Ather 450 range

Bengaluru-based electric two-wheeler manufacturer Ather Energy has launched the 2025 Ather 450 with a host of new updates with prices starting at INR 129,999.

The Ather 450 series which includes the 450X, 450S and 450 Apex now get multi-mode traction control, optimised Magic Twist functionality and updated AtherStack 6 software among others.

The e-scooters are equipped with multi-compound tyres developed with MRF, which the company believes will provide higher range. The 450X 3.7 kWh comes with a claimed range of 161 km, 450 Apex 157 km, 450X 2.9 kWh 126 km  and Ather 450S 122 km range respectively.

The 2025 Ather 450S can be had at prices starting INR 1,29,999, the 2025 Ather 450X with the 2.9 kWh battery at INR 1,46,999, 2025 Ather 450X with the 3.7 kWh battery at INR 1,56,999 and the 450 Apex is now priced at INR 1,99,999 (ex-showroom Bengaluru inclusive of Pro Pack).

Ravneet S Phokela, Chief Business Officer, Ather Energy, said, “The Ather 450 has been designed with performance at its core. Over the years we have been focusing on improving performance of the 450 product lineup even further through continuous improvements in both software and hardware. Now, with the 2025 Ather 450, we are improving the safety of the scooters with features like multi-mode traction control which is typically found in high end motorcycles. This feature allows the rider to adapt to different road conditions with better control and stability. We are also introducing MagicTwistTM on the 450X after introducing it on the 450 Apex and the Rizta. We expect that these latest updates will offer a much improved riding experience to scooter enthusiasts across the country”. 

Furthermore, Ather Energy is now providing the 450X 2.9 kWh with the Ather Duo, bringing the charging time from 0-80 percent to 3 hrs. Ather’s smart helmet - Halo will now be also bundled with the 450 Apex.

The 2025 450 range is now covered under the Ather’s new Eight70 warranty which offers coverage for up to 8 years or 80,000 km, whichever comes first, and 70 percent battery health assurance up to 8 years.

Nawgati Launches Aaveg Pro Fuel Retail Platform At PDAP AGM 2026

Nagwati

Nawgati has announced the launch of Aaveg Pro, an integrated operations platform for petroleum dealers, at the Petrol Dealers Association Pune (PDAP) Annual General Meeting. The system is designed to digitise fuel station management within the Indian retail ecosystem.

Aaveg Pro serves as a digital operating system to replace manual workflows in fuel retail. The platform consolidates several critical station functions into a single interface:

  • Sales and Inventory: Features include shift-level nozzle reconciliation, live inventory tracking and stock variation control.
  • Financial Accounting: The system supports VAT, GST, cess and surcharge handling to maintain audit-ready records and real-time balance sheet visibility.
  • Fleet and Credit Management: Dealers can manage digital fleet contracts, consolidated invoicing and credit risk monitoring.

The platform is designed to integrate with existing station infrastructure, such as dispensers, CCTV systems, fuel storage compressors and vehicle-tracking systems, to provide operational oversight.

Vaibhav Kaushik, Co-Founder & CEO, Nawgati, said, “The launch of Aaveg Pro reflects our continued commitment to building solutions that solve real operational challenges for fuel dealers. Fuel retail in India still relies heavily on fragmented and manual workflows across accounting, stock monitoring, reconciliation, and customer credit management. With Aaveg Pro, we are bringing these critical functions onto one integrated platform so that dealers can operate with greater visibility, control, and efficiency.”

Aalaap Nair, Co-Founder, Nawgati, said, “Aaveg Pro has been built specifically for the day-to-day realities of fuel retail operations in India. From shift-level reconciliation and stock tracking to consolidated fleet invoicing and live financial reporting, the platform is designed to reduce complexity and improve decision-making at the station level. Our goal is to help dealers move away from manual processes and adopt a smarter, more scalable way of running their businesses.”

Mahindra’s Charge_iN Partners HPCL To Expand EV Charging Network

Charge_iN - Mahindra

Charge_iN by Mahindra and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) have signed a strategic agreement to develop electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure at HPCL retail outlets across India. The collaboration aims to utilise HPCL’s national fuel station network to increase the availability of public charging points for electric four-wheelers.

HPCL currently operates over 24,400 retail outlets and has installed more than 5,400 charging stations under its HP e-Charge brand. The new stations established through this partnership will exclusively feature 180 kW dual gun chargers, designed for high-speed charging.

The deployment is intended to support the transition to green transportation in India, currently the third-largest automotive market globally. The agreement focuses on building an ultrafast charging network to improve reliability and reduce charging times for EV users.

The partnership aligns with the government's objective of strengthening public EV infrastructure. By integrating chargers into existing fuel stations, the companies aim to provide a platform for nationwide expansion and seamless access for drivers.

Bijliride Announces Expansion To 25 Cities Via Franchise Model

Bijliride

Electric mobility startup Bijliride has detailed plans to expand its franchise network to more than 25 Indian cities. Operating under a Franchise Owned–Franchise Operated (FOFO) model, the company aims to onboard 30 franchise partners by March 2027 and scale its fleet to between 10,000 and 15,000 electric two-wheelers within the next 18 months.

The expansion the startup claims is projected to drive 150 percent growth in fleet operations. Bijliride has identified several urban mobility markets for this phase, including:

  • Tier 1 Cities: Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata.
  • Emerging Hubs: Hyderabad clusters, Jaipur, Patna, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, and Kochi.
  • Logistics Centres: Nagpur, Indore, Surat, and Visakhapatnam.

The strategy targets demand from logistics operators, gig economy platforms and urban commuters.

Under the FOFO structure, local partners own and manage the fleets while Bijliride provides the technology infrastructure. This includes real-time vehicle tracking, battery management protocols, and rental management systems.

The partners have to commit to a minimum of 50 electric two-wheelers to begin with, an initial investment of around INR 1.4-1.6 million, with a projected breakeven in approximately 15 months under stable fleet utilisation. The startup also assists partners with driver onboarding and connects fleets with demand from local delivery businesses and gig platforms.

Shivam Sisodiya, CEO and Co-Founder, Bijliride, said, “Electric mobility demand in India is growing rapidly, particularly among gig workers and last-mile delivery operators. At this stage, our focus is disciplined scale. The FOFO model allows us to grow responsibly by partnering with local entrepreneurs who understand their markets while leveraging our technology platform and operational systems. This structure enables us to expand faster while ensuring fleets are managed efficiently on the ground.”

Donut Battery’s Test Results Highlight It As A Battery And Not A Supercapacitor

Donut Battery’s Test Results Highlight It As A Battery And Not A Supercapacitor

It’s been sometime that Donut Lab has been working on producing a battery that will address the challenging needs of EVs better than other batteries have been able to do. Claiming to be the world’s first solid-state battery ready for production vehicles measured in independent testing conditions, the company has released its third test result that dispels any suspicions that the battery would be a supercapacitor rather than a battery.
The results measure the properties of its solid-state battery, evaluating its ability to retain charge when not in use. Available for download on its site, the third and most recent test follows two other tests that looked at charging speed (the test was conducted by Technology Re) using two passive cooling configurations and evaluation of capacity performance of the battery cell in hot conditions (by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland). 
The test measuring the battery’s ability to retain charge even when not in use was carried out using a simple research setup. It was connected at room temperature to the research laboratory’s battery tester, which repeatedly measured the cell voltage every 10 seconds. Like the previous test that measured battery performance at very high temperatures, this test also began with a 1C capacity test, demonstrating that the cell was precisely the same as the other test examples.
 
After the capacity test, the battery cell was charged to approximately 50 percent charge and left connected to the battery tester for ten days. The cell was then discharged to measure the remaining energy capacity. The results show that the battery cell voltage stabilises during the first 10 hours after charging. Over the next nine or so days, the voltage curve continues to stabilise. A capacity test at the end of the test period confirmed that the voltage drop corresponds to the amount of energy in watt-hours.
The Donut Battery behaved in the test exactly as a battery should. If the test had been performed with a supercapacitor, the charge would have fallen linearly much faster during the same time period.
“Since we unveiled the Donut Battery, there has been a lot of speculation and theories about whether it is a supercapacitor. In all its simplicity, this test proves that it is a battery. Supercapacitors charge and discharge quickly, but they also lose their charge quickly when not in use. The Donut Battery behaves like a battery and can maintain a charge for significantly longer,” confirmed Ville Piippo, CTO, Donut Lab.
After the third test mentioned above, Donut Lab has carried out a special test to measure battery performance in a battery pack using the Verge TS Pro motorcycle that charges in less than ten minutes, making it the world's fastest-charging electric motorcycle.