Toyota made a splash in India recently by showcasing a flex-fuel hybrid vehicle. This amounted to a logical step in its efforts to highlight its work in the area of alternative fuel technologies soon after it supplied the Union Transport Minister, Nitin Gadkari, with a hydrogen fuel cell car. The year 2022 has been a year of much action and words in the area of alternative fuels in India. The Brazilian Ambassador to India, d. Andre Aranha Correa Do Lago, said in his speech at the recent SIAM Annual Convention that Brazil and India are the two largest sugarcane producers and have the potential to produce enormous amounts of ethanol. “Brazil will work with India on flex-fuel technology, sustainable aviation fuels, second generation ethanol, hybrid flex-fuel vehicles, fuel cells etc.,” he averred. 

At the same event, Gadkari mentioned that through innovation, science, research, technology and entrepreneurship, the auto industry should convert knowledge to fuel and devise alternative fuel technologies. Stating that the petroleum product import is amounting to INR 16 trillion and is a challenge for the country, he averred, “I am happy to see good growth of electric vehicles across segments. Around 1.5 million EVs have been registered and the overall sales figure is up by 162 percent. The sales growth of electric two-wheelers is 425 percent, electric three-wheelers is 75 percent, electric four-wheelers is 230 percent and electric buses is 1,600 percent. The number of new start-ups in the domain is 250.” In October 2022, Chinese electric automaker BYD announced the launch of its second electric vehicle in India in the form of an electric SUV called the Atto 3. It will commence sales starting January 2023. 

As electric vehicles continue to gain strength across segments, it is the two-wheeler segment that seems to gain in sales numbers the most. No surprise then that Taiwanese electric two-wheeler major Gogoro is expected to launch electric scooters in India soon. The company has been having a tie-up with Hero MotoCorp in India for some time now and the two are said to be working on developing a battery swapping technology that is suitable for the local and regional requirements. Hero MotoCorp and Gogoro are not the only ones; there are other companies too – like Sun Mobility – that are already working on battery swapping technology. 

With the need for smart grids and a battery charging infrastructure growing as part of the thrust towards alternative fuel technologies to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, the question being asked is: which alternative fuel technology will finally triumph with efforts being made in various areas and directions? A portion of the auto industry is betting on hydrogen as the ultimate alternative fuel. Another portion of the industry is betting on flex-fuel and other alternative fuel technologies, including various gases like LNG and CNG. 

With countries like Russia banking on gaseous fuel as a means to reduce carbon emissions since they are available in abundance there, it is countries like India, which imports 85 percent of the fuels, that needs to find out what it has in abundance and select as the alternative fuel of choice, mentioned an industry expert from Europe. He added that a unique alternative fuel technology from India could actually lead to a global breakthrough and help mobility advance in a new direction altogether. With the possibility of such a disruption always present, the current situation is looking a bit unorganised with a variety of alternative fuels being taken into consideration. 

On one hand, CNG stations are being increased and commercial vehicle operators are taking to it, while on the two-wheeler level, it is the electric vehicle technology that is gathering pace. The most diverse are the efforts at the passenger car level, where Maruti Suzuki and Toyota seem to look at hybrid and flex-fuel, whereas the ones like BYD, MG and Tata Motors are looking at electric to go net-zero carbon. The investment in BS VI technology, which promised water at the tailpipe through emissions cleaner than the air, is yet to fructify for some or many automakers and the call for rapid development in alternative fuel technologies is being summoned. 

With sustainability being the mantra as the auto industry in India sees good days after a prolonged slowdown, the high inflation and resulting steep increase in vehicle prices is already threatening to spoil the party. A point of worry being that if the work on alternative fuel technologies is affected as inflation is likely to bite harder in 2023, the need to keep global temperatures from rising above the 1.5-degree Celsius mark stays. The auto industry is expected to contribute the most and also ensure sustainable, affordable and desirable mobility at the same time.  A tightrope walk beckons as the mantle of alternative fuel technologies can’t be abandoned. 

One thing is clear that what holds for India is what India has in abundance. Like Russia has gas, India could do well in developing technologies that can create gas from waste and other means available locally in abundance. Rather than politicising city waste that is often dumped just outside the city, it will serve if it could be turned into fuel to power automobiles as well as industrial furnaces and other machines. Afterall, despite all the efforts in electrification and other alternative fuel technologies, roughly 95 percent of the vehicles that continue to sell the world over are still powered by IC engines!

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Chartered Speed has deployed 11 electric buses for staff transportation for DCM Shriram at Jhagadia GIDC, Bharuch. The service was inaugurated by Sanyam Gandhi, Whole-time Director at Chartered Speed and Aditya Shriram, Deputy Managing Director at DCM Shriram.

The deployment is part of an effort to shift employee mobility towards electrification. Chartered Speed operates a fleet of over 2,000 buses across six states, serving 350,000 passengers daily.

The electric buses are equipped with several technologies for fleet management and passenger safety. It comes with real-time GPS tracking and onboard Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS). CCTV cameras, fire protection systems and first-aid kits are installed in every vehicle.

The company currently provides school and staff transportation services to various clients, including GHCL Limited and Apple Global School.

Sanyam Gandhi, Whole-time Director, Chartered Speed, said, “With the recent deployment of electric buses, we are strengthening our commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of our operations and supporting the transition to greener transportation solutions. Our vision is of building a large, clean energy-powered fleet that aligns with global trends towards electrification in public transport. We remain focused on integrating technology in our services not only enhances operational efficiency but also fosters a culture of safety that we believe is essential for the future of transportation.”

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Tata Motors, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers in the country, has attained a new milestone in the Indian electric vehicle (EV) market, with cumulative sales of its TATA.ev range exceeding 250,000 units.

Since the launch of the Nexon.ev in 2020, the company has secured a 66 percent market share of all electric passenger vehicles sold in India to date. The Nexon.ev has become the first electric model in the country to surpass 100,000 cumulative sales.

At present, the company’s green vehicle offering includes the Tiago.ev, Punch.ev, Nexon.ev, Curvv.ev and Harrier.ev for personal use, alongside the XPRES-T EV for fleet operations.

To support its EV customers, Tata Motors has established an ecosystem, which includes access to over 200,000 charging points, including home, community and public chargers. A digital platform providing coverage for over 20,000 public chargers. Around 100 mega charging hubs operational across key corridors, offering speeds of more than 120kW. Approximately 1,500 dedicated EV service bays nationwide, staffed by over 5,000 technicians.

The automaker stated that every TATA.ev vehicle is manufactured with more than 50 percent local content. In collaboration with other Tata Group companies, the firm has localised the production of battery packs and battery management systems. The supply chain also includes domestic production of power electronics, wiring harnesses and thermal management systems.

Going forward, Tata Motors has outlined a robust growth strategy through to 2030:

• Upcoming Launches: The Sierra.ev and a new Punch.ev are scheduled for release in CY26, followed by the Avinya luxury range at the end of 2026.
• Portfolio Growth: Five new nameplates are planned by FY2030.
• Infrastructure Targets: The company aims for 400,000 charge points by CY2027 and 1 million by 2030.
• Battery Sourcing: Future models will use battery cells produced at the Agratas gigafactory in Sanand.

Shailesh Chandra, MD & CEO, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, said, “Crossing 250,000 EV sales reflects how electric mobility is fast becoming part of everyday Indian life. Our customers are driving more, travelling farther, and increasingly trusting EVs as their only cars. Our EV journey which began in 2018, was never about leading alone but about building the ecosystem to enable India’s transition to clean mobility. This progress is the outcome of the government’s forward-thinking policies, the steadfast support of our supplier partners and charging infrastructure providers and above all, the trust and enthusiasm of TATA.ev customers. As EV adoption accelerates, our commitment remains clear: to mainstream electric mobility by making it accessible across segments, strengthening the ecosystem, and investing in India-first technology and localization. This is how we will continue to lead India’s growing EV market.”

The company also intends to focus on the circular economy by reusing batteries for energy storage and providing battery health checks for second-hand owners.

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French-headquartered battery systems manufacturer Forsee Power has announced that MegaFlux, a Mexico-based powertrain integrator, has selected its ZEN LFP battery system for its heavy vehicle electric powertrains.

MegaFlux develops electric powertrains for trucks and buses, including retrofit solutions that convert diesel vehicles to electric. The company also provides charging infrastructure and energy management services.

The ZEN LFP product line uses lithium-ion LFP chemistry and is designed for buses, trucks and off-highway vehicles. The batteries are available in 36 kWh and 55 kWh formats, allowing for various voltage and energy combinations. The LFP battery has an energy density of 240 Wh/L. Being a modular system, upto to two modules can be stacked to optimise vehicle space. The battery has 6,000 charging lifecycle and is ISO 26262 ASIL-C and industry standards including R100-3 and R10.6 certified.

The use of LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) chemistry is intended to provide a lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for operators due to its thermal stability and cycle life, factors that are relevant to the operating conditions in markets such as Mexico.

MegaFlux will integrate the ZEN LFP batteries into powertrains sold to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and into its vehicle conversion projects.

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Chinese automotive major BYD has celebrated the production of its 15 millionth new energy vehicle (NEV) at its Jinan Factory. The milestone vehicle is a Denza N8L, which also represents the 15,000th unit of this six-seat SUV model.

The company reported sales of 4.182 million units from January to November 2025, a YoY growth of 11.3 percent. Global markets contributed to this performance, with overseas sales reaching 917,000 units, surpassing the total volume recorded in 2024. BYD now operates in more than 119 countries and regions.

Technological innovation continues to drive the company's operations. In the first three quarters of 2025, R&D expenditure rose to CNY 43.75 billion, a 31 percent increase compared to the previous year. Total cumulative investment in research and development has now exceeded CNY 220 billion.

The Denza brand has entered markets in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. During the first half of the year, the Denza D9 became the top-selling luxury MPV in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.

The brand has extended its presence into Europe and Latin America. This expansion is part of a strategy to increase the electrification of the global luxury automotive sector. Denza recently showcased the D9 at the São Paulo International Motor Show to support its growth in the region.

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