1. Union Finance Budget 2024 turns out to be a mixed bag for EV industry.

The Union Finance Budget 2024 was a mixed bag for the country’s electric vehicle industry. The EV industry got no direct benefits in the budget as FAME III is yet to be finalized. A few days back Heavy Industries Minister HD Kumaraswamy had hinted that the new scheme for EV purchase subsidies will not be announced in the budget. But still, the industry was hoping for some announcements to stimulate growth.

There was one announcement related to the exemption of lithium, copper & cobalt from custom duties and that is likely to encourage lithium-ion battery manufacturing in the country. In case FAME III is not announced by the end of July, the government may extend the Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme (EMPS). After FAME II ended on March 31, the government had announced EMPS with a Rs 500 crore disbursement from 1 April to 31 July.

2. Nissan Ariya EV coming soon to India.

Nissan is all-set to enter India’s electric car market with its premium electric SUV, the Ariya. The vehicle is expected to arrive as a completely built-up unit (CBU). The Ariya EV was spotted testing in India in 2023.

The Nissan Ariya EV has been built on Renault-Nissan alliance’s CMF-EV platform. It comes in two battery options: 63 kWh (range: 402 km) & 87 kWh (range: 529 km). Upon launch, the Ariya EV will compete with the Kia EV6 & Hyundai IONIQ 5. Both these electric cars too came here via the CBU route. And despite being expensive, they have seen considerable success in the country.

Nissan India is about to launch the X-Trail SUV on 1 August. We can expect more details about the Ariya EV during the X-Trail launch event. The Ariya will be the second coupe-style electric SUV in India after the Tata Curvv EV.

3. Greaves Electric launches the Eltra City electric auto.

Greaves Electric Mobility has launched the Greaves Eltra City passenger electric three-wheeler. The electric auto has been priced at Rs 3,66,999.

The Eltra City comes with a 10.8 kWh battery, which gives a range of 160 km. Greaves has engineered the E3W with safety as top priority. It has a full metal body and comes with a 3 year warranty (extendable up to 5 years).

4. Charge Zone to set-up EV charging stations at Hyundai showrooms.

Hyundai India has joined hands with Charge Zone for EV charging stations at its showrooms. As per the agreement, ChargeZone will install 60 kW DC fast-chargers at 100 Hyundai showrooms.

All electric car users (Hyundai & Non-Hyundai) will be able to access these charging stations. These stations will be accessible via the ‘myHyundai’ app & the Charge Zone app.

Hyundai India has also recently introduced a Charging Management System (CMS) section called ‘EV Charge’ in its ‘myHyundai’ app which provides an enhanced experience for EV customers by allowing charging slot bookings in advance, remote monitoring & multiple online payment options.

5. BMW launches India’s costliest electric scooter.

BMW Motorrad has launched India’s most expensive electric scooter, the CE 04. The scooter will be available in India as a completely built-up unit (CBU) and has been priced at Rs 14.90 lakh. Bookings for the BMW CE 04 are open and the scooter will initially be available in select cities. Deliveries will begin in September.

The BMW CE 04 features an 8.5 kWh battery pack which gives a range of 130 km. It can accelerate from 0-50 km/hr in just 2.6 seconds and touch a maximum speed of 120 km/hr.

The scooter will come with a standard 2.3 kW charger and an optional 6.9 kW fast-charger. The 2.3 kW charger takes 4 hours 20 minutes to fully charge the scooter, while the 6.9 kW fast charger takes 1 hour 40 minutes.

For complete EV charging solutions, explore the Kazam website.