Eyeing leadership in the electric two-wheeler segment, Hero MotoCorp is looking to roll out affordable models in the current fiscal, according to CEO Niranjan Gupta.

The country's largest two-wheeler maker is also hopeful of the debut of its electric range in the international markets.

Addressing shareholders in the company's Annual Report for 2023-24, Gupta said the two-wheeler major has a roadmap to scale its electric vehicle business rapidly.

"We want to build leadership in EV, and in order to do that, we will be creating a very powerful EV product portfolio, augmenting the VIDA V1 Pro that we have today," he noted.

The company will be launching products in the mid-and affordable segments this fiscal, Gupta said.

Hero MotoCorp's VIDA electric scooter range is priced between Rs 1-1.5 lakh, including state subsidies.

Hero MotoCorp Executive Chairman Pawan Munjal said together with Ather Energy, VIDA has established India's largest public-charging infrastructure for two-wheeler EVs.

Additionally, the partnership with Zero Motorcycle will facilitate the development of new EV motorcycles targeted at a distinct customer segment, thereby expanding the overall market size, he added.

"I am particularly pleased to witness VIDA V1's rise as one of the leading electric scooters in India, and I anticipate its future launch in global markets, where it is poised to become a significant player as well," Munjal noted.

Hero MotoCorp has already expanded the presence of its EV scooter VIDA from three to over 100 cities.

"There is path-breaking innovation underway at our state-of-the-art R&D Centres at CIT Jaipur and Tech Centre Germany to create a winning portfolio in all segments," Gupta informed shareholders.

The company also plans to drive more premium products and scale up the international, accessories and merchandise businesses, he stated.

Gupta noted that while the company has a huge scale in the domestic market, it has also embarked on a similar journey to scale up its global business with a single-minded focus on the top ten markets.

"Additionally, we are tapping into opportunities to scale up our accessories and merchandise business," Gupta stated.

On premium products, he noted that last year the company launched a series of premium products, boosting the portfolio.

"We will continue to launch more premium products in the coming years," he said, outlining the company's focus on speed, scale, synergy, and simplification.

"Our premium portfolio across ICE and EV will grow exponentially, with a line-up that is committed to innovation," Gupta said.

He noted that the company enjoys a significant scale advantage.

With a customer base of 116 million, over 7,500 distribution points, a supply chain capacity of 10 million units, a presence in around 50 global markets, and a workforce of more than 25,000 employees, the two-wheeler major's scale is unparalleled, he said.

"Leveraging this scale is key to success in everything that we do. We are adopting this scale Mantra in every decision we make; our strategy is to put our might behind products and projects that can be scaled up faster," Gupta said.

The company has accelerated product development and also upgraded the sales network, he said.

"Embracing speed is crucial as we navigate rapidly changing global and consumer trends. We are now focussing on further reducing the time our products take to roll out and enhance speed by decentralised decision-making to the point where the actions reside," Gupta said.

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.”