3W EV fleet operator, 3eco Systems, and advanced battery-tech and deep-tech start-up, Log9 Materials, have announced a strategic collaboration to deploy 2,000+ InstaCharged heavy duty Shakti 8 Cargo (S8Ci) EVs across India over the next 18 months. The vehicles’ deployments will be initiated from Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai and then extended to other metro cities. 3eco Systems claims that these Commercial Electric Vehicles (CEV) will be catering to e-commerce and hyperlocal logistics players such as Amazon, Flipkart, Big Basket, etc. 3eco Systems states that it and Log9 are on a shared mission of electrification and digitisation of the last-mile logistics segment. Their partnership will also aim to accelerate the setting up of fast-charging infrastructure across the cities of operations in the longer run.

Shakti 8 Cargo (S8Ci) EVs by 3ev Industries is an L5 CEV that has been designed to serve last-mile logistics use-cases. As per 3eco Systems, it comes with a range (on full charge) of 130 km and a payload capacity of 580 kg, besides having several other superlative high-performance features. InstaCharged by Log9's RapidX batteries, the cargo EV can be charged from 0 to 100 percent in less than 35 minutes.

3eco Systems states that In India, the last-mile logistics sector is anticipated to increase by 900 percent to $9 billion by 2025. This is largely driven by the e-commerce industry. For intra-city logistics, three-wheeler cargo vehicles are fast becoming a preferred choice for last-mile deliveries, with EVs winning in this segment due to lowest operating cost and highest efficiency, 3eco Systems states. And this is exactly where the collaboration between Log9 and 3eco Systems comes in and can prove to be a game changer, according to 3eco Systems.

Sharing his views, Peter Voelkner, MD, 3eco Systems, said, “3eco serves the widest list of enterprise customers as a dedicated EV fleet operator in India, currently with operations in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Coimbatore and Mumbai. We take a holistic approach to understanding the complete value-chain before we enter a market or customer engagement. We analyse the bottlenecks, operating challenges and other efficiency issues, then work with our strategic partners, like Log9 Materials, to design solutions for greater productivity based on our operating capabilities. After jointly optimising the services using our platform, we unlock substantial benefits for the customers and the communities in the form of higher cost savings and service improvement.”

3eco Systems claims that e-retail logistics is a growing industry that is solving the niche problems for India’s booming e-commerce players. Traditional logistics providers face challenges of offering comprehensive last-mile services for online retailers. According to 3eco Systems, this poses issues such as delayed deliveries, poor last-mile delivery management (particularly of returned items) and insufficient real-time tracking, among others. The partnership between Log9 and 3eco will be attempting to overcome these issues.

Speaking of the strategic partnership, Kartik Hajela, Co-founder and COO, Log9 Materials, said, “The last mile logistics sector has finally come of age and has started manifesting its impact on the Indian economy. With customers today flocking to e-commerce platforms for A to Z, the industry today calls for technologies that empower fleet operations to deliver on time, every time. Our RapidX batteries have earned their repute for the fastest charging batteries in India and have created a benchmark for safety across sectors. We are proud to see our RapidX batteries form an integral part of 3eco’s fleet operations and are certain that our rapid charging technology would ensure higher utilisation of the EVs across multiple use cases, thus creating a positive impact on the bottom line of partners, such as 3eco Systems.”

Karan Kadaba, Director, 3eco Systems, added, “At 3eco, our operations are managed and optimised for maximum utilisation over the day, often operating 1.5 shifts in a 24-hour period, which boosts the vehicles’ revenue generating potential. Our vehicles have smart electronics integrated with the 35-minute charging capability enabled by the RapidX Log9 batteries to give us maximum flexibility to optimise performance, utilisation and cost of operations. Our collaboration with Log9 will allow the customers to have complete advantage of 3ev’s top-tier performance in terms of range, acceleration, braking, as well as multiple points of telemetry for real-time tracking. Access to real-time and targeted data drives our consistent improvement to check all the sub-standard metrics and adopt positive outliers as system-wide best practices. We have plans to expand to eight more tier-1 and 2 cities over the next 12 months.”

Digital lending platform Revfin has strengthened its management with the appointment of three senior executives as part of its FY2026 strategy, targeting INR 7.5 billion in disbursements and 5x growth over the past two years. The company also expects to cross INR 20 billion in cumulative disbursements since inception.

The new appointments include Abhinandan Narayan, Chief Business Officer – New Business, Monish Vohra, COO – Operations & Collections and Anirudh Gupta, Chief Finance & Strategy Officer. The appointments the company shared aligns with its focus on ‘People, Process, Profitability.’

Furthermore, Revfin has outlined its ambition to finance 24,000 EVs in FY2026. Till date, it claims to have financed over 85,000 EVs across 25 states, with 75 percent of borrowers from marginalised communities. Cumulatively, its driver partners have covered 1.6 billion electric miles and earned over USD 400 million.

In FY2025, the company grew its L5 EV loan book by 1,700 percent, supported by a partnership with Bajaj Auto and expanded collaborations with logistics firms. The L5 segment remains a key focus as a replacement for ICE vehicles in urban transport.

Sameer Aggarwal, Founder & CEO, Revfin, said, “The last financial year was a volatile one for the EV industry, but the excitement and energy within the sector remain undiminished. At Revfin, we are deeply convinced that intracity and small commercial vehicles must – and will – transition 100 percent to electric within the next three years. The opportunity is here and now. It’s time to set bold targets and pursue hypergrowth over the next two years. At this critical juncture, the right leadership becomes essential to realizing our ambitions. With the strong momentum we’ve already built, we’re confident the journey ahead will be even more rewarding. We’ve entered 2025 with a sharp focus on what truly matters: People, Processes, and Profitability. These latest leadership hires are a natural extension of that focus and our commitment to scale with purpose.”

Ahmedabad-based clean energy company Matter has launched its flagship electric motorcycle – the Aera, in Bengaluru at an introductory price of IRN 179,000 for the first 500 customers, post which it will be available at INR 188,000. The company has started taking pre-registrations for the e-motorcycle at INR 1,999.

Furthermore, the company has also announced that its first Experience Hub will come up at BTM Layout, which will showcase its tech prowess and philosophy firsthand.

The Matter Aera is claimed to be the world's first electric motorcycle with manual gears – 4-speed transmission, 3 ride modes that delivers 12 unique ride combinations. It features a 7-inch Smart Touchscreen Dashboard, onboard charger and liquid cooled powertrain. The e-motorcycle has a claimed IDC range of up to 172km, a zero to 40 kmph in 2.8 seconds, dual disc brakes with ABS, telescopic front fork and dual rear suspension.

Mohal Lalbhai, Founder & Group CEO, Matter Energy, said, “There’s no better city to lead this journey than Bengaluru—where innovation isn’t just an idea, it’s a way of life. Every lane, every rider here resonates with purpose and progress. The Aera isn’t just a bike – it’s the 22nd Century motorbike. It delivers the thrill of a rocket and the practicality your pocket loves. With our in-house developed Hypershift manual gearbox, liquid-cooled powertrain, and connected tech, AERA brings together performance, emotion, and sustainability like never before.”

The Kia EV3 has won the prestigious ‘2025 World Car of the Year’ award at the globally renowned 2025 World Car Awards ceremony, held during the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS).

A jury of 96 distinguished worldwide automotive journalists from 30 nations assessed the 2025 World Car Awards. With the EV3's triumph, Kia has now won six World Car Awards since 2020. The EV3 has a dramatic, forward-thinking design and a creative, useful interior that makes the most of available space, comfort and utility. The EV3 can charge from 10 to 80 percent in 31 minutes and has a segment-leading range of up to 375 miles (around 603 kilometres). While Kia's AI Assistant, advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) and Over-the-Air (OTA) upgrades improve the ownership experience with cutting-edge technology, the vehicle's creative interior design maximizes room, comfort and accessibility.

Ho Sung Song, President and CEO, Kia, said, “It is an immense honour for everyone at Kia that the EV3 has been awarded the 2025 World Car of the Year title. This award highlights Kia’s global leadership in providing design-led, technologically advanced, sustainable mobility solutions and how the EV3’s class-leading attributes redefine the user experience for customers worldwide.”

The Hyundai INSTER sub-compact EV has won the prestigious 2025 World Electric Vehicle award at the globally renowned 2025 World Car Awards ceremony, held during the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS).

With this recognition, Hyundai Motor Company has dominated one or more World Car Awards categories for the fourth year in a row. Hyundai Motor's commitment to developing EV technology and sustainability is highlighted by the 2025 World Electric Vehicle award, which also acknowledges INSTER's exceptional value in the EV market. The finalists were chosen by a sealed-ballot jury consisting of 96 international automotive journalists from 30 different countries. On 16 April 2025, the winners were revealed at the 2025 NYIAS. With its unique design, remarkable driving range and state-of-the-art technology, INSTER is the market leader in the sub-compact EV sector. A 10- to 80-percent charge can be made in around 30 minutes thanks to INSTER's quick charging technology, and the 49-kWh long-range variant has a range of up to 370 kilometres.

José Muñoz, President and CEO, Hyundai Motor Company, said, “The Hyundai INSTER has been a winner with customers since we introduced it. It’s very gratifying that the experts on the prestigious World Car Awards jurors feel the same way. The combination of compelling design, range, enjoyable driving characteristics, intuitive infotainment and technology that customers appreciate is emblematic of Hyundai’s approach of delivering exceptional value to our customers. The fact that our global portfolio is successful both commercially and critically speaks to the hard-working people throughout the Hyundai value chain who are delivering some of the best vehicles on the road today. Thank you to all the jurors for your service to this great industry.”