Maruti Suzuki India Limited has officially commenced deliveries of its first all-electric offering, the e VITARA, heralding a significant advancement in the nation's transition to sustainable transportation. The company has introduced a range of innovative ownership schemes designed to make electric vehicles more financially accessible. Chief among these is the Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model, a dual-loan product that removes the substantial upfront cost of the battery, with the vehicle priced from INR 1,099,000 plus a usage-based battery rental of INR 3.99 per kilometre. Complementing this is the ‘e Flex’ scheme, which allows customers to upgrade to the e VITARA while maintaining an EMI similar to their existing car. To further enhance customer confidence, Maruti Suzuki is offering assured buyback plans, guaranteeing up to 60 percent of the vehicle's value after three years or 45,000 kilometres and 50 percent after four years or 60,000 kilometres.

The e VITARA is engineered for a carefree ownership experience, backed by comprehensive warranty coverage. It is available with two battery pack options, 61kWh and 49kWh (with a claimed driving range of up to 543 kilometres, both of which come with an industry-standard warranty of eight years or up to 160,000 kilometres. The vehicle itself carries a standard three-year warranty, with the option to extend coverage up to eight years on a payable basis.

In terms of safety and technology, the e VITARA is equipped with advanced features as standard. It incorporates Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which include functionalities like Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist and Automatic Emergency Braking. Passive safety is addressed with seven airbags, including a driver-side knee airbag, as standard equipment. The vehicle is built on the HEARTECT-e platform, which utilises over 60 percent high-tensile and ultra-high-tensile strength steel and features an advanced battery protection system. This robust construction has helped the e VITARA achieve a comprehensive five-star safety rating from Bharat NCAP. The driving experience is further enhanced by the next-generation Suzuki Connect telematics system, which offers over 60 connected features. Customers can book the e VITARA at any NEXA showroom or through the official website with an initial payment of INR 21,000.

Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said, “Maruti Suzuki’s EV strategy has been developed to ensure that the e VITARA becomes the primary EV choice for customers. The e VITARA offers a commendable driving range of over 543 km, supported by ‘e for me’ charging ecosystem that mirrors the reliability our customers have trusted for decades. With over 1,500 EV-ready service centres, specially trained NEXA EV relationship managers and dedicated charging managers, the e VITARA offers complete peace-of-mind. We are also introducing attractive flexible ownership plans with BaaS, alongside exclusive benefits for early adopters that make the e VITARA an irresistible proposition.”

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Bengaluru-based electric two-wheeler manufacturer River Mobility has closed a USD 120 million Series C funding round comprising equity and venture debt.

The funding round was led by Elev8 Venture Partners and Claypond Capital, with equity participation from Singularity AMC, Anicut Capital, 360 ONE Asset, JIF Capital and HDFC AMC. Existing investors including Yamaha Motor Corporation, Al Futtaim Group, Mitsui & Co., Alteria Capital, Innoven Capital and Stride Ventures also participated in the round.

The company plans to utilise the capital to expand manufacturing capacity at its factory, construct a greenfield production facility, introduce products in the utility vehicle segment and support margin expansion and EBITDA targets.

River Mobility launched its Indie model in 2023 and operates over 75 retail locations across India, with plans to expand to 350 stores by March 2028.

At present, the company says its monthly EV sales have reached 5,000 units.

Aravind Mani, Co-Founder & CEO, River Mobility, said, "This funding marks an important milestone in River's journey. The confidence shown by both our existing and new investors reinforces our belief that there is tremendous opportunity to build India's first utility and design based mobility brand. This capital gives us the ability to accelerate our product roadmap, expand our manufacturing footprint and presence across the country."

Navin Honagudi, Managing Partner, Elev8 Venture Partners, said, “The electric two-wheeler market in India is entering a defining growth phase, driven by strong consumer adoption, improving economics, and increasing demand for differentiated products. River stands out for its sharp product thinking, exceptional execution capability, and a highly differentiated positioning in the market. Aravind, Vipin and the team have built a brand that resonates deeply with consumers looking for brilliant design, utility and durability. We believe River is well-positioned to emerge as one of the defining EV companies from India.”

Sekhar Garisa, Managing Director, Claypond Capital, said, “River has combined disciplined execution and thoughtful product differentiation to rapidly grow and garner customer love in a competitive market. We are excited to support the team as they scale further while contributing to the country’s energy transition and domestic manufacturing ambitions.”

Hajime Jim Aota, Chairman of Yamaha India Group, said, “River’s focus on building vertically integrated electric vehicle technology platform has been a key driver of its success. Yamaha are proud to see the progress made by River so far and are excited about being part of the next phase of growth.”

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Bengaluru-based electric vehicle maker Ather Energy is all set to introduce its latest offering the Konarc e-scooter.

The launch, scheduled for its community event Ather Community Day, will take place on 29 August 2026 in Bengaluru. The new EV is based on the company’s EL platform, which is said to be designed for versatility, scalability and manufacturing efficiency.

While most details are still under wraps, the upcoming scooter is intended to address the price segment of INR 100,000 to INR 125,000.

The EV maker has made rapid strides in perfecting the software and hardware on its product offering, and the introduction of Konarc is expected to further expand accelerate volume sales.

The 2025 Ather Community Day event, held on 30 August, hosted over 4,000 attendees and featured the unveiling of the EL platform, the Redux concept vehicle, fast-charging technology and AtherStack 7.0.

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Hyundai Motor India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has launched an assured buyback scheme for the Hyundai Creta Electric SUV, offering buyers a 60 percent guaranteed residual value for up to three years or 45,000 kilometres. The program aims to address depreciation concerns among buyers transitioning to electric vehicles.

The initiative follows the company's introduction of its Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model for the Creta Electric, which carries an entry price of INR 1.09 million with battery rental rates starting at INR 3.9 per kilometre to lower upfront purchase costs.

The Creta Electric features ARAI-certified driving ranges of 510 kilometres for the 51.4 kWh battery option and 420 kilometres for the 42 kWh variant, with DC fast-charging capabilities that enable a 10 to 80 per cent charge in 39 minutes.

Tarun Garg, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India, said, “The next phase of electric vehicle adoption in India will be driven equally by advancements in vehicle technology and by greater customer confidence. Hyundai Creta Electric has been engineered to deliver an exceptional ownership experience backed by Hyundai’s global EV expertise and the trust of the iconic Creta brand. Our Assured Buyback Program, offering 60 percent assured buyback value, reflects our confidence in the product’s outstanding quality, reliability and long-term value. Together with our Battery-as-a-Service initiative, expanding charging infrastructure and future EV roadmap, we are building one of India’s most comprehensive EV ecosystems, enabling customers to embrace electric mobility without compromising on convenience, confidence or peace of mind.”

To support its electric fleet, Hyundai provides access to over 30,000 charging points via its digital app. The carmaker currently operates 183 DC fast-charging stations across 105 cities in India, with plans to expand its network to 600 stations by 2030 across highways, cities, and dealership locations.

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Bengaluru-headquartered Indofast Energy, the battery swapping joint venture between Sun Mobility and Indian Oil Corporation, has entered into a partnership with charge point operator Zeon Charging to expand battery swapping infrastructure across retail and transit locations in Southern India.

As per the understanding, Indofast Energy will deploy its Quick Interchange Stations (QIS) across Zeon Charging's network of sites, including shopping centres, metro parking facilities, and commercial hubs in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai.

The rollout has commenced with the installation of 6 QIS across two locations in Bengaluru, including Orion Mall in Rajajinagar. Plans are underway to expand the Orion Mall setup with 5-6 additional swap stations.

The partnership provides Indofast Energy with access to locations equipped with electrical infrastructure and positioning along urban transit corridors, targeting commercial two-wheeler electric vehicle drivers and delivery fleets. Indofast Energy currently operates a network of over 450 stations in Bengaluru, alongside more than 1,900 swap stations across 24 cities in India.

Subhash Bhat, Interim CEO, Indofast Energy, said, "Our collaboration with Zeon Charging enables us to bring battery swapping to some of the most accessible and high-visibility locations across Southern India. Premium malls, metro parking facilities, and commercial hubs are exactly the kind of high-traffic sites where EV users need seamless energy access. By partnering with an established CPO like Zeon, we are accelerating our network expansion into power-ready, strategically positioned locations. This is a natural extension of our mission to make battery swapping accessible wherever riders need energy, making it the most practical and accessible choice for EV users across India."

Akhil Venkateshwaran, CTO & Director, Zeon Charging, said, "At Zeon Charging, we are building future-ready EV infrastructure that serves the evolving needs of India's electric mobility ecosystem. Partnering with Indofast Energy unlocks a vital piece of this objective catering to both fixed-charging users and the rapidly growing battery swapping segment. This collaboration at strategic venues like Orion Mall in Bangalore proves that integrating swapping stations into premium retail and transit hubs is highly effective in creating a seamless, sustainable, and convenient experience for EV drivers across Southern India. We look forward to scaling this partnership rapidly across our network."

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