TI Clean Mobility, a subsidiary of Tube Investments of India, a Murugappa Group company, launched Montra Electric 3W Auto in Chennai, India, on 6 September 2022, marking the brand’s entry into the electric domain.

The launch was a grand one, with the electric three-wheelers indeed being ridden on stage by Arun Murugappan, Executive Chairman, Tube Investments of India and Sushant Jena, Business Head – Montra Electric, TI Clean Mobility.

Upon taking a look at the three-wheeler, one can notice that, unlike regular three-wheelers, Montra Electric has a lot more space – both in the driver and passenger sections. Also, the driver seat has been designed to be a lot more comfortable, giving complete back and head support. Plus, the entire three-wheeler is made of metal frame.

This three-wheeler was manufactured at TI Clean Mobility's facility in Ambattur, Chennai, and will be made available in phases across the nation, starting South.

Sharing his thoughts on this new launch, Murugappan said, “This is a significant step for us from TI, which has been a three-year journey. EV component localisation has seen a significant surge, and we are well poised to join India’s EV revolution.”

Murugappan further told the audience, “With Montra Electric, we strive towards carbon neutrality. This segment is one that will have a significant impact on India's effort to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2070. We already have 40 people on board with us for dealers. We’ve invested our best resources and time to develop this product and are excited to see customer reactions.”

Talking about the journey of the new electric three-wheeler, K K Paul, MD, TI Clean Mobility Pvt Ltd (TICMPL), put across, “When we looked at the different segments in EVs, we realised that the greatest benefits are coming from the productive end of this segment. We then knew that three-wheelers were a good place to be in. As we were just getting our act together from ground zero to dealing with all the permissions, we also looked at the different elements of the productive segment.”

Paul further turned his attention to the manufacturing. He stated, “The manufacturing piece of Montra Electric is almost 70-75 percent local. Apart from that, we have done a lot of reliability tests. We are looking at being in the top three, in terms of volume and range, within the first year of our launch.”

Throwing more light on the manufacturing side, Jena informed, “This product is built from scratch, including the nut and bolt. Plus, we chose to offer it with a fixed battery as the ecosystem is still evolving.”

Jena also majorly highlighted Montra as a brand. He asserted that the brand, Montra Electric, is a new identity. “We have used three things for our conceptualisations – quality of life, eco-friendly and mobility solutions. We have even conceptualised a new term called ‘autoprenuers’,” he averred and went on, “When we started this journey, we knew that it had to be best-in-class. So we have called the auto, super auto. It comes with super style, spaciousness, super performance, is super reliable, super smart and super easy- owning.”

The price of the Montra Electric 3W range will start from INR 0.302 million (ex-showroom post-subsidy, 7.66 kWh), and it will be made available in over 100 dealerships in India.

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Eicher Trucks & Buses, a division of VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), has successfully completed a landmark journey from Kashmir to Kanyakumari (K2K) with its Eicher Pro X EV.

The expedition, titled #XpertHaiTohPossibleHai, saw the electric commercial vehicle become the first and fastest in its category to traverse the 4,100-kilometre route under fully loaded conditions.

Starting from Lal Chowk, Srinagar, and concluding at the southern tip of India in six days, the journey was independently adjudicated by the India Book of Records, resulting in four new national records. The initiative was designed to address industry concerns regarding range anxiety, charging infrastructure and the operational reliability of electric vehicles (EVs) in the B2B sector.

The journey tested the vehicle across India’s most diverse terrains and climates, including the Himalayas, the Deccan Plateau and coastal ghats. The Eicher Pro X EV travelled through temperatures ranging from -2deg Celsius to 40deg Celsius. The EV relied entirely on public charging stations, coordinated through the MyEicher App. The trip was conducted with the vehicle at full load capacity to simulate authentic logistics operations.

Abhishek Chaudhary, SVP, SCV - Sales & Marketing, VECV, said, “The K2K milestone is a strong validation of the Eicher Pro X EV’s engineering capability under real-world operating conditions. The initiative not only builds confidence in electric mobility as an economical source of providing logistical solution but also strengthens trust through proof, not promise.”

Eicher collaborated with commercial vehicle influencer Raman Nayak (Behind The Wheels) and a network of regional creators to document the journey. The multi-episode series focused on the practicalities of EV ownership, such as route planning and terrain management, presented in local languages to reach a broader demographic of fleet operators.

Bhagwan K. Bindiganavile, EVP – Strategic Planning, Brand & Communications, VECV, said, “In the commercial vehicle industry, trust is built through proof. Taking a production vehicle on a journey of this scale was a deliberate move to move beyond conventional marketing and demonstrate capability in a real, unfiltered and conclusive manner.”

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Bengaluru-headquartered electric two-wheeler maker Ather Energy has announced that its first family electric scooter, the Rizta, has crossed the 300,000-unit sales milestone within just two years of its April 2024 launch.

The e-scooter has become Ather’s primary volume driver, significantly accelerating the company's growth in both its home markets and new regions.

The Rizta reached 200,000 units in December 2025 and added the most recent 100,000 units in just five months, reflecting a rapid surge in demand for family-focused electric mobility.

The Rizta has been instrumental in Ather’s ‘Middle India’ strategy, focusing on states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. In these regions, Ather's market share shot up from 4.1 percent (Q1 FY25) to 17.3 percent (Q4 FY26). In Northern states, including Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, market share grew more than threefold during the same period.

In its home base of Southern India, the Rizta helped Ather retain its leadership position, contributing to a regional market share of 23.5 percent in Q4 FY26.

Interestingly, nearly 70 percent of Rizta owners are families with children, moving away from Ather's traditional enthusiast-only demographic. The e-scooter's success is attributed to its 56-litre total storage, spacious seat and safety features like SkidControl. In FY2026, the Rizta accounted for approximately 76 percent of Ather’s total sales volume.

Ravneet Singh Phokela, Chief Business Officer, Ather Energy, said, “Since its launch, the Rizta was sharply positioned as a family scooter and has resonated extremely well with the family audiences across the country. The Rizta has helped us gain a leadership position in FY2026 in Southern India. Additionally, the Rizta has played a crucial role in expanding our market share in ‘middle India’ by 4X since its launch in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. In FY '26 the Rizta constituted about 76 percent of our portfolio and continues to lead our growth.”

Ather has maintained strong customer engagement through its AtherStack software. In September 2025, the company released AtherStack 7 via an over-the-air (OTA) update. This update introduced a touchscreen interface for existing Rizta Z models, pothole alerts & voice commands and advanced safety features including crash alerts, ParkSafe tow-zone detection and LockSafe theft prevention.

This milestone comes as Ather prepares to enter the mass-market segment with its upcoming EL platform and expands production capacity through its Factory 3.0 facility at AURIC, Maharashtra.

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Hyroad Energy has entered into an agreement with Toyota Motor North America to deploy 40 hydrogen fuel cell Class 8 trucks in Southern California. The announcement took place at the ACT Expo, where the companies outlined a framework covering vehicles, software, and fuel supply.

As per the understanding, Hyroad will provide the trucks along with maintenance and data services for Toyota’s logistics operations. On the other hand, Toyota will supply the hydrogen fuel via its refuelling infrastructure currently being developed in Ontario, California.

The fuel cell trucks offer a claimed driving range of up to 500 miles (804km) and refuelling time of 15-20 minutes, comparable to diesel vehicles. However, the trucks emit only water vapour. Each Class 8 truck carries approximately 70 kg of hydrogen, equivalent to the capacity of 12 Toyota Mirai sedans.

Hyroad operates as an equipment-agnostic provider, bundling vehicle procurement, maintenance and fleet management software. In August 2025, the company acquired 117 hydrogen trucks and intellectual property assets from the Nikola Corporation bankruptcy auction. It now provides parts and support services for existing Nikola truck owners alongside its own fleet operations.

“Accelerating the hydrogen economy requires collaboration, and Toyota is proud to work with Hyroad to move the heavy-duty sector forward,” stated Toyota in a release.

Dmitry Serov, Founder & CEO, Hyroad Energy, said, “Toyota has done exactly what great allies do — they've brought genuine hydrogen expertise to the table and made thoughtful, strategic decisions. They're not waiting for someone else to build this ecosystem. They're investing in it directly, and that's what makes this meaningful. When fuelling, vehicles, software and operational commitment all come together, hydrogen trucking works."

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BYD has claimed the title of the United Kingdom’s leading electric vehicle brand for 2026, surpassing established rivals including Tesla, BMW, KIA and Volkswagen. Official figures show the Chinese automaker has registered 12,754 battery-electric cars since the start of the year. This achievement is particularly notable as BYD has simultaneously become the top choice among private EV buyers, a feat accomplished despite being excluded from the government’s official Electric Car Grant scheme.

The brand’s broader success extends to its plug‑in hybrid lineup, marketed under the DM‑i dual‑mode intelligent system. Combining fully electric and hybrid sales, BYD has delivered 26,396 new energy vehicles in the UK year‑to‑date, capturing a 9.5 percent share of the national market. Three DM‑i models are currently available – SEAL U, SEAL 6 and SEALION 5 – with the ATTO 2 and additional models scheduled to arrive soon. The overall UK EV market has expanded by 22 percent, reflecting rising consumer appetite for sustainable transport.

BYD DOLPHIN SURF

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Bono Ge, Country Manager, BYD UK, said, “With fuel prices remaining high, more drivers are turning to electric vehicles as a smarter and more economical choice. We are delighted to see the UK EV market grow by 22 percent year-on-year, and even more proud that BYD has become the UK’s leading EV brand in a little over three years. At BYD, we are committed to delivering outstanding value through high-tech electric vehicles that combine innovation, quality and affordability. But our ambition goes beyond building great cars.

“We are also bringing advanced technologies that unlock the full value of electrification, including Vehicle-to-Grid solutions that can help customers optimise energy use and reduce costs. In parallel, BYD has been deploying home and utility-scale energy storage solutions to support a more efficient and affordable energy ecosystem. Looking ahead, we also plan to introduce our breakthrough FLASH Charging, capable of charging a vehicle from 10 percent to 97 percent in just nine minutes.”

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