1. Gujarat witnesses huge surge in EV registrations.

Since Gujarat’s EV Policy came into effect in 2021, the state has witnessed a big surge in EV registrations. From just 7240 EVs before the implementation of the EV Policy, the total number of EVs in Gujarat have jumped to 1,18,086 in 2 years, an increase of 1475%! Surat leads the race with 31,561 EVs, followed by Ahmedabad with 20,937, Vadodara with 7648, Rajkot with 6678 and Jamnagar with 3259 EVs. Since last 5 months, an average of 8858 EVs were registered in the state per month. Around 250 new public EV charging stations will be installed in the state in the coming months. Concerned authorities have identified sites along national & state highways and at tourist spots.

2. MG planning an electric rival for Thar and Jimny.

Baojun, an automobile joint venture between SAIC & General Motors, recently introduced a compact electric SUV named ‘Yep’. Industry experts believe the Yep will arrive in India as an MG car. The electric SUV has a boxy design similar to the Maruti Suzuki Jimny. It sports a 28.1 kWh battery pack which gives a range of 303 km. Its top speed is 100 km/hr.

MG is likely to bring the Baojun Yep to India after rebranding and it will compete against Thar, Force Gurkha & Jimny.

3. Smart charging system for Delhi electric buses.

The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) is all set to start a pilot project to introduce a smart charging system for its electric bus fleet. The AI-based software will notify the most appropriate hours for recharging the buses at DTC depots. The pilot will be launched at the Rajghat bus depot where 35 electric buses can be charged simultaneously.

If the pilot program is successful, it will be replicated at other depots across the city.

4. Tata Motors launches a premium variant of the Nexon EV Max.

Tata Motors has launched a premium model of the Nexon EV Max priced at Rs 18.97 lakh. The new 'Nexon EV Max XZ+ Lux' gets a bigger 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a new user interface and Android Auto & Apple CarPlay connectivity. The electric SUV also gets an HD rear-view camera and voice assist feature in 6 languages with 180+ voice commands.

The new variant also gets an option of an integrated 7.2 kW AC fast-charging gun, at a price of Rs 19.29 lakhs.

The Nexon EV Max offers enhanced range as compared to the Nexon EV Prime. It features a larger 40.5 kWh battery pack which offers a range of 453 km.

5. EV charging stations to be set-up along the Bengaluru-Pune highway.

The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) is planning to set up fast-charging stations at toll plazas along the Bengaluru-Pune highway section within Karnataka. BESCOM officials have submitted a proposal to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to set-up charging stations at 10 toll plazas on the busy highway. The proposal mentions setting-up 2 charging stations with 120 kW CCS2 fast-charging guns at each toll plaza. BESCOM will also install EV charging stations along the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway & the Bengaluru-Chennai highway. Apart from the highway installations, work on an EV charging hub at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport has also started. Once completed, 20 EVs will be able to receive fast-charging simultaneously at the hub. There is a demand for EV charging points at the airport due to an increase in number of electric cabs. BluSmart, Shoffr & Envi provide electric cabs for passengers at the airport.

For complete EV charging solutions, explore the Kazam website.