Toyota Kirloskar Motor has concluded the 24-hour Toyota Hackathon 2025 in Mumbai engineered to empower young innovators to drive road safety solutions. It has been a part of the automaker’s commitment to education and road safety. 
Held at Vidyalankar Institute, Wadala (East), Mumbai, and coinciding with ‘Road Safety Month’ (January 18 – February 17, 2025), the event brought together over 400 talented students from over 100 schools across Mumbai, turning in turn into an effective platform to develop actionable solutions to critical road safety challenges.
Attracting the presence of Atul Moreshwar Save, Minister for OBC Welfare, Dairy Development, and Renewable Energy, Government of Maharashtra; Arprit Save, President Chamber of Marathawada Industries and Agriculture, and Senior leadership from TKM (including Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Governance, TKM, and Sudeep Dalvi, Chief Communication Officer, Senior Vice President and Head State Affairs, TKM), the event – a key pillar of TKM’s comprehensive Road Safety Initiative designed to address this critical issue by integrating road safety education into school and college curriculums – began with team selection and idea submissions, progressed through a boot camp, culminated in a 24-hour final hackathon, and concluded with incubation support for the top one winner per city. 
Fostering critical thinking, innovation and a sense of responsibility, the Hackathon – structured in five phases – saw participants tackle key road safety themes such as ‘Road Safety Awareness and Education’, ‘Community Engagement for Safety’, ‘School Zone Safety’, ‘Road Infrastructure and Pollution’, ‘IoT/ICT in Road Safety’, ‘Traffic Easement’ and ‘Making Roads Inclusive’. 
Out of 100 initial teams, 28 advanced to post- boot camp, 10 teams completed in the final hackathon out of which 3 emerged as winners, earning continued support to bring their innovative ideas to life.
Following the success in Mumbai, the Toyota Hackathon 2025 will move to Bangalore on 14 February 2025. For the 2024-25 academic year, TKM aims to expand the initiative to 300 institutions across key cities, with over 400 innovative concepts already submitted.
Speaking at the event, Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Governance, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “At Toyota Kirloskar Motor, we are driven by the belief that empowering the younger generation with the right tools, mentorship, and opportunities can lead to transformative change. The Toyota Hackathon 2025 serves as a testament to our unwavering commitment to road safety and innovation, as it brings together young minds to ideate, collaborate, and develop solutions for safer roads. This initiative reflects our holistic approach to fostering a culture of safety and sustainability, aligning with Toyota’s global vision of zero traffic fatalities.”
 

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JSW MG Motor India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, completed the delivery of 50 units of the Hector Tomahawk EV in Surat in a single day, following the market launch of its electrified SUV model line.

The Hector Tomahawk lineup includes both battery-electric vehicle (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) powertrains. The Hector Tomahawk EV incorporates a 69.2 kWh battery pack paired with an electric motor producing 150 kW and 310 Nm of torque, yielding a certified range of 517 km on a single charge and supporting DC fast charging up to 90 kW.

The Hector Tomahawk PHEV combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine, a dedicated hybrid transmission and a 20.5 kWh battery pack, delivering an electric range of 115 km and a combined driving range exceeding 1,100 km.

The SUV measure 4,745 mm in length, 1,850 mm in width and 1,770 mm in height, with a 2,810 mm wheelbase and 230 mm of ground clearance at the battery casing. On the inside it features a 15.6-inch central display screen, the i-SMART 3.0 connected software platform with artificial intelligence voice command integration, Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) power output capabilities and Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

The Hector Tomahawk EV is offered under a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) introductory pricing scheme starting at INR 1.39 million with a battery rental fee of INR 4.90 per kilometre, or at an outright ex-showroom price starting at INR 1.94 million for the Excite 7-seater variant, rising to INR 2.34 million for the Essence 7-seater model.

The Hector Tomahawk PHEV, available exclusively as a 7-seater, starts at a BaaS price of INR 2.17 million with a battery rental fee of INR 3.20 per kilometre, or an outright ex-showroom price of INR 2.56 million for the Exclusive trim and INR 2.77 million for the Essence trim. A lifetime battery warranty is provided to original owners for both EV and PHEV variants.

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French automotive major Renault India has launched the new Triber 100PS, with a turbocharged engine option and updated chassis architecture, marking the Indian debut of the Renault Group Entry Platform (RGEP). The sub-four-metre seven-seater lineup is available for prices ranging between INR 784,900 and INR 899,000 ex-showroom.

It is the first vehicle in India constructed on the RGEP platform, designed to support multiple powertrain solutions and vehicle configurations.

The Triber 100PS incorporates a 1.0-litre TCe 100 turbocharged petrol engine producing 100 PS of power and 180 Nm of torque, managed by the new Renault Engine Management System (R-EMS). Engineering modifications include a Brushless Direct Current (BLDC) cooling fan within the thermal management system, revised suspension geometry with front and rear anti-roll bars, MTV damper technology, updated braking system calibration and structural reinforcements for crash performance. The company claims a certified fuel efficiency of 21 km per litre.

Francisco Hidalgo, Vice-President – Sales & Marketing, Renault India, said, “The Triber 100PS is an important step in Renault India’s product roadmap and a strong expression of what our brand stands for: innovation that is practical, accessible and relevant to Indian customers. Following the recent introductions of the Kwid and Duster Adventure, it marks another milestone in our programme of 12 product interventions over 18 months, demonstrating the pace and intent behind Renault’s renewed momentum in India. With 100 PS of power, 180 Nm of torque, flexible seven-seat modularity, certified fuel efficiency of 21 kmpl and prices starting at INR 784,000, the Triber 100PS brings together the qualities Indian families value in one car: performance that gives confidence, practicality, efficiency and value. We believe it will strengthen the Triber’s position and broaden the appeal of the Renault brand.”

Dr. Vikraman Vellandi, Head - Renault Engineering, Renault Group India, said, “Developing the Triber 100PS required much more than integrating a new powertrain. Delivering 100 PS and 180 Nm of torque while retaining the Triber’s modularity, comfort and efficiency required the engine, thermal-management, structural, suspension, braking and vehicle-dynamics systems to work together as one package. The result is a responsive, stable and refined driving experience that preserves the practicality and accessibility customers value in the Triber.”

The Triber maintains its modular interior configuration, offering five, six, or seven-seat arrangements with removable third-row seats, sliding and reclining second-row seats and 625 litres of luggage capacity in five-seat mode.

Ground clearance stands at 182 mm, while roof rails support a load capacity of up to 50kg. Available features across variants include six standard airbags, 21 safety systems, an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic climate control with second and third-row air-conditioning vents, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlamps and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

The Triber 100PS turbo manual range opens with the Evolution variant at INR 784,900, progressing to INR 853,900 for the Techno trim and topping out at INR 899,900 for the Emotion variant. The naturally aspirated Energy engine line-up continues alongside, priced from INR 580,875 for the Authentic trim to INR 852,950 for the Emotion AMT model. Till date, the company has sold over 250,000 units of the Triber in India since its initial release.

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Honda Cars India has partnered with CSB Bank to provide vehicle financing schemes for customers across India. The agreement enables buyers to access car loans with interest rate options on purchases of the Honda City, Honda Amaze, Honda Elevate and Honda ZR-V through participating Honda dealerships and CSB Bank branches.

The partnership encompasses financial products including loans for new vehicles, pre-owned car financing, refinancing options and future electric vehicle financing support, subject to lending criteria and customer eligibility. The initiative targets buyers in semi-urban and rural markets ahead of the festive season.

As per the agreement, CSB Bank has been empanelled as a preferred financing partner for Honda Cars India. The two organisations will execute joint promotional campaigns across dealership locations, bank branches, and digital platforms, overseen by a joint coordination team.

Kunal Behl, Vice President, Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India, said, “With this partnership, we aim to make vehicle ownership more accessible and affordable for our customers right from day one. By combining Honda’s strong dealership network with CSB Bank’s convenient financing solutions, we can offer a simple, quick and hassle-free car-buying experience. This collaboration is an extension of our efforts to provide easy and accessible finance options while enhancing the overall purchase and ownership experience for our customers. We look forward to enabling more customers to bring home their dream Honda this festive season, while expanding access to finance across semi-urban and rural markets.”

Narendra Dixit, Head - Retail Banking, CSB Bank, said, “Finance plays a critical role in enabling customers to turn their aspiration of owning a vehicle into reality. As an important component of the automotive ecosystem, financing needs to be convenient, accessible and tailored to the diverse needs of customers. At CSB Bank, we see significant potential in building strong partnerships across the automotive value chain and leveraging our financing capabilities to make vehicle ownership more accessible. Our partnership with Honda Cars India is an important step in that direction, enabling us to bring our customer-centric financing solutions closer to customers across markets, including semi-urban and rural India.”

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Tata Motors, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has launched the Aeris, a replacement for its Tigor sub-four-metre compact sedan, with introductory prices starting from INR 529,000 for petrol variants and INR 629,000 for CNG variants. The Aeris will be available in five trim levels comprising Smart, Pure, Pure+, Creative and Accomplished.

Tata Motors stated that the Aeris will be sold to retail consumers, while fleet operators will continue to receive the older Tigor model under the Xpres brand name.

The exterior of the Aeris maintains a notchback roofline, accompanied by a lower grille, LED headlamps with integrated daytime running lights, LED tail-lamps, wheel arch cladding, chrome door handles, a dual-tone roof and a shark fin antenna. The car is available in six paint options: Nitro Crimson, Dandeli Drizzle, Pure Grey, Daytona Grey, Dune Glow, and Pristine White.

The sedan retains a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder Revotron engine in petrol and CNG formats. In petrol specification, the engine generates 86 PS of power and 113 Nm of torque, mated to a five-speed manual or a five-speed automated manual transmission (AMT). The CNG variant produces 75.5 PS and 96.5 Nm of torque, offered with the same transmission options. The CNG configuration employs a twin-cylinder tank design to preserve 419 litres of boot space. The petrol tank capacity measures 35 litres, while the CNG system features a 70-litre water-capacity tank.

Cabin equipment includes ventilated front leatherette seats, a digital video recorder dashcam, a blind-view monitor, a dual smartphone deck with wireless charging, and an AMT rotary gear selector with paddle shifters. Infotainment is delivered through a 26.03 cm touchscreen paired with a 12.7 cm digital instrument display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and a six-speaker audio setup. Additional interior features consist of automatic climate control, rear air-conditioning vents, and 65-watt USB Type-C charging ports.

The Aeris measures 3,995 mm in length, 1,684 mm in width, and 1,532 mm in height, with a 2,450 mm wheelbase. The chassis uses an independent MacPherson strut front suspension with coil springs and a semi-independent closed-profile twist beam with dual-path struts at the rear. Braking systems consist of front discs and rear drums, with wheel sizes ranging from 14-inch steel wheels on base models to 15-inch alloy wheels on higher trims.

Safety equipment fitted across all variants includes six airbags, an Electronic Stability Program suite, ABS, hill-hold assist, a 360-degree camera, a tyre pressure monitoring system and Isofix child-seat anchors. The CNG variants incorporate an electronic control unit, direct CNG ignition startup, leak detection sensors, and reinforced rear crash structures around the fuel cylinders.

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