion in this greenfield manufacturing facility, which has been designed for an annual production capacity of over 250,000 vehicles. Production will begin in a phased manner and progressively increase to reach this capacity over the next five to seven years.

M.K. Stalin said, “Tata Group is renowned for its contribution to nation building. It has a deep, historic relationship with Tamil Nadu with many of its manufacturing plants successfully operating in our state for the past several years. We welcome Tata Motors, an auto manufacturer of global scale, for setting up its newest manufacturing facility in Panapakkam, Ranipet.”

The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility has the potential to create over 5,000 employment opportunities (direct and indirect). In addition, the plant will be guided by principles of sustainability and use 100 percent renewable energy for running operations.

N Chandrasekaran added, “We are pleased to make Panapakkam as the home of our next generation of cars and SUVs, including electric and luxury vehicles. Tamil Nadu is a leading industrial state with progressive policies and an established automotive hub with qualified and talented workforce. Several Tata Group companies have been successfully operating from here. We now intend to build our advanced vehicle manufacturing plant here using cutting-edge manufacturing technology and world-class sustainability practices. Our endeavour will be to have a high share of women employees across levels, in line with our focus towards greater empowerment of women.”

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Czech automaker Skoda Auto has produced its one millionth Karoq SUV - a Karoq 1.5 TSI 110 kW finished in Graphite Grey - from its Kvasiny plant.

Since its launch in 2017, the Karoq has been built at the Kvasiny facility, which also produces the Octavia and Kodiaq, and maintains an annual production capacity exceeding 300,000 vehicles. The successor model is scheduled to be unveiled by CY2028.

Andreas Dick, Responsible for Production and Logistics at Skoda Auto, said, “Since production began in 2017, the Skoda Karoq has become an established part of our portfolio and an especially important model for the Kvasiny plant. Reaching the one-million mark reflects the commitment and teamwork of many people over the years. I would like to thank all colleagues in Kvasiny for their dedication, as well as our social partner KOVO for our long-standing, constructive and trusted cooperation.”

The Karoq is sold in around 60 markets, with Germany, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom serving as its primary markets. The model range includes petrol and diesel engines with power outputs ranging from 85 to 140 kW. As per the company, 73 percent of Karoq buyers select an automatic transmission, while 27 percent choose a manual transmission.

In 2025, the Kvasiny plant manufactured 301,500 vehicles, and production of the Octavia Combi was added to the site in May 2026.

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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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