Announcing that Prime Minister Modi’s message was motivating for the Indian auto industry to work together towards new age technology, world class manufacturing, and next generation infrastructure, Kenichi Ayukawa, President, SIAM and MD & CEO, Maruti Suzuki, in his address during the opening session, said that there was a need to achieve sustainable and productive growth with quality and safety, and protect our environment, resources and raw materials. Stressing on the need for focused efforts, Ayukawa mentioned that SIAM and ACMA have together worked out a localisation roadmap with a target of about 15 to 20 percent further localisation in the next 2 to 5 years. Revealing that SIAM has prepared an approach paper for long term regulation roadmap that takes care of all aspects and gives clarity on future investments, Ayukawa San said that the auto industry is working on new powertrain technologies. He appreciated the government’s announcement of the scrappage policy and PLI scheme. 

Amitabh Kant.

Recognising the contribution of the Indian automobile industry to the Indian economy, Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, Union Minister of Heavy Industries, Government of India, said that his ministry is working consistently for the growth of the automotive sector. Acknowledging the rise in localisation supported by the PLI initiatives of government, Dr Pandey said that these efforts would make the industry more robust. He stressed on the need to develop EV charging infrastructure as well as manufacture quality products that would help the Indian automobile industry to be regarded as the best in the world. T V Narendran, President, CII and MD, Tata Steel Ltd, in his address, mentioned the need for the right policy support to make India a five-trillion-dollar economy by 2025-26. It is important that the Indian manufacturing sector is strong. He called on the auto industry to focus on six key areas – electric vehicles, circularity, urbanisation, resilient supply chain and an ability to reap in functionality and embed sustainability, going forward. 
 

R C Bhargava.

In his speech, Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog, said that the future direction of the auto industry is in the area of shared, connected and electric mobility. He opined that there are four prominent growth drivers that the industry should focus on. These include the expansion of investment in R&D, more focus on innovation in small format mobility segment, establishment of massive charging infrastructure across the country and provision of export impetus to the industry. Kant said that EV should be an integral part in every OEM’s plans. Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari spoke about the government’s aim to increase the contribution of the automotive sector towards the nation’s GDP. Currently, the sector contributes roughly 7.1 percent towards the GDP, he said. Revealing that the government would like to see the contribution rise to 12 percent, the union minister stated that it would amount to a huge step towards making India a five-trillion-dollar economy. Expressing gratitude to the dignitaries for their presence, Vipin Sondhi, Vice President, SIAM and MD, Ashok Leyland Ltd, drew attention towards the effect of Covid-19 on sales. 
 

Appreciating the efforts of the Ministry of Heavy Industries to create world-class testing and R&D infrastructure in all the auto hubs of the country, he spoke about how the auto industry will take advantage of localisation, PLI scheme and EV charging infrastructure. These efforts, he added, will contribute to the government’s initiative of ‘Make in India’. In a session focusing on the outlook of the Indian auto industry and its role in the economic growth, Venu Srinivasan, Chairman and Managing Director, TVS Motor Company, and R C Bhargava, Chairman, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., drew attention to the new policies introduced over the past few years. The duo stressed on the high taxation structure on automobiles and the mandatory insurance costs. These, they said, have hugely bumped up the pricing to make vehicles expensive. Srinivasan touched on two-wheelers being taxed at 28 percent despite being the most basic means of transport. This, he added, is almost equal to cars which are a luxury item. Opining that the prices of vehicles have risen over the past few years with the switch to BS IV and subsequently to BS VI, and the change in safety norms, R C Bhargava mentioned that mounting challenges have had an effect on the sales. 
 

Venu Srinivasan.

Revenue Secretary Tarun Bajaj said that the government is open to discussing a change in Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates on automobiles. Seeking to know from the auto industry whether it is the GST rate on cars that is preventing the sector from growing, Bajaj questioned the reason behind SUV sales going up and not that of the cars in economic terms. Stating that the tax rates were higher in some states before GST came into force, he suggested the auto industry to examine in detail the reasons behind the dip in sales. Covid-19 and other factors could be at play, he reasoned. Bajaj called on the industry to keep pace with the changing technology.

Kenichi Ayukawa.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Horse Powertrain, a global player in low-emission and innovative powertrain systems, has unveiled its first production-ready V8 engine, the HORSE W40. Developed for high-performance hybrid vehicle platforms, the 4.0-litre eight-cylinder unit ranks among the market's most power-dense V8 offerings, weighing just 200 kg while producing over 500 kW and 800 Nm. That blend of strong low-end torque and high peak power makes it suited to sports cars, pick-up trucks and off-road vehicles alike.

The engine is laid out longitudinally with twin top-mounted turbochargers in a hot-V configuration, and it borrows advanced direct fuel injection, extensive lightweighting and a shortened turbo intake path from across the company's portfolio to achieve its power and torque density. Complementing it is the HORSE 8LDCT, an eight-speed transmission with a sportscar-grade wet dual clutch that delivers a pre-fill time below 50 ms and shift response under 20 ms, plus a silicon carbide control system, power module, variable-displacement mechanical pump and support for up to 1,050 Nm.

Both components will make their world debut as an integrated set in Lotus's upcoming Type 135 supercar, the brand's first entry into the category. The pairing is intended to cement the W40's position as the leading hybrid engine for top-end vehicles, combining high output with hybrid-ready efficiency. Horse Powertrain says the integrated package demonstrates how its portfolio technologies can be brought together to serve demanding performance applications.

Matias Giannini, CEO, Horse Powertrain, said, “The HORSE W40 marks another landmark achievement for Horse Powertrain’s engineering teams, with our world-class technology powering one of the most power-dense V8s in automotive history. This hybrid-first engine has been built with our company’s full-powertrain perspective and expertise, designed for integration from the outset with our landmark HORSE 8LDCT transmission. In powering the Lotus Type 135, Horse Powertrain is both advancing the state of the art of automotive engineering while making a historic contribution to the world-renowned Lotus brand.”

Feng Qingfeng, CEO, Lotus, said, “We are excited to partner with Horse Powertrain to bring its advanced V8 engine and hybrid transmission technology to the upcoming Lotus Type 135. The HORSE W40 V8 engine and 8LDCT hybrid transmission represent significant advances in powertrain engineering, combining exceptional power and torque density with a highly integrated design. By bringing these technologies together with Lotus’ expertise in lightweight engineering and chassis dynamics, we aim to deliver a new generation of supercar performance, combining outstanding power, efficiency and the precise, engaging driving experience that defines Lotus.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

US-headquartered Ten-Nine Technologies has entered a market development partnership with Tokyo-based Rune Nordgaard Consulting (RNC) to expand the evaluation and commercialisation of its 'TENIX' battery additive across Japan's battery value chain.

Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Ten-Nine Technologies is said to have developed proprietary nano-scale materials that improve battery performance, longevity and stability across lithium-ion chemistries. The company claims its flagship technology, christened TENIX, is a cathode additive engineered to extend cycle life, improve thermal performance and unlock more value from every cell.

TENIX is a powder additive blended into cathode active materials during manufacturing at 0.5 to 2 percent of cathode weight without requiring equipment modifications or battery redesigns. In third-party evaluations across nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) and lithium-manganese-oxide (LMO) chemistries, the additive increased charge-discharge cycles by over 75 percent, extending electric vehicle battery lifespans from 150,000 to over 265,000 miles while reducing cost per kilowatt-hour by approximately 40 percent, lowering resistance by 10 percent and decreasing lifetime heat output by around 40 percent.

Under the agreement, RNC will act as Ten-Nine's representative in Japan, facilitating engagement with automotive original equipment manufacturers, battery makers, cathode producers, trading houses and research institutions.

Since May 2026, RNC has introduced TENIX to battery manufacturers, automotive firms, and cathode materials producers in Japan to support technical evaluations and customer qualification processes.

Paige Johnson, CEO, Ten-Nine Technologies, said, “Japan has played a foundational role in the development of the global lithium-ion battery industry. RNC’s deep understanding of the Japanese battery ecosystem and extensive industry network make them an ideal partner as we continue expanding our global presence.”

Rune Nordgaard, Founder, Rune Nordgaard Consulting, said, “Japan is one of the world’s most important battery markets, but success here requires trust, technical understanding, and strong local follow-up. TENIX has demonstrated excellent performance in NMC and LMO cathode chemistries, with strong potential for all-solid-state batteries as well, and I believe it will be of real interest to battery and battery-related companies across Japan. We’re pleased to support Ten-Nine, whose professionalism, technical rigour, and commitment to customers give us confidence in introducing TENIX to potential partners in Japan.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

German luxury carmaker Audi has detailed the battery architecture and bidirectional charging capabilities of the Audi A2 e-tron, which is available to order in three battery configurations of 52, 61 and 84 kWh.

The EV features Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality to power devices and Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) capability to supply electricity to households when paired with a DC wallbox, with Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) functionality planned to feed energy into the power grid in the future.

The 52 kWh and 61 kWh variants use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries arranged in a cell-to-pack layout, while the 84 kWh variant uses a nickel-manganese-cobalt battery. Depending on the configuration, direct current charging powers range between 100 and 183 kW, charging the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 24 minutes for the 52 kWh version, 26 minutes for the 61 kWh version, and 29 minutes for the 84 kWh versions.

The vehicle incorporates an OCDC 2.0 unit that integrates the on-board charger and DC/DC converter, utilising metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) and alternating current output management software. A thermal management system regulates battery temperature, current flow, and state of charge during charging and discharging cycles, while a battery management controller employs an algorithm to track state of charge, ageing, and range calculations across the LFP cells.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Enmovil Solutions has formed a partnership with Tangentia to provide supply chain orchestration software to manufacturing and automotive enterprises in Canada. The agreement was formalised during the Team Canada Trade Mission to India in October 2026, led by Canada's Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, which resulted in 34 agreements valued at nearly CAD 300 million.

Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will combine Enmovil's CADDIE supply chain platform with Tangentia's integration and Agentic AI systems. Tangentia will manage go-to-market operations, deployment and customer support in Canada, targeting manufacturers, automotive original equipment manufacturers, electric vehicle and battery producers, defence contractors and supplier networks. Enmovil's platform manages demand, inventory, production, and logistics planning for clients including Maruti Suzuki India, Mahindra & Mahindra, TVS Motor Co, Daimler, Nestle, Hero MotoCorp, Indus Towers and Ashok Leyland.

Ravi Bulusu, Co-Founder and CEO, Enmovil, said, “Canada is a natural next step in Enmovil’s global expansion. Its manufacturing and automotive sectors run on complex, tightly connected supply chains, where faster and better-coordinated decisions translate directly into cost and service outcomes. By combining CADDIE, Industry’s leading Agentic supply chain decisioning and orchestration platform, with Tangentia’s solutions and local expertise, we can offer Canadian enterprises a joint solution that helps them make faster, better-informed supply chain decisions. We look forward to working with Tangentia to bring this to more businesses in Canada.”

Vijay Thomas, CEO, Tangentia, said, “Canadian manufacturers, Retailers and Distributors are under growing pressure to build supply chains that are more resilient and responsive. CADDIE, Enmovil’s supply chain decisioning and orchestration platform, has proven itself at scale with some of the largest manufacturing and automotive companies in India, and it complements Tangentia’s strengths in Supply Chain, EDI, integration and Agentic AI. Together, we can offer our customers a combined solution and a practical path to AI-driven supply chain decisions. This partnership is also a strong example of the growing technology ties between Canada and India.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!