With a priority to provide a seamless customer experience by tackling common pain points like ride rejections among others, the app-cab aggregator Rapido has established cab zones at airports in cities like Visakhapatnam and Surat. 
Keen to expand its presence, the company is working to expand its reach to other cities with airports such that it can tap airport routes with competitive fares and well-conditioned vehicle fleet. 
Revealing that they are expanding their airport services across other metro cities in the current quarter of FY2024025, Rapido Cabs Head, Rajiv Bhyri, mentioned at an event in Kolkata that they see airport routes as a key area for growth due to the high demand for reliable, round-the-clock transportation options. 
“With the increasing number of travellers, we believe our airport services will offer riders the lowest prices while our zero-commission model maximises captains' earnings,” he averred. 
Providing an insight into Rapido’s strategy to address the ride rejections faced by commuters that use app-based aggregators, Bhyri said, “Rapido is focused on providing a seamless customer experience and resolving common pain points such as ride rejections that many commuters face with app-based aggregators. With the rise in airport traffic, our strategy emphasises affordability and reliability. By offering competitive fares and maintaining a fleet of well-maintained vehicles, we aim to ensure a dependable and pleasant journey for our customers.”
Entering an association with the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Rapido has already began offering affordable and seamless commute solutions to travellers at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata. The service was inaugurated by State Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty. State Transport Secretary Dr Saumitra Mohan and others were also present. 
To set up dedicated cab service zones at Kolkata Airport where travellers can easily access safe, reliable and budget-friendly rides through its platform, Rapido is emphasising on tech-powered SaaS business model. This business model is designed to guarantee real-time ride availability and highly competitive pricing. 
"With the launch of this service at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, we're not just offering cost-effective travel solutions but also creating valuable employment opportunities for our local drivers. The technology-driven approach aligns with our vision of making West Bengal a leader in smart mobility and we're confident this initiative will set new benchmarks,” expressed Chakraborty.
Rapido Co-founder Pavan Guntupalli explained: "At Rapido, our mission is to revolutionise mobility by delivering reliable, safe and affordable solutions through innovation. Our collaboration with the Airports Authority of India to introduce dedicated cab zones at major airports is a significant step in enhancing the traveller experience while empowering local communities through job creation. With Rapido’s technology-driven platform, passengers can expect seamless airport commutes at the most competitive prices."
 

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Battery Smart (Upgrid Solutions) has raised USD 15 million in debt funding from Mirova, a sustainable investment affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers.

The facility is intended to accelerate the expansion of the company’s Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) infrastructure across India. The capital will specifically support the growth of partner-led swap stations in urban and semi-urban markets, enhancing service for high-usage segments such as last-mile delivery and passenger mobility.

Since launching its first station in New Delhi in 2020, Battery Smart has developed one of India's largest battery-swapping networks. It has setup more than 1,600 stations across 50 cities, wherein EV drivers can swap a depleted battery for a fully charged one in approximately two minutes, significantly reducing the downtime associated with traditional plug-in charging. By separating battery costs from vehicle ownership, the model reduces upfront vehicle purchase prices and improves daily earnings for gig economy drivers.

This transaction marks Mirova’s third investment in the Indian market, following previous commitments to companies like Revfin. The investment is part of Mirova's broader strategy to support high-impact climate solutions in emerging economies.

Pulkit Khurana, Founder and CEO, Battery Smart, said, “This financing marks an important step for us as we continue to scale our battery-as-a-service network across India. With Mirova’s support, we aim to accelerate network expansion and further our focus on making electric mobility more accessible, affordable, and inclusive for drivers across the country.”

Priyanka Mehrotra, Investment Director, Mirova, added, “This transaction marks our third investment in India, thus reflecting continued commitment to supporting high-impact climate solutions in emerging markets. We are pleased to support the next phase of Battery Smart’s growth, rooted in a scalable and operationally efficient model that addresses both environmental and economic challenges, particularly in last-mile mobility.”

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China-headquartered PATEO Connect Technology has announced two major strategic partnerships – AUMOVIO and NVIDIA – during the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, focusing on the global expansion of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and high-performance computing in the automotive sector.

The leading Chinese provider of intelligent vehicle connectivity solutions, specialising in AI-enabled, cloud-based infotainment, Operating Systems (PATEO OS) and hardware for automakers

PATEO entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AUMOVIO Holding China Co. The parties intend to jointly develop cross-domain integration and AGI technologies. The agreement focuses on leveraging high-computing SoC platforms and integrated cockpit-driving domain controllers for R&D. It will utilise global supply chains, OEM resources and manufacturing capabilities. Promoting Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) domain control and AGI automotive application projects.

The partnership aims to establish a ‘channel + product’ alliance, combining joint investment with technology collaboration to address future market demands for intelligent mobility.

PATEO also confirmed deep collaborations with NVIDIA and a leading New Energy Vehicle (NEV) OEM. To address the demand for computing power in Level 3 and Level 4 autonomous driving, PATEO is developing on-vehicle solutions powered by the NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Thor platform.

As per the understanding, the partnership will implement PATEO’s AI Box on the NVIDIA platform to support vehicle-side deployment of next-generation models. PATEO has received a nomination for a model project representing an integrated ‘software and hardware’ solution. The project marks a commercial application coupling ByteDance's general large model with PATEO’s edge model.

PATEO and its partners have initiated deployment for vehicle-side scenarios, including physical AI, AI agents, and AI emotional agents. The company is also exploring business models such as computing power charging and vehicle-mounted tokens billing.

As automotive intelligence shifts toward being ‘AI-defined,’ PATEO said it continues to execute its ‘AI + Globalisation’ strategy, transitioning large-scale models from verification to mass production.

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Epsilon Cathode Active Materials (Epsilon CAM) has revealed its Gen III LFP Cathode Material, marking a significant non-Chinese advancement in high-energy-density battery chemistry at a commercial scale.

The technology was developed at the company’s Cathode Technology Centre in Moosburg, Germany, an innovation hub supported by a portfolio of over 145 active patents. The breakthrough addresses the global automotive industry's need for high-performance battery materials that offer supply chain diversification and regulatory compliance.

The Gen III LFP material is engineered to provide electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers with claimed performance differentiation through several key metrics:

• Energy Capacity: Achieves a discharge capacity of ≥159 mAh/g.
• Architecture: Features an electrode density of ≥2.51 g/cc, allowing for denser cell architecture.
• Longevity: Delivers 2X cycle life for extended battery pack durability.
• Thermal Stability: Offers proven performance in high-temperature environments.

A primary feature of the Gen III LFP material is its full PFE (Prohibited Foreign Entity) approval. This compliance allows for unrestricted entry into North American battery manufacturing and automotive supply chains, providing a critical advantage as manufacturers seek to meet diversified regulatory mandates.

Vikram Handa, Managing Director, Epsilon Group, said, "This isn't just incremental. With our Gen III LFP Cathode Material, we've engineered a formulation that gives EV makers genuine performance differentiation – more energy per cell, denser electrode architecture and the compliance pathway that matters most for the North American market: full PFE approval."

To support global demand, Epsilon is advancing manufacturing with a planned capacity of 30,000 TPA (tonnes per annum) in India. By combining German research and development with Indian production, the company offers a credible alternative to Chinese dominance in the battery materials sector.

This ‘dual-hub’ strategy allows EV OEMs to mitigate geopolitical exposure and supply chain concentration risks while achieving performance parity with current Chinese alternatives. The Moosburg facility will continue to lead global R&D and product development for successive generations of LFP materials.

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Sterling Tools has entered a technology collaboration with China-based Nanjing Haohang to manufacture Advanced Rider Assistance Systems (ARAS) for the Indian two-wheeler market.

The agreement establishes a framework for Sterling Tools to lead local engineering, manufacturing and sales of ARAS in India. These systems utilise sensors and software to provide real-time alerts, functioning similarly to ADAS in passenger cars but adapted for the specific dynamics of two-wheelers. The partnership aims to address safety gaps in India, where two-wheeler accidents represent a significant portion of road fatalities.

The collaboration has already resulted in the testing and validation of several features on Indian roads. These include Front and Rear Collision Warning, Blind Spot Detection, Lane Change Warning, and Wrong-Side Alert.

Sterling Tools plans to offer these production-ready systems to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to support the adoption of intelligent mobility and safety-driven regulations.

Anish Agarwal, Director, Sterling Tools, said, “We are moving toward an era of intelligent mobility. This partnership with Haohang, tailored for the Indian market, equip two-wheeler OEMs with advanced rider assistance technologies that address a critical safety gap. Two-wheeler accidents account for a significant share of road fatalities in India and our collaboration aims to foster a safer environment for the 2W industry and its manufacturers.”

Nanjing Haohang will provide the global technology platform, while Sterling Tools will manage system adaptation for local road conditions. This expansion follows Sterling Tools’ recent investments in EV power electronics and rare-earth-magnet-free motor solutions.

LI Zhipan, General Manager, Nanjing Haohang, added, “India represents one of the most important markets for advanced rider assistance technology, given the scale and safety challenges of its two-wheeler segment. Our collaboration with Sterling Tools allows us to localise our solutions for Indian road conditions and bring validated, life-saving technology to automakers and riders across the country.”

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