Hinduja Tech Finalises TECOSIM Group Acquisition
- By MT Bureau
- November 30, 2024
Hinduja Tech Limited, a global engineering and R&D technology company and a subsidiary of Ashok Leyland, has officially announced that it has completed the acquisition of TECOSIM Group, a major European engineering services supplier. The acquisition underscores Hinduja Tech’s commitment to enhancing its global automotive engineering market leadership and falls in line with its vision to be among the top 10 global mobility engineering and R&D companies.
With a strong presence in Europe and a staff of over 650 workers scattered across the United Kingdom, Germany, Romania, Japan and India, TECOSIM will bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise. The Hinduja Tech Group will provide a full spectrum of services, ranging from advanced technological innovation to leading systems integration, by combining TECOSIM's extensive knowledge and Hinduja Tech's solid track record. This collaboration will allow Hinduja Tech to provide a greater range of solutions, adapting to the ever-changing demands of the global mobility business and ensuring that clients have access to more comprehensive and competitive services through its unique global delivery model.
Kumar Prabhas, CEO, Hinduja Tech Limited, said, "We are delighted to have TECOSIM Group join the Hinduja Tech family. This reinforces our unwavering commitment to innovation and growth. TECOSIM Group’s virtual validation and body engineering expertise perfectly complements our existing capabilities, allowing us to offer a comprehensive range of solutions. Together, we will drive the future of automotive engineering and shape the contours of the global mobility landscape."
Udo Jankowski, Managing Director, TECOSIM Group, said, "Joining forces with Hinduja Tech is a game-changer for TECOSIM. Their global reach and industry expertise, coupled with our technical strengths, create a winning combination. We are excited to embark on this journey, delivering exceptional value to our clients and driving technological advancements in the global mobility value chain.”
MG Windsor EV Records Leh To Kanyakumari Journey In 83 Hours
- By MT Bureau
- November 27, 2025
JSW MG Motor India has announced that its popular MG Windsor electric vehicle (EV) has completed a journey from Leh to Kanyakumari, covering 3,757 kilometres in 83 hours and 43 minutes. The journey was undertaken by Mountain Goat, a group of motorsport professionals.
This time is the fastest for an EV to complete the route and has been recognised by the India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records. The company states this marks the Windsor as India’s First EV to undertake this journey.
The Windsor navigated through Ladakh’s high-altitude landscape to the southern coast, showing the car's reliability, range and performance under extreme conditions. The vehicle made 20 charging stops, demonstrating India’s growing fast-charging infrastructure.
The charging points were located using the e-Hub by MG app, which connects users to over 13,000 EV charging points across India through partnerships with 36 charge-point operators. This achievement supports the company's ‘EV Sahi Hai’ campaign.
Vinay Raina, Chief Commercial Officer, JSW MG Motor India, said, “Completing a diverse expedition from Leh to Kanyakumari using an EV in record time is a bold testament to India’s growing confidence in electric mobility and the infrastructure that powers it. This achievement also highlights MG Windsor’s reliability and performance across some of the most challenging terrains in the country. The future of transportation is clean mobility and JSW MG Motor India continues to play a leading role in this transition.”
Sanjay Bhola, Adjudicator, Asia Book of Records, and India Book of Records, said, “Heartiest congratulations to the entire team for this remarkable accomplishment and for setting a prestigious record with both India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records.”
The MG Windsor comes with a 52.9 kWh lithium-ion battery, delivering a certified range of up to 449 km per charge and supports fast charging. The car recently crossed the 50,000 sales milestone in India, the fastest time for an EV in the country.
Since its launch in September 2024, the MG Windsor has been India’s best-selling EV. It features an ‘AeroGlide’ design and ‘Aero Lounge’ seats reclinable to 135 degrees. The centre console includes a 15.6-inch GRANDVIEW Touch Display. The company has since introduced the MG Windsor PRO variant with an extended battery pack and the MG Windsor Inspire, a limited-edition anniversary special.
BatteryPool Raises INR 80 Million In Pre-Series A Led By Inflection Point Ventures
- By MT Bureau
- November 27, 2025
BatteryPool, a start-up focussing on pay-as-you-go access to EV batteries, has raised INR 80 million in a Pre-Series A funding round led by Inflection Point Ventures. The round also included participation from Indian Angel Network (IAN), Chennai Angels, Keiretsu Forum and notable HNIs.
The start-up currently manages over 2,000 batteries across six cities. The funding will be used to scale its battery fleet 10x over the next 18 months and strengthen its nationwide footprint.
BatteryPool uses proprietary hardware and an IoT-connected battery management system to power a sachet-style, pay-as-you-go energy platform for EVs. The company offers a model that allows riders to pay in small daily, weekly, or monthly amounts, making EV usage more accessible.
Vikram Ramasubramanian, Inflection Point Ventures, said, “As an emerging economy that's adopting EVs, India holds immense potential that can be unlocked through innovative, flexible solutions. Where commercial operation of EVs is concerned, fast and efficient charging becomes vital because any delay directly leads to a loss of time and hence revenues. BatteryPool addresses this by providing seamless, pay-as-you-go access to charged batteries, helping riders and businesses be constantly mobile. In addition, the company monetizes batteries through their complete lifecycle, creating multiple revenue streams out of one single asset.”
Ashwin Shankar, Founder, BatteryPool, said, “The sachet model transformed how Indians consumed everything from mobile data to daily essentials, EVs are next. By bringing sachet-style, pay-as-you-go energy to batteries, we’ve made electric mobility affordable and accessible to the masses. As we move forward, we’re focused on strengthening the ecosystem, building battery access, improving the user experience, and supporting the everyday rider as the country transitions to electric mobility.”
BatteryPool was founded in 2020 by Ashwin Shankar, an Electrical Engineer who previously worked at Schlumberger and NASA.
Government Of India Approves INR 72.8 Billion Scheme For Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Production
- By MT Bureau
- November 26, 2025
The Union Cabinet, Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets with a financial outlay of INR 72.8 billion.
The initiative aims to establish 6,000 Metric Tonnes per Annum (MTPA) of integrated Rare Earth Permanent Magnet (REPM) manufacturing in India. The government states this will enhance self-reliance and position India as a key player in the global REPM market.
REPMs are types of permanent magnets vital for electric vehicles, renewable energy, electronics, aerospace and defence applications. India’s demand for REPMs is met primarily through imports, but consumption is expected to double by 2030 from 2025.
The scheme will support the creation of integrated REPM facilities, covering the conversion of rare earth oxides to metals, metals to alloys and alloys to finished REPMs. This step supports the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan and India's Net Zero 2070 commitment.
The total financial outlay of INR 72.8 billion consists of INR 64.5 billion towards sales-linked Incentives on REPM for five years. While the remainder INR 7.5 billion towards capital outlay for setting up 6,000 MTPA of manufacturing facilities.
The total capacity will be allocated to five beneficiaries through a global competitive bidding process, with each receiving up to 1,200 MTPA of capacity.
The scheme duration is seven years from the award date, including a two-year gestation period for setting up the integrated facility and five years for incentive disbursement.
The government states this initiative is a step towards strengthening the domestic REPM manufacturing ecosystem and enhancing competitiveness in markets globally.
Shailesh Chandra, President, SIAM, “The Indian automobile industry welcomes the Government of India’s newly announced scheme to promote the domestic manufacturing of Rare Earth permanent magnets, with an allocated outlay of INR 72.8 billion. This initiative is a significant step toward building a resilient and stable supply chain, particularly for components and sub-assemblies essential for the production of electrified vehicles.
The scheme is expected to accelerate adoption of clean mobility solutions and support India’s broader sustainability goals. By strengthening indigenous manufacturing capabilities, it will contribute to reducing carbon emissions and lowering dependence on crude oil imports, further enhancing the nation’s energy security.”
Vikrampati Singhania, President, ACMA, “ACMA wholeheartedly welcomes the Cabinet’s approval of the REPM Manufacturing Scheme. This is a strategic and forward-looking intervention that addresses one of the most critical gaps in the EV and advanced mobility ecosystem. Rare Earth Permanent Magnets are foundational to electric motors and high-efficiency systems, and the establishment of a domestic, integrated manufacturing base will significantly strengthen India’s technological competitiveness. This initiative will not only reduce import dependence but also provide long-term resilience to the automotive supply chain, encourage investments in advanced materials, and position India strongly in global value chains for EVs and clean energy. We commend the Government’s vision and remain fully committed to supporting the industry in leveraging this opportunity for innovation, value creation, and Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
Stephane Deblaise, CEO, Renault Group India, “The Government’s decision of investing INR 72.8 billion for India’s first integrated Rare Earth Permanent Magnet manufacturing scheme is a pivotal step in strengthening the nation’s self-reliance aspirations. This initiative reflects India’s strategic intent to strengthen its rare-earth refining capabilities and accelerate high-value manufacturing. For the automobile sector, localizing rare earth magnets will boost growth for both auto OEMs and component manufacturers, support clean energy powertrains, reduce import dependence, deepen the domestic value chain and enhance long-term competitiveness. We welcome this vision and look forward to contributing to a robust, future-ready mobility landscape that supports India’s sustainable growth and its ambition to become a global automotive hub.”
Jaideep Wadhwa, Director, Sterling Tools, "The Government scheme to invest nearly INR 75 billion in Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnet production is a very timely and welcome move. This, along with the plans for semiconductor and cell manufacturing, reaffirms the country’s commitments to electrification. However, this one initiative, aimed at adding 6,000-tonne capacity over seven years, will not be a panacea for all REM availability issues. India must also promote technologies to reduce the overall dependence on rare earth magnets. A holistic solution must include development of magnet free motor technologies. Fortunately, great progress has been made in magnet free technologies in recent years. Indian OEs and Tier 1s need to work together to commercialise these technologies at the earliest."
Tesla Opens First All-In-One Center In Gurugram
- By MT Bureau
- November 26, 2025
Tesla India is opening its first Tesla Center at Orchid Business Park in Gurugram on 27 November 2025. The centre will provide all services from one centralised location: retail, afterasales service, delivery and charging.
The new centre is designed to serve customer demand in the northern part of India. Customers can learn about technologies, enjoy a test drive with the Model Y, charge vehicles with V4 Superchargers and receive aftersales support. Optimus Gen 2 is also on display in Gurugram, alongside displays in Mumbai and Delhi, showcasing Tesla’s commitment to AI and robotic development.
Sharad Agarwal, General Manager, Tesla India, said, “Tesla’s mission is to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy. We are opening our first all-in-one Tesla Center in Gurugram – combining experience centre, after-sales service, delivery and charging station in one place. By building charging infrastructure that fits people’s daily lives, we are making electric driving convenient for everyone in India. The network will expand rapidly for a seamless EV experience. Our direct business model has sparked huge excitement for electric mobility, driving strong adoption and lasting confidence in sustainable transport across India.”
Since its market launch in July, Tesla India has expanded its presence, including the new Tesla Center, Experience Centers in Mumbai and Delhi and three charging sites in these areas.
With the upcoming commissioning of the One Horizon site in Gurugram, Tesla will operate four charging stations across India, equipped with 16 Superchargers and 10 Destination Chargers.
Tesla Supercharging allows the Model Y to gain up to 275 km of range in just 15 minutes. The charging experience offers 99.95 percent uptime.
The Model Y, the best-selling vehicle in the world for 2023 and 2024, achieved a 5-star rating from safety organisations globally. It is now available starting from INR 5.98 million with home charging support provided for the rear-wheel drive model (500km range) and INR 6.78 million for the long range rear-wheel drive model (661km range).

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