Kia UK is set to introduce its newest electric model, the EV2, to the public through a series of dedicated test drive events running from 16 April to 27 June 2026. The nationwide ‘First Drive Weekend’ initiative will see nearly all of the brand's 190 dealerships participate, providing customers with exclusive early access to this highly anticipated vehicle.

Structured around the theme of new beginnings, these events will offer attendees the first opportunity to engage with the EV2, explore Kia's latest electric design language and potentially take their first step into the brand's electric vehicle family. Given the limited capacity at each venue, interested individuals are advised to book their spots online in advance.

Taking place on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, each event is designed to deliver a personalised and memorable experience. Guests will have a dedicated one-hour appointment, during which they will receive an expert-led walkaround of the vehicle, allowing for in-depth discussion and questions. This is followed by a comprehensive 30-minute test drive on a pre-planned route, giving participants a genuine feel for the car's performance and technology across different driving conditions. The experience concludes at the dealership, where attendees can continue exploring the Kia model range with the sales team.

The Kia EV2 itself represents a significant addition to the compact SUV market. Engineered and manufactured in Europe for European drivers, this model is Kia's smallest electric vehicle to date. Despite its compact dimensions of just over four metres, it offers remarkable interior space and up to 362 litres of boot capacity, a benefit of its dedicated electric platform. Customers will have a choice of two battery sizes, both capable of rapid charging from 10 to 80 percent in approximately half an hour.

The vehicle also introduces advanced technology typically found in larger, premium models. This includes a triple-screen display, over-the-air software updates and Vehicle-to-Load and Vehicle-to-Grid capabilities. A standout feature is the Remote Smart Parking Assist, which allows the car to be manoeuvred from outside using the key fob. The design philosophy, named Opposites United, incorporates sustainable materials, bringing a sophisticated and connected experience to a more accessible price bracket.

This nationwide event series follows the successful introduction of other Kia electric models, such as the EV3 and EV6, through similar dealer-led programmes. Last year's comparable events for the EV4 and EV5 attracted over 15,000 reservations, highlighting strong public interest. Full UK pricing and specifications for the EV2 will be announced shortly, with the first customer deliveries anticipated before the end of the year.

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Kolkata Police is expanding its use of electric mobility for frontline operations by inducting 183 Ultraviolette X-47 Skyforce electric motorcycles into its fleet for emergency response and patrolling under the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) 112.

The deployment, formally handed over at the Lalbazar Police Headquarters on Friday, is among the largest electric motorcycle deployments by the police force.

Of the 183 motorcycles, 60 have already been delivered with the remaining 123 expected to be inducted in phases later this year. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Sambhav Jain, said the pace of induction would also depend on Ultraviolette's manufacturing capacity.

The motorcycles will primarily respond to calls received through the police's dedicated 112 emergency helpline. When there are no emergency calls, they will be used for patrolling.

“There is an emergency response system with a dedicated toll-free helpline. When we receive calls, we will dispatch these motorcycles and they will respond,” the DCP said.

The deployment represents an extension of Kolkata Police's earlier experiment with electric four-wheelers. The force inducted electric cars around two years ago but their integration into the 112 response system was constrained by the availability of charging infrastructure.

According to the DCP, the charging ecosystem has since improved sufficiently to make a broader deployment of electric vehicles feasible.

The change could eventually enable Kolkata Police to bring electric four-wheelers into the emergency-response network as well.

The existing electric four-wheelers are primarily assigned to senior officers who are stationed at offices, where charging facilities are easier to provide.

The increasing availability of charging infrastructure on the road, however, is opening the possibility of using electric vehicles more extensively for field operations.

The force is also asking vehicle manufacturers supplying electric vehicles to provide charging infrastructure as part of the procurement arrangement. It is additionally planning solar-powered charging stations in the near future.

“We also request the companies from whom we are purchasing the vehicles to provide the charging infrastructure. And we are also planning some solar charging stations in the near future,” the DCP said.

The motorcycles supplied by Ultraviolette are X-47 Crossover Skyforce Patrol Variants, configured specifically for police duty. The motorcycles feature an augmented electronics architecture designed to accommodate equipment including sirens, hooters, a public-address system, LED blinkers, microphone and walkie-talkie holders, decals and side panniers.

The company said the motorcycles underwent testing before the handover and have been configured for day-to-day police operations in an urban environment.

The move comes as Kolkata Police seeks to modernise its mobility infrastructure while also addressing the recurring costs associated with conventional vehicles.

At the flagging-off ceremony, Commissioner of Police Ajay Kumar Nand said that the force was examining electric two-wheelers partly in the context of recurring expenditure on fuel and maintenance.

He also highlighted the potential environmental benefits of electric mobility in policing and said the motorcycles would support patrolling, rapid response and community outreach.

The Commissioner said the motorcycles were being introduced initially as an experiment and that the police could consider expanding electric two-wheeler deployment if the programme proves successful.

The monsoon will also provide an immediate real-world test of the vehicles. Nand noted that concerns had been raised about the operation of electric motorcycles during the rainy season, but said the vehicle manufacturer had assured the police that the motorcycle was IP-rated and that its battery packs were fully secured.

The motorcycles have been provided under a CSR initiative of West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited WBPDCL.

Kolkata support network

The scale of the police deployment has also prompted Ultraviolette to strengthen its local service infrastructure. A company official said that it already operates three dealerships across Kolkata and Howrah and has established a new workshop specifically to support the police fleet.

Additional manpower and specialised technicians have been deployed to service the motorcycles, reflecting the operational requirement of supporting a large fleet that could potentially see significant utilisation across the city.

The police order also comes at the time when the company expands its presence in Kolkata. The official said it sold more than 50 motorcycles in the city in a single month recently and plans to add more showrooms.

For Kolkata Police, however, the significance of the 183-bike induction extends beyond the size of the order. By placing electric motorcycles directly into the 112 emergency-response network, the force is effectively testing whether electric two-wheelers can become part of the everyday operating infrastructure of urban policing and whether the availability of charging and service support can make that transition scalable.

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Mahindra Last Mile Mobility has been selected as one of 15 global finalists for The Earthshot Prize 2026, competing in the 'Clean Our Air' category. The company represents the sole automotive manufacturer and the only corporate entity among this year's finalists for the environmental award established by Prince William in 2020.

The selection recognises the deployment of electric three-wheelers and commercial vehicles across India.

Mahindra Last Mile Mobility has distributed more than 400,000 electric vehicles, which have accumulated over 9 billion kilometres of operation. The shift to electric drivetrains has offset approximately 185,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions while lowering operating expenditures for commercial drivers, delivery operators, and small businesses. The company also operates support initiatives such as the UDAY NXT programme, providing accidental insurance and financial counselling to vehicle owners.

Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director and CEO of the Auto and Farm Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra, said, "Last-mile mobility can deliver environmental and social impact at scale. More than 4 lakh Mahindra electric vehicles on the road today are helping power 4 lakh livelihoods every day. For many of these customers, these vehicles are working assets that support their families and enable micro-entrepreneurship. Being named a Finalist for The Earthshot Prize recognises a model where cleaner mobility, customer prosperity and scale can go together, and strengthens our belief that solutions proven in India can have relevance across other markets."

Suman Mishra, Managing Director and CEO, Mahindra Last Mile Mobility, said, "For us, the impact of electric mobility is visible every day in the lives of the drivers and entrepreneurs who depend on these vehicles for their income. When electric becomes the better economic choice for the customer, cleaner mobility can grow much faster. We are seeing that combination of livelihood impact and environmental benefit at meaningful scale. The Earthshot Prize recognition encourages us to take this model further in India and beyond."

Commenting on the nomination, Prince William noted that Mahindra's operation represents ‘a practical solution that is already working at scale and changing the way people move around their cities.’

The 2026 finalist cohort includes international organisations, municipal bodies and non-profit groups, such as Orsted, Mahila Housing Trust, AirQo, Satellites on Fire, Pula, the City of Barcelona, Bhutan, Indigenous Desert Alliance, Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance, Niue Ocean Wide Trust, PFAS-Free France, South Korea Zero Waste Movement Network and Mother Earth Foundation.

Five category winners will receive EUR 1 million each during The Earthshot Prize Summit and Awards ceremony, scheduled to take place in Mumbai on 17 November 2026.

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Tata Power and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility have expanded their co-branded charging network across four states, with 10 charging hubs logging over 70,000 charging sessions and 85,000 charging hours.

The infrastructure has delivered 2.7 megawatts of total power capacity, supporting over 7.5 million electric kilometres and offsetting 6,690 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

The network spans Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, operating 25 fast chargers and 56 charging guns with hub capacities ranging between 180 kilowatts and 600 kilowatts. The locations include four sites along the Yamuna Expressway between Greater Noida and Agra, three stations along the Hyderabad–Vijayawada corridor, one location on the Bengaluru–Tirupati route and one hub along the Pune–Bengaluru highway. Additional hubs operate within urban zones in Mumbai and Hyderabad.

The facility at The Leela near Mumbai Airport serves as the flagship site, providing 600 kilowatts of capacity across 16 charging guns, comprising six 60-kilowatt and two 120-kilowatt units. The location supports private vehicles, commercial taxis and fleet operations near transit corridors.

The installations form part of Tata Power's total footprint, which includes over 6,700 public and captive charging points, 250,000 home chargers and 1,200 bus chargers across 690 cities. The company aims to operate 10,000 public charging points and 750,000 home chargers by 2030, with hub management integrated into the Tata Power EZ Charge application.

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HERE Technologies and SBD Automotive have published the India edition of the HERE-SBD EV Index 2026, which tracks electric vehicle readiness and charging infrastructure deployment across 34 Indian states and union territories. The report indicates growing consumer interest alongside an expansion of public charging networks.

The report finds that Telangana secured the top rank in the 2026 study, rising from 25th position in the previous edition due to infrastructure additions and updated vehicle fleet data. Andhra Pradesh advanced from 13th to second place, while Chandigarh ranked third, followed by Haryana and Rajasthan tied in fourth position.

Delhi dropped from fourth place in 2025 to 17th position, as infrastructure additions and vehicle adoption rates lagged behind other regions.

Interestingly, India added more than 31,500 public charging points over the past year, increasing total public charging capacity by 1.65 gigawatts. The average public charger power increased from 32 kilowatts to 45 kilowatts across the network.

A companion survey of drivers in India revealed that 87 percent of respondents are more likely to consider purchasing an electric vehicle than a year ago, with 46 percent citing fuel costs as a primary factor. However, operational challenges persist, with 77 percent of current electric vehicle owners reporting encounters with non-functional charging points and 46 percent citing charger availability as a primary barrier to adoption.

Abhijit Sengupta, General Manager for India and Southeast Asia, HERE Technologies, said, "India's EV ecosystem is evolving rapidly. Consumer confidence continues to grow, charging infrastructure deployment is accelerating and several states are demonstrating strong progress in building the foundations for electric mobility. More than 31,500 chargers were added in the past year alone, underscoring the momentum across the industry. As adoption accelerates, the focus must increasingly shift from simply expanding infrastructure to ensuring drivers can confidently discover, access and use charging infrastructure whenever they need it."

Robert Fisher, Senior Consulting Manager, SBD Automotive, said, "India continues to stand out as one of the most optimistic EV markets globally. The rapid growth in charging infrastructure is encouraging, but consumer feedback shows that reliability remains a key challenge. The next stage of market maturity will require balancing infrastructure scale with infrastructure quality, ensuring the charging experience keeps pace with the growing number of EVs on the road."

The index ranks regions out of a maximum score of 100 based on four criteria: charger density per road length, average charger power capacity, vehicle fleet share, and the ratio of registered electric vehicles to public charging points.

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