Luca Zipponi Appointed Vedanta Aluminium CEO, Rolled Products

Luca Zipponi Appointed Vedanta Aluminium CEO, Rolled Products

Vedanta Aluminium has announced that it has appointed Luca Zipponi as the CEO of Rolled Products. 

With more than 30 years of experience, Zipponi brings with him a wealth of knowledge and expertise for his new role. In this role, he will be responsible for driving growth and overseeing all operations related to the product group, which finds various applications in automotive, insulations, power projects, electrical, and packaging sectors to name a few. 

Ensuring the best use of technology to drive innovation and deliver greater value to customers, Zipponi will enhance Vedanta Aluminium's market leadership and operational excellence. Having previously served as the Group Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director UK at Reflexallen Group, his extensive background in operations and strategy is expected to be instrumental in advancing Vedanta Aluminium's rolled products business.

The company has a unit in Korba (Chhattisgarh) with state-of-the-art rolled products setup with a capacity of 0.72 lakh tonnes per annum (LTPA). The setup comprises casting stations, continuous caster, hot rolled mills, and cold rolled mills.

A part of Vedanta Limited, the company is India's largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India's aluminium – 2.37 million tonnes in FY2023-24. It is also a leading player in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. 

QuantumScape And Honda R&D Sign Joint Research Agreement For Solid-State Battery Tech

QuantumScape

QuantumScape Corporation has announced a multi-year joint research agreement with Honda R&D Co., a subsidiary of Honda Motor Co.

The collaboration focuses on advancing QuantumScape’s solid-state lithium-metal battery platform, including the development of associated manufacturing processes.

This agreement follows a successful technology evaluation period during which Honda conducted a technical study and competitive benchmarking of QuantumScape’s battery platform.

Atsushi Ogawa, Chief Operating Officer, Research Center of Excellence, Honda R&D Co, said, “QS technology demonstrated compelling and unique advantages during our evaluation. We see potential for QS technology to add value across a range of applications, including automotive, and we are excited to move forward into the next phase of our partnership.”

Dr. Siva Sivaram, CEO and President, QuantumScape, added, “Honda is a leading global automaker renowned for its engineering excellence and product quality across automotive and other applications worldwide, and its evaluation represents one of the most rigorous assessments of our technology to date. This agreement reflects the growing confidence in QS solid-state lithium-metal batteries to enable safer, higher-density energy storage.”

Ola Electric Receives BIS Certification For Indigenous 46100 LFP Cell

Ola LFP

Ola Cell Technologies (OCT), a subsidiary of Ola Electric, has become the first Indian company to receive Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for its indigenously developed 46100 Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) cylindrical cell. The certification was granted under the IS 16046 (Part 2):2018 / IEC 62133-2:2017 standards.

In addition to BIS approval, the cell has qualified under IS 16893 (Parts 2 and 3) and UN 38.3 standards, following comprehensive electrical, mechanical and safety testing at an NABL-accredited laboratory.

The 46100 LFP cylindrical cell has a claimed energy density of over 170 Wh/kg, targeting over 4,000 charge-discharge cycles. It is optimised for applications where safety, lifecycle and cost-efficiency are critical.

The cell complements Ola Electric’s existing NMC 4680 Bharat Cell portfolio. By developing both chemistries on a common 46-series architecture, the company intends to increase domestic value addition and reduce reliance on imported battery technology.

‘The successful certification and qualification of this cell reflects the strength of our R&D, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities, while reinforcing our commitment to developing world-class battery technologies in India. As we continue to expand our in-house cell portfolio, we are creating the technological foundation required to accelerate EV adoption, support future energy storage solutions, and strengthen India’s energy independence,’ the company said in a statement.

Hindustan Zinc Partners With Advantek And Aero Eagle For Green Hydrogen Mining

Hindustan Zinc

Hindustan Zinc has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Advantek Associates and Aero Eagle Automobiles to explore the use of green hydrogen and clean energy solutions.

The company aims to evaluate hydrogen applications across its operations, including underground mining, heavy earth-moving machinery and surface vehicles.

This partnership is part of the company’s strategy to achieve Net Zero by 2050. It marks an effort to integrate hydrogen fuel into mining, an industry that remains difficult to decarbonise.

Arun Misra, CEO, Hindustan Zinc, said, “At Hindustan Zinc, we are focused on pioneering solutions that can redefine the future of sustainable mining. Hydrogen has the potential to support cleaner mobility, reduce emissions from heavy-duty equipment and create new pathways for decarbonising hard-to-abate industrial operations. This collaboration is a forward-looking step in evaluating hydrogen-based technologies, including their potential application in underground mining, as we continue to build a future-ready metals business aligned with global sustainability benchmarks.”

The collaboration will follow a phased approach, beginning with feasibility studies covering green hydrogen generation, storage and dispensing infrastructure. Assessment of Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H2-ICE) and fuel cell technologies. Potential use in underground mining equipment, heavy earth-moving machinery and power generators.

This initiative aligns with Hindustan Zinc’s ESG roadmap and its commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The company has already increased its renewable energy usage to nearly 18 percent of its power mix. Hindustan Zinc was ranked as a sustainable metals and mining company in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2025.

KPIT Technologies Expands Presence In Vietnam With New Hanoi Center

KPIT Technologies - Vietnam

KPIT Technologies has inaugurated a new technology centre in Hanoi, Vietnam, marking an expansion of its operations in Southeast Asia. The company has also established strategic partnerships with the Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST) and VinUniversity.

The new facility will serve as a hub for engineering and innovation, supporting mobility programmes across the Asia-Pacific region. KPIT currently employs local engineers in Vietnam and plans to add over 100 positions in the near future.

The partnerships with HUST and VinUniversity aim to foster industry-academia collaboration, develop talent in the mobility sector, and create employment opportunities for students and professionals.

Sachin Tikekar, President & Joint MD, KPIT Technologies, said, “Vietnam is an important long-term market and talent hub for KPIT in Southeast Asia. We see strong potential in its talent, energy, and pace of innovation, with both homegrown and global vehicle makers continuing to invest in the country. With our new technology centre and partnerships with leading universities, we are committed to building local talent, creating high-quality jobs, and establishing a meaningful long-term presence in the region.”

KPIT aims to support the mobility industry’s focus on manufacturing efficiency, vehicle development speed, and consumer experience. The company currently operates in markets including Germany, Japan, the USA, China and India.