The all-new Nissan LEAF has been crowned the Supreme Winner of the 2026 Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year (WWCOTY) competition, the most prestigious award given by the only global jury composed entirely of female motoring experts. This victory places the LEAF at the forefront of this year's automotive landscape.

Since its debut in 2010 as the pioneer of mass-produced electric vehicles, the LEAF has spent over 15 years accelerating the world towards sustainable transportation. The freshly unveiled third-generation model advances that pioneering spirit through refined aerodynamics, extended driving range and seamlessly integrated technology. These attributes resonated powerfully with the judging panel, enabling the LEAF to surpass 54 other contenders and demonstrate its universal cross-market appeal.

The WWCOTY assessment process prioritises criteria that directly affect motorists in their daily lives, including crashworthiness, aesthetic appeal, affordability, practicality and ecological footprint. A panel of 86 distinguished women journalists hailing from more than 50 nations evaluated each entry. They ultimately celebrated the LEAF for its grounded vision of electrification, successfully merging sophisticated electric capabilities with the straightforward pleasure required for everyday commuting. This harmonious blend of accessible innovation and real-world functionality distinguished the vehicle as the jury's unanimous choice.

Marta García, Executive President, WWCOTY, said, “In our voting, we have focused on vehicles that stand out not only for their figures or technology but for how effectively they respond to people’s real, everyday needs. The Nissan LEAF represents a mature and intelligent vision of electrification – one that makes electric mobility truly usable and accessible.”

Ivan Espinosa, President & CEO, Nissan, said, “New LEAF being named overall winner by the Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year is a proud moment for everyone at Nissan. LEAF helped bring electric driving into the mainstream, and this new generation carries that mission forward. It’s designed to make going electric easier and more enjoyable for more people around the world.”

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Maruti Suzuki India Limited recorded its highest-ever annual production volume, reaching 2.34 million units during fiscal year 2025-26. This achievement establishes the automaker as the only original equipment manufacturer in India to attain such a production milestone for passenger vehicles. Furthermore, among all of Suzuki Motor Corporation’s global automobile manufacturing facilities, Maruti Suzuki stands alone in reaching this landmark volume.

The company currently operates four manufacturing plants located in Gurugram, Manesar, Kharkhoda in Haryana and Hansalpur in Gujarat, with a combined installed annual capacity of 2.40 million units. In March 2026, as part of its capacity expansion strategy, Maruti Suzuki identified land for a fifth manufacturing facility at the Khoraj Industrial Estate in Sanand, Gujarat. Once fully operational, this new plant is expected to add an annual production capacity of one million units. The most produced models during the year included the Dzire, Fronx, Swift, Ertiga and Baleno, each surpassing the 200,000-unit mark.

The company manufactures 17 models with over 650 variants to meet both domestic and export market requirements. This record production volume underscores Maruti Suzuki’s dominant position in India’s passenger vehicle segment and its unique standing within the global Suzuki manufacturing network.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said, “This is a proud moment for us, as very few companies across the world have been able to manufacture such large volumes in a single country. At Maruti Suzuki, we have always believed in offering products and technologies that complement the evolving needs and aspirations of our customers, earning their trust, generation after generation. This achievement is the outcome of a carefully nurtured automobile ecosystem built over four and a half decades. At its foundation lies the mutual trust and longstanding collaboration that we share with our employees, vendor and dealer partners. This ecosystem supported by the current government’s policy environment, like the rollout of GST 2.0, strengthened market confidence and stimulated demand at a critical time allowing us to manufacture record-high units.”

He added, “Our parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation’s strong belief in India’s growth story, along with an increased focus on developing India as an export hub, is enabling us to further expand our production capacity. We aim to scale it to about four million units per annum.”

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Nissan Motor India (NMIPL), in partnership with Vibrant Nissan, reached a significant sales milestone by delivering 100 units of the all-new Nissan Gravite in a single day in Hyderabad.

The mass delivery event, held at Le Palais Royal Crown Villa Garden on 22 April 2026, the company said, highlights the strong market reception for the Gravite following its recent entry into the mid-size SUV segment.

The Nissan Gravite is positioned as a versatile family vehicle, featuring a bold design language and a focus on cabin flexibility. The successful delivery of 100 units underscores rising customer confidence in Nissan's refreshed product portfolio, which is currently anchored by the long-standing success of the Nissan Magnite and now bolstered by the Gravite's premium features and safety package.

With an expanding dealer network and a renewed focus on the Indian market, Nissan is entering a new phase of growth. The Gravite's performance in high-potential markets like Hyderabad is seen as a key indicator of the brand's ability to compete in the highly contested SUV categories.

"The 100 Gravite delivery milestone reflects growing demand for Nissan Motor India and rising customer confidence in the all-new Nissan Gravite. Backed by the Gravite’s bold design, spacious and flexible cabin, strong safety package, Nissan’s expanding network and the continued strong run of the Nissan Magnite, the company is entering a new phase of growth in India," said the company in a statement.

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US-based electric vehicle maker Tesla India has launched the Model Y L, an all-new 6-seater SUV, at the Ballard Pier Downtown Experience Centre in Mumbai at prices starting INR 6.19 million.

Positioned as a versatile family vehicle, the Model Y L features an extended wheelbase and a three-row configuration. Online orders are open as of 22 April 2026, with the first deliveries scheduled to commence in June 2026.

The Model Y L is designed to maximise utility, offering a unique 2+2+2 seating layout.

• Second Row: Features individual captain seats with powered armrests, one-touch folding, ventilation and heating.
• Third Row: Equipped with power recline, one-touch folding and dedicated vented climate control.
• Cargo Space: Provides a massive storage capacity of up to 2,539 litres with seats folded.

The Model Y L is integrated into the broader Model Y lineup, offering a balance of range and acceleration. The Premium RWD (5-seater) with 500km range came at INR 5.98 million, L Premium AWD (6-seater) at INR 6.19 million and the Premium LR RWD (5-seater) at INR 6.78 million.

The EV features a refined chassis with adaptive suspension and electronic damping to filter road vibrations. For a premium cabin experience, it includes acoustic glass and an 18-speaker immersive Tesla Audio system.

Furthermore, as part of its focus on driving adoption of the green vehicles, Tesla continues to build its ecosystem in India to support new and existing owners:

At present, Tesla operates 5 Supercharger stations (20 Superchargers) and plans to add 7 more along major highways connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and other key cities.

Existing service centres in Mumbai, Gurugram, Delhi and Pune are being augmented this quarter with new locations in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Ahmedabad.

The Model Y L will be available for public viewing from 23 April 2026 at Tesla locations in BKC (Mumbai), Aerocity (Delhi) and Orchid Business Park (Gurugram).

Monthly financing for the Model Y L starts at INR 49,000, and the EV supports the full suite of Tesla connected features, including live traffic visualisation and integrated streaming services like Spotify and Netflix.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has marked Earth Day 2026 by providing an update on its progress toward the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050.

The company has reported significant milestones in manufacturing decarbonisation, water stewardship, and logistics efficiency, aiming to achieve carbon-neutral manufacturing operations by 2035.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor has focused on eliminating its environmental footprint across its production and supply chain through several key initiatives:

Renewable Energy: For the 5th consecutive year, Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s manufacturing facilities have utilised 100 percent renewable grid electricity, effectively eliminating all Scope 2 emissions.

Logistics Decarbonisation: The company has shifted 24 percent of its vehicle logistics to rail transport, reducing emissions per vehicle from 185 kg to 175 kg. Additionally, the pilot of electric trucks for short-distance transport has resulted in an annual reduction of approximately 950 CO2 emission.

Water & Waste Management: Approximately 89 percent of water requirements are currently met through recycling and rainwater harvesting. The company also maintains a Zero Waste-to-Landfill status, with a recycling rate of over 96 percent.

Aligned with India’s energy landscape, Toyota Kirloskar Motor is pursuing a multi-pathway approach to clean mobility. This includes active pilot projects for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) and Electrified Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFV-SHEV) to reduce dependence on energy imports and leverage domestic resources.

On-site, TKM’s Green Wave Project has successfully sequestered 8,118 CO2-emission through afforestation, supporting over 650 plant species. The company's Ecozone, a 25-acre experiential learning centre, has trained over 62,000 students to date, fostering environmental awareness in the next generation.

B Padmanabha, Executive Vice-President of Manufacturing, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “On Earth Day 2026, Toyota Kirloskar Motor proudly reinforces its commitment to ‘Our Power, Our Planet,’ advancing a carbon‑neutral future by embedding sustainability into every aspect of our products, operations, and partnerships. Since 2021, our manufacturing facilities have been powered entirely by renewable grid electricity, eliminating Scope 2 emissions for five consecutive years and demonstrating that industrial growth and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.”

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