An interesting picture is emerging in India as the EV scene heats up. The big players like Bajaj Auto, TVS Motor Company and Hero MotoCorp and Honda Motorcycles & Scooters India have shed any reservation they would have had about India’s EV market to mark their presence. The movement of these big wigs in the 2-wheeler space is taking place amid a certain clout created by new entrants at the organised end of the EV market like Ather Energy and Ola Electric as well as at the unorganised end of the EV market by entrants like E-Ashwa, ADMS e-bikes, Miracle 5, etc.

What is turning the EV scene in India more interesting is how the small EV players that could be described as those belonging to the unorganised part, are organising themselves to take on the big wigs. A recent development in Maharashtra where the transport authorities seized and fined low-speed two-wheelers that could exceed the stipulated maximum speed of 25 kmph and possibly possessed batteries and motors that exceeded the capacity put down in the rules has led to the smaller EV players to organise themselves as an association that would help them deal with any such eventualities in the future. The treatment meted out to them during the event made them think of a strategy that would effectively make them portray themselves as bigger and stronger. Make them possess the ability to represent themselves better and to lobby effectively if the needs arises.  

A similar development is taking place in the three-wheeler category as well. Starting of as small enterprises, electric three-wheeler manufacturers from across the country are beginning to organise themselves as they find that the bigger and better organised players like Piaggio and Ampere are beginning to corner a share of the electric three-wheeler market in the passenger as well as the cargo carrier level.

Moving up the value chain and taking to work closely with Indian suppliers, the smaller three-wheeler manufacturers are investing in better R&D, seeking help from specialised associates at the testing and components supply end to ensure that their vehicles meet the regulatory demand as well as the market expectations.  

Smaller electric three-wheeler manufacturers are also working closely with financiers to drive sales while keeping an eye on the regulatory changes and announcement of incentives by states as they announce EV policies in line with the one that the Union Government has drawn. Drawing attention to the EV policy announced by the State of Haryana, Suman Mishra, CEO, Mahindra Electric Mobility, said that her ompany welcomes the move. Terming it as ground breaking, she averred, “What is encouraging is that there is a comprehensive EV policy backing this move. Slashing emissions from the road transport sector forms a pivotal part of India's efforts to de-carbonise its economy and a well-articulated, incentivised EV policy is crucial to creating a conducive environment for the adoption of EVs.” 

As the bigger players like Mahindra and Piaggio continue to invest in network expansion, technology upgradation and development of products that are more efficient, the smaller players are taking to collaborations. They are working closely with components suppliers – many of whom are common to the bigger players – to ensure reliance on technology and to enhance their ability to sell reliable EVs. An emerging EV supply chain is almost ‘God-sent’ to the smaller Indian EV manufacturers. Also, the emergence of unique solutions providers like those that are supplying battery pack casing to facilitate easy swapping or charging of the battery or those that are making available test and certification facilities that would otherwise need high investments.  

Opinions and feedbacks have been called for by an agency under the aegis of Niti Aayog to prepare a draft for battery swapping policy even as the BIS standard has been made mandatory for EV batteries. There is however a need to reconsider the battery dimension regulation as far as the terminals are concerned, it seems. An industry source mentioned that a new concept of sunken terminals which are safe and efficient rather than the lead-acid battery-like terminals said to be under consideration with appropriate protection show go a long way in revolutioning the use of lithium-ion batteries, he informed.

The battery swapping policy draft is expected to be made public by the end of July 2022 and a policy expected to be announced soon after. At the passenger vehicle level, it is the big wigs like MG Motors and Tata Motors who have been calling the shots. New entrants like BYD are also planting their feet in the market that is growing at a fair pace. As the charging infrastructure grows amid high fossil fuel prices, electric passenger vehicles are growing in the face of attractive incentives, a growing drive range and increase vehicle performance.  

At the CV level too, it is a combination of established players like Tata Motors and new entrants like Olectra-BYD and JBM that have been calling the shots. The EV proliferation is at the bus-end of the market. The buyers are mostly city and state transport organisations. The act of purchasing electric buses is also helped by government initiatives like FAME II, which is claimed to be public transport oriented, are helping their proliferation. Given the complex nature of contracts for the supply of electric buses to government and semi-government organisations, it is the organised players with a deep understanding of the market that are at the forefront. What is surprising is how the new entrants like JBM and Olectra-BYD have succeeded in getting a strong hold. Their e-buses too are found along side the e-buses supplied by Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland in most cities in India.  

EVs have been big levelling act in India, mentioned an industry source. He drew attention to how the smaller and bigger players are jostling for the same market space almost. A right thrust on infrastructure creation and an emphasis on generation of electricity from greener sources should help EVs to prove to an extent that their cost to the environment is lower than that of the fossil-fuel vehicles, he added. For EVs to be truly environmentally friendly, efforts are being for scientific recycling and processing of vehicles and their components. The small and big players are expected to work together to achieve this goal, making the EV ecosystem in India are ‘true levelling’ ground. Something, which the fossil-fuel intensive auto sector has so far been unsuccessful to create.  

Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has placed an extra order for 148 electric buses from Tata Motors, the biggest commercial vehicle manufacturer in India. This purchase comes after BMTC placed an earlier order for 921 electric buses, the majority of which have been delivered and are operating effectively with an uptime of more than 95 percent.

The Tata Starbus EV 12-metre low-floor electric buses will be supplied, operated and maintained for a term of 12 years by TML Smart City Mobility Solutions Ltd, a completely owned subsidiary of Tata Motors. With its best-in-class features and outstanding design, the Tata Starbus EV offers a pleasant and environmentally friendly commute. These zero-emission electric buses are built on cutting-edge battery technologies and next-generation design to provide a convenient, safe and comfortable intra-city journey around Bengaluru.

Ramachandran R, IAS, MD, BMTC, said, "We are happy to further strengthen our partnership with Tata Motors with these additional 148 electric buses for our fleet modernisation. The performance of the existing Tata electric buses has been exceptional, aligning perfectly with our commitment to sustainable and efficient public transportation. The larger e-bus fleet will significantly enhance our capacity to provide eco-friendly, comfortable and reliable services to the citizens of Bengaluru."

Asim Kumar Mukhopadhyay, CEO and MD, TML Smart City Mobility Solutions Limited, said, "We are honoured by BMTC's continued trust in our e-mobility solutions. This additional order of 148 buses is a testament to the proven success of our Starbus EVs and the operational excellence delivered in Bengaluru's urban environment. We remain committed to delivering innovative solutions that benefit both the community and the environment."

Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL), the country's largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has shared the teaser image for its first electric vehicle product - the e Vitara.

Set to be unveiled at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, the e Vitara will be made in India for the world. It was recently unveiled by Suzuki Motor Corporation at Milan, Italy.

Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “The e Vitara is a testament of our unwavering commitment to sustainable mobility and technological innovation. With decades of automotive expertise, we have combined advanced electric technology with a customer-first approach to deliver something truly transformative. At Maruti Suzuki, we have always believed that to promote EV adoption, we need to create a holistic ecosystem that simplifies customers' battery electric vehicle ownership journey.”

“A critical barrier to the adoption of EVs is the lack of accessible charging. To tackle this issue, we are committed to introduce a reliable and comprehensive EV ecosystem alongside the e Vitara. This will include home charging solutions as well as a nationwide network of fast chargers available at Maruti Suzuki dealerships and service touchpoints. Our goal is to make EVs accessible, convenient, and appealing to a broader set of customers, and this is exactly what we have set out to achieve with the e Vitara,” he added.

​​Vadodara-headquartered electric vehicle company WardWizard Innovations & Mobility recently launched its new range of EV offerings, which it expects to give a new charge to its retail sales.

It was on 13 December 2024 the Joy e-rik V1 (L5) and Joy Bandhu (L3) electric three-wheelers in the passenger category and Joy Sahayak + Cargo (L5) and Joy Eco Loader (L3) in the electric three-wheeler cargo space were launched by the EV maker, thus marking its entry into the fast-growing electric three-wheeler space.

The Joy e-rik V1, priced at INR 385,000 (ex-showroom), comes with 10.24 kW li-ion battery, 50 kmph max speed and 140 km claimed range on a full charge. It can be charged in 4.5-5 hours using the 50 Amp charger.

The Joy Bandhu priced at INR 134,000, uses a 7.2 kW lead-acid battery, has a claimed range of 120 km and top speed limited to 25 kmph.

On the other hand, the Joy Sahayak + Cargo, priced at INR 424,000, is targeted for payload capacity of 650 kg + driver, max speed of 50 kmph, up to 130 km range on a single charge. It uses a 10.2 kW LFP li-ion battery and can be charged in four hours using 50 Amp charger. The Joy Eco Loader, on the other hand, comes with a payload capacity of 310 kg + driver and is priced at INR 130,000.

At present, electric three-wheeler sales in India are averaging 56,674 units a month (CY 2024) as compared to 47,204 units last year. What’s also driving the sales is the government incentives like the Centre’s PM E-Drive scheme that provides demand incentives to support purchase of 316,000 e-three-wheelers including e-rickshaws. They are entitled to a subsidy of INR 25,000 in the first year and INR 12,500 in the second year. For the L5 category (cargo e-three-wheelers), the incentive is INR 50,000 per unit in the first year and INR 25,000 the next.

For the Vadodara-based EV maker, the idea to enter the electric three-wheeler space is on the back of the growing demand for greener last-mile delivery as well as last-mile mobility connectivity options.

Interestingly, it has already onboarded 27 dealerships that will focus on selling electric three-wheelers. Furthermore, it will also provide preference for its around 900 existing dealer and network partners to sell its new offerings.

For FY2025, WardWizard Innovations & Mobility estimates to sell around 50,000 units of electric vehicles across electric two-wheelers (low speed and high speed) and three-wheelers (L3 & L5) in India. It estimates that the sales will grow by 22-24 percent YoY in FY2026.

While it has recently entered the e-three-wheeler space, the company expects the new products to have around 30-35 percent share in its overall sales starting from FY2026.

On the other hand, reducing its reliance on low-speed electric two-wheeler category, the company also introduced a new high-speed e-scooter ‘Nemo’. Priced at INR 99,000 (ex-showroom), it comes with a 40 Ah NMC li-ion battery and a 1,500W DC brushless hub motor that gives it a max speed of 65 kmph. It has a claimed range of 130 km on a single charge in Eco mode. The e-scooter uses a digital speedometer, 5-inch full-colour TF display and projector LED headlight. The company has targeted a modest 2,000 units sales for Nemo in the next three months.

The EV maker currently has an installed capacity to produce 73,000 electric two-wheelers, 7,300 L5 electric three-wheelers and 18,250 L3 electric three-wheelers per annum. The company claims that apart from some plastic components and cells being imported, everything has been localised.

It further aims to start manufacturing its own batteries in the next one year in Vadodara, for which the pilots are underway.

Ahmedabad-based electric mobility start-up Matter was recently awarded the 10th CII Industrial IP Award 2024 at the CII Annual Summit on Technology, Intellectual Property, and Industry-Academia Partnership, held on 12th and 13th December in New Delhi.

The recognition was on the back of the company’s robust portfolio of over 300 patent applications and 58 granted patents in areas such as powertrain cooling, gearbox technologies, charging infrastructure, and manufacturing automation.

The EV maker is the first to launch a geared e-motorcycle called ‘Aera’, which it expects will play a key role in driving higher adoption of green vehicles in the motorcycle space.

Kumar Prasad, Founder and CTO, Matter, said, "Innovation has always been at the heart of Matter’s vision. This award reaffirms our commitment to redefining the electric mobility sector with pioneering research and development. We are proud to contribute to India’s vibrant IP ecosystem and continue driving technological advancements for a sustainable future."