1. Hyundai to launch the Ioniq 5 EV in India in the second half of 2022.

The Ioniq 5 will be the 2nd electric car from Hyundai in India after the Kona. Hyundai has already announced that it will launch up to 6 electric cars by 2028. The name ‘Ioniq’ is a fusion of ‘ion’ & ‘unique’.

Hyundai’s cousin Kia Motors has already announced that it will import the EV6 as a CBU (completely built-up unit), but Hyundai says it will assemble the Ioniq 5 from CKD kits (completely knocked-down), thereby making the Ioniq 5 more affordable. Both Ioniq 5 & EV6 share the same modular platform.

2. MG Motors ties up with Bharat Petroleum for EV charging solutions.

MG Motors India has joined hands with Bharat Petroleum to set up EV charging stations across the country. The collaboration aims to provide innovative EV charging solutions for customers. The two partners plan to install EV chargers across highways and within cities.

The two companies gave out a joint statement: “With BPCL’s vast customer reach and operations and MG’s strides in the EV space, the two entities can combine expertise to strategically identify charging sites, garner consumer insights, devise loyalty programs, and create technology to manage charging systems.”

3. Central Government to issue guidelines for quality testing of EV batteries.

The government will come up with detailed guidelines on the quality testing norms for batteries used in EVs. This move comes as no surprise as reports of electric two-wheelers catching fire became headlines recently. Investigations into all recent EV fire accidents are going on and in preliminary findings quality of battery seems to be the issue. There are possibilities that the government may bring the EV batteries manufactured/assembled in India under the Quality Control Order (QCO) regime. Products under QCO have to comply with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Currently, most of the players in this segment are using imported batteries and hence quality control is an issue. The revised guidelines will cover performance testing and manufacturing standards along with the heat resistance of the batteries.

4. BMW to introduce electric sedan i4 in India.

BMW India is all set to launch its all-electric sedan ‘i4’ next month. The company has already launched its electric SUV ‘iX’ and all-electric hatchback MINI. The company claims it has received a great response with respect to the all-electric MINI luxury hatchback. The new electric sedan will come via the CBU route and is expected to be priced at around Rs.80 lakh. It will sport an 83.9 kWh battery pack with a claimed range of 590 km.