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."

Bengaluru-based electric vehicle maker Ather Energy has announced its financial results for FY2025. The company claimed its sales grew by 42 percent in FY2025 with a total of 155,394 units sold, as compared to 109,577 units last year. This translates to a total income of INR 23 billion for FY2025, up 29 percent, as compared to INR 17 billion in FY2024. The company’s Adjusted Gross Margin soared to INR 4.28 billion, a 2.7-fold increase from FY2024, reflecting cost optimisation through economies of scale, in-house engineering and strategic sourcing.

The EV maker is also making rapid strides towards profitability, reducing EBITDA losses by around 23 percent in FY2025 from 36 percent in FY2024. The net losses for the year decreased by 23 percent, from INR 10 billion in FY2024 to INR 8.12 billion in FY2025.

The Ather Rizta, launched in Q2 FY2025, accounted for 57 percent of total volumes, driving market share gains in states like Delhi, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat. The company stated that it maintained a strong 19.7 percent market share in southern states, reinforcing its regional dominance.

To enhance customer experience, Ather introduced Ather Care plans, available at its 210 Service Centres and 231 Experience Centres as of 30 September 2024. Priced between INR 1,130 and INR 2,400, these plans offer benefits worth up to INR 5,900, addressing concerns about EV maintenance costs and ensuring affordability for customers.

Tarun Mehta, Executive Director and CEO, Ather Energy, said, “FY2025 has been a year of robust growth, with strong increases in both volume and profitability, year-on-year. On the back of our new product launches, we saw strong volume growth of 42 percent, and our continued investments in engineering and R&D delivered a strong improvement in margins. Adjusted gross margins doubled, growing by approximately 1,000 bps, and that helped reduce EBIDTA losses by approximately 1,300 bps over the preceding year. Our software sales have continued to trend strongly, with 88 percent of our customers choosing to buy our Pro Pack in FY2025, contributing to improvement of our bottom line. Q4 was a strong quarter for distribution and saw a 32 percent expansion in our pan-India store count.”

Infineon Technologies, a leading provider of automotive semiconductors has partnered Visteon Corporation, a leading supplier for automotive cockpit electronics, to accelerate development of next-generation electric vehicle powertrains.

The partners will work towards integrating power conversion devices based on Infineon semiconductors, with particular emphasis on wideband gap device technologies, which they state provide significant advantages in power conversion applications compared to silicon-based semiconductors. These devices include greater power density, efficiency and thermal performance, which contribute to improved efficiency and reduced system costs for next-generation power conversion modules for the automotive sector.

Going forward, Visteon EV powertrain applications incorporating Infineon CoolGaN (Gallium Nitride) and CoolSiC (Silicon Carbide) devices may include battery junction boxes, DC-DC converters and on-board chargers.

Dr. Tao Wang, Head of the Electrification Product Line of Visteon Corporation, said, “Working with Infineon allows us to integrate cutting-edge semiconductor technologies that are essential in improving power conversion efficiency and overall system capability of next generation electric vehicles. This collaboration will advance technologies that accelerate the transition to a more sustainable and efficient mobility ecosystem.”

Peter Schaefer, Chief Sales Officer Automotive, Infineon Technologies, said, “Visteon is a recognised innovator and an early adopter of new technologies, making them an ideal partner for us. Together, we will push the boundaries of electric vehicle technology and provide superior solutions to the global automotive industry.”

Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Foxtron Vehicle Technologies (hereafter, Foxtron), a subsidiary of Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn) for developing electric vehicles.

As per the understanding, Foxtron will develop and supply Mitsubishi Motors with an OEM EV model. This model will be manufactured in Taiwan by Yulon Motor Co (Yulon Motor) and introduced in the Oceania region (Australia and New Zealand) in the second half of 2026.

This is part of the earlier announced plan for Australia, extending through 2030, which includes premium driving performance as an EV and an advanced infotainment system, making it optimal for the Oceania region.

The Japanese automaker is making strides in the electrification space with new models along with upgrades to the Outlander PHEV, a plug-in hybrid EV, and the addition of hybrid EV models to the popular Xpander and Xforce models in the ASEAN region.

In addition to exploring collaboration with Foxconn, Mitsubishi Motors plans to enhance its electrified vehicle lineup by leveraging the strengths of the Alliance, such as receiving OEM models from Renault Group in Europe and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. in North America.

Going forward, Mitsubishi Motors is also exploring expanding its collaboration with its Alliance partners globally, including in the Oceania region, to strengthen the electrified vehicle lineup.

Bengaluru-based electric two-wheeler manufacturer Simple Energy has announced its ambitious plans to raise USD 350 million through an Initial Public Offering (IPO) slated for Q2-Q3 of FY2027.

The company is projecting INR 8 billion (USD 96 million) in revenue for FY2026 and over INR 15 billion (USD 180 million) in cumulative revenue over the next 18 months.

The EV maker states it commenced commercial operations less than two years ago, has already achieved gross margin breakeven and is targeting a 15 percent gross margin in the near term. EBITDA profitability is anticipated by the end of FY2026, with net profitability planned ahead of the IPO.

The upcoming IPO is expected to accelerate Simple Energy’s national expansion, and support manufacturing capacity enhancement.

Suhas Rajkumar, Founder & CEO, Simple Energy, said, “Clean energy is the cornerstone of India’s sustainable future. With 95 percent of our vehicle components made in India, we are proud to contribute to the Make-in-India initiative. The IPO is a pivotal step in our journey to democratise electric mobility, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.”

With a growing footprint in key markets such as Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala, Simple Energy aims to achieve 100,000 cumulative EV sales and a 5 percent share of the domestic two-wheeler EV market by FY2027, a sharp rise from its current 0.3 percent. Its dealership network is also set to expand from 15 to over 250 outlets across 23 states.

Founded in 2019, Simple Energy till date has raised USD 41 million in funding from a network of investors, including Balamurugan Arumugam (Chief Growth Officer, Klarity), the Apar Industries family office, Dr. A Velumani’s family office, the Haran family office and others.