1. Italian automaker VLF to enter India with its electric scooter.

Italian electric two-wheeler brand VLF has announced its entry in the Indian EV market. VLF will partner with Kolhapur-based KAW Veloce Motors for manufacturing & distribution. The two companies will set-up a manufacturing facility in Maharashtra.

VLF plans to launch its popular electric scooter ‘Tennis’ in India during the festive season this year.

Very soon VLF will roll-out a large-scale marketing campaign (roadshows, auto expo participation, etc) which will culminate in the scooter’s launch during the 2024 festive season. The company will initially target tier 1 & 2 cities to set-up a dealership network across the country. The aim is to have 15 dealerships by the end of 2024, expanding up to 50 dealerships by the end of the financial year.

2. BYD set to launch a cheaper variant of its Atto 3 electric SUV.

BYD India has released a teaser featuring an electric car, on all its social media handles.

As per reports, BYD will be announcing an entry-level variant of its Atto 3 electric SUV on July 10. The new Atto 3 variant will feature a smaller 50 kWh battery. The present Atto 3 variant comes with a 60.48 kWh battery that gives a range of 521 km.

The entry-level variant will allow BYD India to price the Atto 3 competitively while going up against the top-end variant of the MG ZS EV. The ZS EV is priced between Rs 19-25 lakh, comes with a 50.3 kWh battery and offers a range of 461 km. In comparison, the 60.48 kWh Atto 3 is priced at Rs 34 lakh. The new variant is expected to be priced between Rs 25-28 lakh.

3. Mercedes welcomes its most affordable electric car in India.

Mercedes-Benz has launched its most affordable electric car in India: the EQA 250+. The new electric SUV comes with an introductory price tag of 66 lakh. It features a 70.5 kWh battery pack which gives a range of 560 km. The EQA can go from 0-100 km/hr in 8.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 160 km/hr. It can be charged up to 80% using a 100 kW charger in just 35 minutes.

The EQA 250+ joins other electric cars such as the EQB, EQE & EQS in Mercedes-Benz India's portfolio. This new EV will take on Volvo XC40 Recharge, Kia EV6 & Hyundai IONIQ 5 in the Indian market. Bookings have begun, and deliveries are expected to begin in January 2025.

4. US-based EV charging player ‘Electrify America’ begins a ‘charging station congestion reduction’ pilot program.

United States-based EV fast-charging network company Electrify America has kicked-off a pilot program at 10 of its EV charging stations. This pilot limits EVs to 85% state-of-charge (SoC) to reduce congestion at stations. The objective of the pilot program is to reduce waiting times at EV charging stations. While charging EVs, when the SoC touches 85, the speed of charging slows down. This can cause congestion at the station. At these 10 charging stations, as soon as an EV touches 85% state of charge, the session will automatically end.

While charging, every EV’s charging speed drastically slows down once it surpasses 85% state of charge. For instance, the Kia EV6 takes around 16 minutes to charge up to 80% on an Electrify America rapid charger. However, the last 80-100% takes around 20 minutes! This causes unnecessary congestion at charging stations, leading to longer waiting times.

Electrify America claims it has launched the test in response to customer feedback, and it will continuously monitor charging station performance & customer sentiment during the pilot's duration.

5. 'Eco-friendly only' finance company Ecofy joins hands with Mahindra.

One-of-its-kind 'only green' finance company Ecofy has joined hands with Mahindra to boost electric three-wheeler adoption in the country. The tie-up aims to combine Mahindra's best-in-class electric vehicles with Ecofy's innovative finance solutions. Ecofy is backed by Eversource Capital, India’s largest climate impact fund.

This collaboration will help bring tailored financing solutions (including leasing & subscription plans) to Mahindra's electric three-wheeler customers.

For complete EV charging solutions, explore the Kazam website.