South Korean auto major Hyundai Motor Group has opened the Hyundai Center of Excellence (Hyundai CoE) for future mobility technology at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi.

It was on 3 December 2024, the automaker had announced its partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology's (IITs) to establish a collaborative research system in batteries and electrification. It had also outlined an ambitious USD 7 million investment to support the initiative.  

As part of its long-term academic-industrial collaboration Hyundai Motor Group has selected nine joint research projects which focusses on –

• Battery cells, systems and testing
• Battery management systems (BMS)
• Energy density enhancement
• Safety
• Durability
• Diagnostic technologies.

It also explores new materials and system components, driving forward innovation in battery design and performance.

The ceremony saw participation from Heuiwon Yang, President and Head of the R&D Division, Unsoo Kim, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor India and Chang Hwan Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of the Electrification Energy Solutions Tech Unit. They were joined by IIT representatives, including Prof Rangan Banerjee, Director of IIT Delhi, Dean Manu Santhanam from IIT Madras and Dean Sachin C. Patwardhan from IIT Bombay.
The Steering Committee of the Hyundai CoE will be co-chaired by EVP Chang Hwan Kim and Prof Bijaya Ketan Panigrahi at IIT Delhi.

Heuiwon Yang, said, “We’re excited to work with India’s brightest minds in battery innovation. Collaborating with leading researchers and IIT professors through the Hyundai Center of Excellence for future mobility technology will help us develop technologies tailored to India while contributing to its economy and society. We see this partnership with India’s academia and industry as a foundation for building a sustainable future together.”

In addition, the Korean automaker is also expanding its Future Technology Research Program, which has been in operation since 2021. In contrast to general operation methods of academic-industrial projects, the program allows university faculty members to propose their own research topics, which are then reviewed and selected by the Group.

The initiative was earlier limited to Korean universities, which has now been expanded to include foreign faculty, including professors at IITs. At present, Hyundai Motor Group has collaborated with three IIT universities (IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay and IIT Madras), engaging around 30 professors. By December 2025, it aims to expand its reach to 10 universities in India, including non-IIT institutions, with approximately 100 professors participating.

Going forward, the OEM will also focus on technology exchange forums bringing together experts from both India and Korea; global conferences on battery and EV technologies to share insights on trends & policies and policy dialogue sessions that engage key stakeholders from the Indian government, academia and industry to discuss the future of the mobility and electrification sectors.

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American auto major General Motors (GM) has been named to Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech 2025 list for its progress on lithium manganese-rich (LMR) batteries. The recognition follows GM winning the Battery Innovation of the Year award at the 15th annual Battery Show North America.

The company is preparing to deploy LMR battery tech in 2028. GM states that its work on LMR technology reflects its commitment to advancing electric vehicle battery technology and making EVs affordable without affecting performance.

The progress, which includes developing new materials and prototyping automotive-scale LMR prismatic cells, reflects the work of its research, engineering and operations teams. The company aims to commercialise the innovation, with manufacturing and engineering teams focused on delivering cells at scale.

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Bengaluru-based deep-tech battery start-up Flowatt Battery Science has raised INR 22 million in its pre-seed funding round led by accelerator PedalStart.

The capital will be directed towards technology optimisation, completing the proof-of-concept (POC) for its electric battery and building alliances with insurers, EV financiers, OEMs and other stakeholders.

Flowatt focuses on powering commercial mobility fleets for e-commerce and quick-commerce segments. It uses a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) pay-per-use model for electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers, which aims to lower battery purchase costs for fleet operators. The service uses IoT-enabled tracking and data analytics to optimise battery performance and cost-efficiency.

The company has scaled its BaaS model to nearly 1,500 batteries across multiple Indian cities. Following the funding, Flowatt plans to deploy over 20,000 batteries under its BaaS offering, achieve over INR 25 million monthly recurring revenue (MRR), and expand to more than 15 cities across tier 1 and tier 2 India by the end-FY2027.

Siddhartha Srivastava, Bikesh Jha and Vikash Singh, Co-Founders of Flowatt Battery Science, said: “We are thrilled to announce our pre-seed round led by PedalStart, a significant milestone set to propel Flowatt’s journey ahead. In the near term, the funds raised shall be instrumental in enabling us to optimise and scale our new battery-as-a-service solution that offers a three-fold edge- minimal cost, longest battery life and assured buyback guarantee. As the electric mobility scene in India soars, managing EV batteries efficiently throughout their lifecycle has emerged as an imperative. At Flowatt, we’re doing this by combining cutting-edge battery science with data science and aiming to bridge the gaps between advanced energy storage technologies and long-term value creation for the ecosystem. Our unique BaaS model and tech ensure that India’s EV owners and fleet operators can make efficient data-driven decisions, while minimising costs and negative environmental impact. In the long run, we aspire to make EV adoption more affordable, accessible, profitable and sustainable.”

Manas Pal and Aditya Darolia, Co-Founders, PedalStart, said,: “As India accelerates towards large-scale electrification, Flowatt is solving one of the most pressing challenges in the nation’s EV ecosystem today- the economics of battery adoption. By shifting batteries from being a capital-heavy purchase to a flexible service offering, they are removing the biggest pain points with commercial EV adoption. Plus, their focus on battery assurance, lifecycle management and second-life applications makes them one of the most exciting deep-tech players today. We were impressed by the founding team’s domain experience and expertise, dedication to execution and vision, and are extremely happy to be a part of their growth story as Flowatt’s early believer, investor and backer.”

Flowatt offers real-time health monitoring and lifecycle underwriting through its in-house technology, which is designed to promote a circular energy economy by extending battery life and enabling second-life applications.

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Pune-headquartered software-defined vehicle development company KPIT Technologies has acquired a majority stake in N-Dream AG, the Swiss company behind the AirConsole platform. KPIT, which previously held a 26 percent share, will increase its ownership to nearly 90 percent.

N-Dream's AirConsole platform provides in-car gaming and is used by manufacturers including BMW, MINI, Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche. The acquisition strengthens KPIT’s position in the software-defined vehicle market and accelerates N-Dream’s mission to develop in-car digital experiences.

Andrin von Rechenberg, Founder, N-Dream, said, “What began as a bold idea in Switzerland has grown into a platform used by leading carmakers around the world. With KPIT’s partnership, our innovation culture and creative roots remain at the core of everything we do, while giving us the reach and resources to shape the future of in-car experiences.”

Anthony Cliquot, CEO, N-Dream AG, said, “By joining forces with KPIT, we can accelerate our mission to bring fantastic experiences to cars and their users. With KPIT’s scale and reach, we’re ready to take what we’ve built to a truly global audience.”

The AirConsole platform allows passengers to use their smartphones as controllers to play games on the car’s infotainment screen. N-Dream plans to expand its vision beyond gaming to develop a new generation of in-cabin software focused on interactivity, personalisation, and connected services.

Kishor Patil, CEO, KPIT Technologies, said, “N-Dream’s creativity and technology perfectly complement KPIT’s roadmap for next-generation mobility. Together, we will help define the next era of software-defined vehicles, where immersive, connected and personalised experiences are an integral part of driving.”

Following up to the move, N-Dream will remain an independent entity within the KPIT Group. Anthony Cliquot and Andrin von Rechenberg will continue to lead the company as CEO and Chief of Innovation, respectively.

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Polestar has launched Polestar Fleet Telematics, an advanced connected service designed to revolutionize the management of electric vehicle fleets. This powerful system delivers a continuous stream of real-time data and actionable insights, enabling operators to significantly boost efficiency and lower costs through smarter, predictive planning.

Seamlessly integrating with established fleet management platforms, it requires no additional hardware, simplifying adoption. Created in collaboration with partners Echoes, Geotab and High Mobility, the service also fosters an enhanced customer experience via a fully connected ecosystem. With its scalable architecture for global markets, the solution is available across the entire Polestar range, providing a uniform and sophisticated tool for international fleet operators.

Ramon Lingen, Head of Global Fleet and Pre-owned, said, “Given our extensive fleet customer base, this marks a major milestone for Polestar and a big step forward for our customers. Polestar Fleet Telematics combines sustainability with intelligence – empowering operators to make smarter, data-driven decisions that benefit both their business and the planet.”

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