Ashok Leyland, India’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, today commenced the delivery of its electric vehicles (EV) to Billion Electric Mobility (member of Group BillionE) with the flag-off ceremony of the AVTR 55T Electric tractor and the BOSS 19T Electric and BOSS 14T Electric trucks. BillionE has placed an order of 180 EVs with Ashok Leyland.

The vehicles were flagged off by Shenu Agarwal, MD & CEO, Ashok Leyland, and Kartikey Hariyani, Founder & CEO, Billion E-Mobility & ChargeZone, in the presence of Dr N Saravanan, CTO, Ashok Leyland; Sanjeev Kumar, President – M&HCV, Ashok Leyland; Ganesh Mani, Chief Operating Officer, Ashok Leyland; Sanjeev Kulkarni, CTO, BillionE; Ravindra Mohan, COO, ChargeZone and Mustafa Wajid, Member of Board, BillionE.

These EVs are built to deliver cutting-edge economy, safety and performance. The battery packs provide IP67 protection to prevent water and dust intrusion, and their frame-level placement guarantees compatibility with popular trailers and superstructures. For increased safety, the vehicles use Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS). Additionally, the vehicles include the popular Common Charging Standard 2 (CCS2) and simultaneous dual-gun charging for quicker recharge.

Agarwal said, “Ashok Leyland is proud of its partnership with BillionE Group as we commence deliveries of our AVTR 55T Electric Tractor and BOSS ICV Electric trucks. We are equally proud that in both BOSS and AVTR electric platforms, we have packed the most advanced and premium features making these products way superior in performance and TCO.  BOSS Electric is India’s first and only electric truck in the ICV range, and AVTR 55T Electric Tractor is the first 4x2 Tractor to be commercially offered by an Indian CV manufacturer. Ashok Leyland remains committed in pushing the boundaries of innovation to lead the shift to green mobility, offering cutting-edge technologies and outstanding customer experience."

Hariyani said, “As we build our energy transition platform BillionE, an integrated mid-mile Electric Truck Platform as a collaboration between our group companies Billion E-Mobility and CHARGE ZONE, we embark on a journey together towards a cleaner, more efficient and sustainable tomorrow. We thank Ashok Leyland for delivering the technologically advanced Electric vehicles – AVTR 55T Tractor and BOSS, enabling us to take forward our commitment to driving a sustainable and eco-friendly transportation ecosystem.”

Vadodara-headquartered Wardwizard Innovations & Mobility (Wardwizard), one of India’s leading electric vehicle manufacturers, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ampvolts (formerly Quest Softech India), a leading EV charging stations and infrastructure provider. The partners will work together to develop electric vehicle charging infrastructure in India and globally.

At present, Wardwizard sells electric two-wheelers under the Joy e-bike brand and electric three-wheelers under the Joy e-rik brand.

As per the understanding, Wardwizard will help in identifying strategic locations for setting up EV charging stations and serving as the front-end partner for key projects. It will also provide necessary resources, including financial support, to bolster the development of a comprehensive EV ecosystem.

On the other hand, Ampvolts will supply its electric vehicle charging equipment, including chargers and associated hardware, to Wardwizard. They will also provide customised CMS software solutions to facilitate payment gateways and online monitoring systems. It will also extend its Battery as a Service (BaaS) offerings to Wardwizard’s B2B clients, delivering innovative and comprehensive solutions to enhance business operations.

Yatin Gupte, Chairman and MD, Wardwizard Innovations & Mobility, said, "This partnership is a step forward in our mission to create a robust and sustainable EV ecosystem. Ampvolts’ expertise in developing customised charging infrastructure solutions will empower us to offer our customers reliable and efficient charging options, enhancing their overall EV experience. Together with Ampvolts, we are committed to accelerating the transition to green mobility by delivering integrated solutions that empower businesses and individuals to adopt electric vehicles confidently."

Vipul Chauhan, MD, Ampvolts, said, “We are happy to partner with Wardwizard Innovations & Mobility in this strategic collaboration, which marks a transformative step toward advancing green mobility. Wardwizard’s deep expertise in electric vehicle manufacturing and their well-established presence in the market provide us with invaluable insights and opportunities to expand our reach and impact. By leveraging our cutting-edge technologies and value propositions as well as their strong customer base and understanding of mobility needs, we can tailor our charging equipment and software solutions to deliver maximum value.”

TI Clean Mobility, part of the Murugappa Group, has appointed Jalaj Gupta as the new Managing Director.  

The auto industry veteran in his last position was the Business Head for Commercial Vehicles at Mahindra Group. He has around 29 years of experience in the automotive industry with expertise in business strategy, product development, sales, marketing, and vendor management.

Gupta an alumnus of Punjabi University and IMT Ghaziabad has also held leadership roles at Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland.

Prior to Gupta, TI Clean Mobility was led by Kalyan Kumar Paul, who served as the Managing Director with over 30-years of career with Tube Investments of India (TII) Group, which is part of the Murugappa Group. Paul had retired from the company in October 2024.

TI Clean Mobility, the electric vehicle business of the Murugappa Group, currently sells electric three-wheelers under the Montra brand and is also set to enter the electric small commercial vehicle (e-SCV) and electric tractor space. 

Mumbai-based automotive major Mahindra has unveiled the teaser sketches of its upcoming electric origin SUVs – the BE 6e and XEV 9e ahead of the November 26 debut.

Based on the Heartcore design philosophy, the BE 6e and XV 9e are completely new pure electric vehicles designed by the company, which it believes will disrupt the passenger vehicle segment.

The company is betting big on the upcoming EVs as they encapsulate dynamic styling, premium materials, and progressive proportions.

Pratap Bose, Chief Design & Creative Officer, Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “Heartcore Design is about creating an emotional bond with our customers through design. Prepare to fall in love with our Electric Origin SUVs.”

Montra Electric, a brand owned by Tl Clean Mobility Pvt Ltd, has praised the Government of India for the continuation of subsidy support for the electrification of last-mile mobility under the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) Scheme.

Roy Kurian, Business Head, Montra Electric (Last Mile Division), said, “Montra Electric sincerely thanks the Ministry of Heavy Industry, Govt of India for ensuring continuity of the subsidy support to last-mile mobility. This crucial support will help the industry navigate challenges and further speed up the shift to electric last-mile solutions.”

The PM E-DRIVE Scheme was launched on 29 September 2024. The scheme was put into effect on 1 October 2024 and will continue until 31 March 2026. Furthermore, EMPS-2024, the number of vehicles and the spending under EMPS-2024 for e-2w and e-3w being implemented from 1 April 2024 to 30 September 2024 are being subsumed under the PM E-DRIVE Scheme; hence, the scheme's effective time will be two years.