Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) launched the Hyundai IONIQ 5 in India at Auto Expo – The Motor Show 2023 on Wednesday. Hyundai IONIQ 5 will be the company’s first dedicated EV model for customers who want to be in charge of a more sustainable future.

Commenting on the launch, Unsoo Kim, Managing Director and CEO, Hyundai Motor India, said, “As we evolve towards a brighter and more sustainable tomorrow, Hyundai is proud to introduce IONIQ brand to India with the launch of Hyundai IONIQ 5, symbolising our commitment to ‘Progress for humanity’. Reflecting our vision, with Hyundai IONIQ 5, we are aspiring to give customers quality time and make their mobility journey as rewarding and worthwhile as possible. Hyundai IONIQ 5 represents our shift towards future mobility with tenets that encapsulate intelligent technology, innovation and sustainability. Driving the pump to plug revolution, Hyundai IONIQ 5 will pave the way for faster adoption of electric mobility and build customer confidence towards truly liberating electric mobility solutions.”

This latest car has been launched in India on the underpinnings of E-GMP (Electric Global Modular Platform) that will pave the way for a new era of electric mobility lifestyle and has been anchored on the pillars of modularity, performance, reliability and usability. Each of these pillars are perfectly personified by Hyundai IONIQ 5, claims Hyundai Motor India.

Development concept
Hyundai IONIQ 5 boasts of design characteristics that were envisioned to remain contemporary through the ages. Paying homage to its roots, the car’s design has been inspired by Hyundai’s first passenger vehicle – Hyundai PONY, claims the company. With extravagant interiors and superior comfort, the car has been engineered to deliver an exciting electric mobility experience, according to the automobile manufacturer, one that truly adds versatility and opulence in every single journey. Developed on E-GMP, the car was conceptualised to deliver the next level of smart mobility experiences, thus ensuring highest level of safety and convenience. Created along the lines of Hyundai's global design identity of ‘sensuous sportiness’, the company states that Hyundai IONIQ 5 reflects the company’s vision to build a future-ready all-electric SUV, with innovation at the core of its DNA. For Indian consumers, the SUV has been developed on the tenets of five key pillars –

1.  Impressive exterior
2. Opulent interiors
3. Novel technologies
4. Incredible performance and safety
5. Quenching convenience

Exterior
The SUV car boasts of an exterior that will herald a new era of design. As per Hyundai Motor India, representing the visual identity of Hyundai IONIQ 5, the façade features an interplay of parametric pixels and is characterised by clean, sharp lines. The iconic front is defined by parametric pixel LED headlamps that boast of a unique pixel signature, reflecting the design inspiration of the car. The automobile manufacturer claims that the premium front LED accent lighting features transflective coating technology that lends the appearance of a garnish when the lamp is off. The front bumper with skid plate showcases planar symmetry while diagonal creases provide a hi-tech interpretation of ‘sensuous sportiness’. According to Hyundai Motor India, the clamshell hood features a smooth and seamless design, bolstering the minimalistic appeal of the all-electric SUV. Hyundai IONIQ 5 also features an Active air flap (AAF) that improves aerodynamics when closed, and cools vehicle parts when open.

The automobile manufacturer states that the side design seamlessly carries forward the visual identity of the all-electric SUV, while the rear is again a quintessential depiction of ‘sensuous sportiness’.  The side profile sports a definitive Z shaped side character line that exudes elegance. Plus, the SUV features auto flush door handles that automatically pop out when the driver is in close proximity, as per Hyundai Motor India. The parametric pixel design is further carried through to the rear with Hyundai IONIQ 5 emblem featured in between parametric pixel LED tail lamps. The automobile manufacturer claims that the rear spoiler with LED high mount stop lamp (HMSL) resonates the SUV’s unique design philosophy, adding athletic sensibilities while simultaneously improving vehicle aerodynamics.

*Without shark fin antenna

Interiors
The interiors of the SUV car reflect a masterful integration of technology and design that evokes a pleasant customer experience. According to Hyundai Motor India, the dark pebble gray interior color on Hyundai IONIQ 5 is a resplendent depiction of technology intertwined with earthy elements. The opulent interiors offer customers a unique third space experience, forming their home away from home with a spacious cabin. The interiors of the SUV feature –

• Eco-processed leather seat upholstery: Premium seat upholstery that provides an upmarket experience to customers.

• Soft touch materials on dashboard and door trims: Add to an opulent in-cabin experience.

• Pixel design on door armrest, seat upholstery and steering wheel: Incorporate Hyundai’s pixel inspired design philosophy.

• Knob-free design: On handles have been applied to lend an integrated design appeal.

• Magnetic dashboard: Attributes to the novelty of the customers’ mobility life, enabling them to collect memories and add more to life experiences.

Crafted from nature
• Bio paint is used on the Hyundai IONIQ 5’s surfaces, such as crash pad, switches, steering wheel and door
panels, that includes oil extractions from plants, such as rape flowers and corn.

• Eco-processed leather used in the interior is dyed using flaxseed oil.

• Headlining and carpet fabric includes bio-components extracted from sugarcane and corn.

• Eco-friendly fabric is created using plastic bottles that are shredded into plastic chips. These chips are melted and spun into threads which makes for a fabric that is used on the seatback and door armrest of the car.

• 100 percent recyclable paperette from HDPE has the same lightness and texture of traditional paper.
 

Innovative space
The automobile manufacturer states that Hyundai IONIQ 5 derives a fresh take on cabin space by maximising emphasis on comfort and convenience. The SUV has been developed with a dedicated focus to enhance cabin usability, thereby ensuring it is not just a means of transportation but transforms mobility lifestyle. As per Hyundai Motor India, innovative space on the SUV car features the following –

• Flat floor: Under floor battery eliminates the centre tunnel giving flat floor that increases legroom and enhances the feeling of openness and roominess.

• Slim cockpit design: Relocating the HVAC components to engine bay area resulted in slimming down the size of the crash-pad and increasing interior space.

• Sliding centre console: The adjustable sliding centre console greatly enhances user convenience and versatility, offering customers up to 140 mm of travel.

• Sliding glove box:The large drawer-type glove box enhances user convenience. 

• Front trunk: E-GMP allows the SUV car to have front boot space of 57 litres.

Novel technologies
The SUV features innovative new technologies that amplify electric mobility life for discerning customers

Battery charging technology 
The automobile manufacturer states that the Hyundai IONIQ 5 is geared up to transform customer lifestyle with thoughtful innovation by incorporating features such as the following –  

Ultra-fast battery charging: Utilising a 350 kW DC charger, the car’s 72.6 kWh battery can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in 18 minutes, and with a 150 kW DC charger the battery can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in 21 minutes (ambient temp of 25℃).

Multi-charging system: Multi-charging system with 400V and 800V multi-charging to reduce waiting times at charging stations. Both 800V ultra-rapid and 400V rapid chargers can be used.

Charging status indicator lights at charging port: Displays current battery state of charge (SOC) in four steps.

Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology
Under the aegis of ‘beyond mobility’ the SUV car is equipped with cutting-edge Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology that opens opportunities for customers to reimagine their lifestyle and create new mobility experiences, as per Hyundai Motor India. The V2L function can support up to 3.6 kW of power. 

V2L(Vehicle-to-Load): Inside
- Customers can power-up electrical appliances like laptop, phones and other devices.

V2L(Vehicle-to-Load): Outside
 - Focusing on advance convenience, customers can also use V2L outside, after securing a connector in the charging outlet.

- Customers can power electronic appliances and gadgets like bicycles, e-scooters, camping equipment etc.

The automobile manufacturer claims that with Hyundai IONIQ 5 customers can experience a new realm of mobility that seamlessly intertwines with their lifestyle, offering features such as –

• IONIQ 5 features 31.19 cm (12.3") touchscreen infotainment with navigation
• Bose premium sound system (eight speakers)
• Ambient sounds of nature 
• OTA updates for system and map
• 31.22 cm (12.3") digital cluster

Further, the SUV will offer customers over 60 connected car features. The SUV has been offered with three years free Bluelink subscription, according to Hyundai Motor India. The car will feature Bluelink services and connected solutions such as –  

• Home-to-Car (H2C) with Alexa and Google Voice Assistant in Hindi and English
• Remote services
• Safety and security
• Voice assistant
• Vehicle diagnostics
• Location based services
• Electric Vehicle controls

Performance and safety
The automobile manufacturer states that Hyundai IONIQ 5 is also equipped with cutting-edge technology, offering customers a superior powertrain that is future-ready to deliver an exhilarating driving experience. The SUV car offers customers a 72.6 kWh high voltage battery pack with high density battery cells and compact battery pack construct.

As per Hyundai Motor India, the SUV will offer customers a range of 631 km per full charge (as per ARAI). Designed to produce power output of 160 kW (217 ps) and 350 Nm (35.7 kgm) of torque, the car has been equipped to satisfy customers’ mobility needs and deliver a superlative driving experience featuring –  

• Smart regenerative braking
• Drive mode select
• Column type shift-by-wire
• Rear multi-link suspension 
• Integrated drive axle 
• Permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM)

Advanced safety and strong structure
The automobile manufacturer claims that Hyundai IONIQ 5 sets a safety benchmark through a combination of advance safety features, ensuring the utmost customer safety with Hyundai SmartSense. It has been built on superior body structure that has been strengthened with Ultra High Strength Steel (UHSS), AHSS (Advanced High Strength Steel) and HSS (High Strength Steel) application and an extensive application of hot-stamping to assure of superior protection in the event of a collision.

According to Hyundai Motor India, the SUV car comes with strong passenger protection, as it is structured using hot stamped parts that minimise body deformation during collision and improved passenger protection. Further, it offers customers Level Next Safety, with over 60 safety features like Electric Parking Brake (EPB), Multi collision-avoidance brake (MCB), ensuring utmost customer safety. The automobile manufacturer states that the advanced safety features include the following – 

• Six airbags (driver and passenger, side and curtain)
• Virtual engine sound system (VESS)
• Electric parking brake (EPB)
• All four disc brakes
• Multi collision-avoidance brake (MCB)
• Power child lock

Advanced driver assistance system
According to Hyundai Motor India, Hyundai IONIQ 5 has been designed with safety technology, ensuring smart and superior mobility experience to customers. Hyundai SmartSense uses equipment such as front radar, front camera and rear radars to detect and mitigate risks of collision, offering the driver adequate warning and if necessary, automatically applying countermeasures to offset an impact. The automobile manufacturer states that the vehicle even assures the safety of backseat passengers with Safe Exit Assist (SEA), which helps keep the rear doors closed by maintaining the electronic child lock when there is oncoming traffic.

Quenching convenience
As per Hyundai Motor India, the vision roof comes with full glass panel without any centre, partition, thereby providing a greater sense of openness. Enhancing convenience of customers and to make the drive experience even more personalised, Hyundai IONIQ 5 will be equipped with smart and luxurious features such as – 

• Premium relaxation seat (driver and passenger)
• Dual zone FATC with auto defogger 
• Hands free smart power tail gate with height adjustment 
• Front row heated and ventilated seats and rear heated seats 
• Heated outside mirrors with LED turn indicators 
• Wireless smartphone charger 
• Rain sensing wipers

Designed to provide modern elegance and luxurious convenience, the SUV offers ample seating comfort and caters to a relaxed and content mobility life. Hyundai Motor India claims that it comes with seating configuration made with memory function, ensuring that the customer can save up to three seating positions and much more, as below –

• Memory seat configuration (all seats)
• Rear power sliding seat with manual reclining function
• Power adjustment seat with lumbar support (driver and passenger)
• Passenger seat walk in device
• Front row sliding headrests

The SUV car offers three years/unlimited kilometres warranty, eight years/160,000 kilometres battery warranty, three-years roadside assistance and two complementary home chargers (3.3 kW and 11 kW). Additionally, Hyundai states that it will also offer first connect home visit within 15 days of delivery, while also providing the service of Vehicle to Vehicle charging support in four cities. Besides, the company will offer customers an extended warranty option of up to five years or 140,000 kilometres as well as iCare Maintenance packages.

Colours
As per Hyundai Motor India, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 is offered in three exterior colour options that include HMI’s first matte colour – gravity gold matte, optic white and midnight black pearl. The SUV will offer opulent and futuristic interior tones with dark pebble gray interior colour. 

Greenway Mobility, an Indian EV manufacturing company, has launched two electric three-wheelers, Chhota Otto and Chhota Bull, under its flagship E-Vi brand.

The Chhota Otto has folding seats to free up passenger room for freight transportation and separate suspensions on all three wheels for improved comfort and stability. The Chhota Bull, on the other hand, is built for last-mile delivery in difficult terrain. It has a huge 400-kilogramme payload capacity, hydraulic brakes and IoT-enabled fleet management for efficiency and real-time tracking. Both the Chhota Otto and Chhota Bull are priced at INR 200,000 and will be available in the market by the 4th quarter of FY24.

In keeping with its core objective of dominating the electric three-wheeler market by December 2025, Greenway Mobility has embarked on an ambitious expansion project with the launch of E-Vi, aiming to open more than 100 dealerships in key Indian markets by the end of this year. Additionally, the company is getting ready to introduce Rydan, a fast passenger electric rickshaw designed to offer affordable green mobility options in both urban and rural regions of the nation. In addition to making considerable R&D efforts to add electric bikes, trikes and tiny electric automobiles to its lineup, the firm is open to forming strategic alliances with distributors and partners.

Siddharth Patel, Founder, Greenway Mobility and an IIT Bombay and Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management alumnus, said, “India needs mobility solutions that are not only sustainable but also robust and reliable enough to meet the demands of both bustling cities and rural landscapes. Through E-Vi, our aim extends beyond electrifying India’s three-wheeler mobility, creating a robust distribution channel with strategic partners to ensure unprecedented growth, driven by quality and excellence. We are establishing strategic industry collaboration to supplement this entire ecosystem to benefit the end use – addressing concerns like accessibility, nationwide service network, affordable financing options, swappable batteries and charging networks.”

Asserting that the E-Vi will transform how three-wheeler mobility is perceived in India, Harsh Raval, Founder, Greenway Mobility, said, “At Greenway Mobility, we have engineered every aspect of E-Vi vehicles to ensure they excel where others falter. Our goal is to provide vehicles that drivers can trust – vehicles that empower them to do more, go farther and achieve greater success. Maintaining quality is of utmost importance to us and we are sourcing components from only the top Indian suppliers. With our growing portfolio of electric vehicles, we are shaping the future of mobility.”

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.