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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Tata Motors, one of the leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, has begun delivering the first batch of Prima E.55S electric prime movers to BillionE Mobility, as part of an order for 250 units of the EV.

The fleet is scheduled for phased deployment across freight corridors in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana and the Delhi NCR region to transport industrial goods including steel and cement.

The Prima E.55S is constructed on the i-MoEV architecture and utilises a 450 kWh battery pack, which is claimed to be the largest in its category. The e-truck comes with a claimed range of up to 350 km on a single charge and features an integrated e-axle, a three-speed automatic transmission and dual-gun fast-charging capabilities.

In terms of safety it get a driver monitoring system, lane departure warning and an electronic braking system.

BillionE Mobility intends to scale its heavy-duty logistics operations to 1,500 units over the next 18 months through this strategic partnership. Tata Motors supports its alternative fuel portfolio through the Sampoorna Seva 2.0 initiative and a service network comprising 3,200 touchpoints across India.

Kartikey Hariyani, Founder of BillionE & ChargeZone, and Sanjeev Kulkarni, CEO of BillionE Mobility, said, “Our focus at Billion Electric Mobility is on building electric commercial vehicle solutions that can be deployed reliably, and at scale across real freight operations for inter-city routes. We are entering into a strategic partnership with Tata Motors as we aim to accelerate our commitment for systematic large-scale acquisition and month on month planned pipeline for deployment 6 to 18 months targeting 1,500 units of heavy‑duty logistics in India. The Tata Prima E.55S delivers the performance, reliability and operational efficiency required for intensive logistics solutions across various applications. We are pleased to induct Prima E.55S 450kWh, India’s largest in-class battery capacity of 450 kWh to enhance our long-haul logistics capabilities.”

Rajesh Kaul, Vice-President and Business Head – Trucks, Tata Motors, said, “Electric trucking scales when vehicles are built for real operating conditions – duty cycles, uptime, energy efficiency and total cost of ownership. Developed with this application‑led approach, the Prima E.55S brings together India’s first high‑performance e‑axle, an advanced battery management system and dual charging ports, supported by a segment‑leading 450 kWh battery pack designed for extended range and demanding duty cycles. These technologies translate into strong performance, higher uptime and lower operating costs, enabling customers to achieve faster payback. Our close collaboration with BillionE Mobility has ensured alignment across the vehicle and the supporting ecosystem, enabling dependable electric operations across key freight corridors.”

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Switch Mobility, the electric vehicle division of the Hinduja Group, has delivered the first 10 units of its EiV12mt intercity electric coaches to Prasanna Purple Mobility Solutions.

The e-buses were inaugurated in Pune and will operate on the Mumbai–Pune corridor. This deployment represents the manufacturer's first supply of intercity coaches to a private sector operator and facilitates the entry of Prasanna Purple Mobility Solutions into the electric intercity segment.

The delivery is part of a larger order for 25 electric buses being deployed in partnership with Vertelo. The remaining units are scheduled for delivery throughout the year. The EiV12mt coach is designed for long-distance operations, featuring 45 pushback seats and a range exceeding 300 km per charge. The vehicle incorporates fast-charging technology and the Switch iON connected system for real-time fleet monitoring and data analysis.

Till date, Switch Mobility has deployed over 2,500 electric buses in India to date and has previously supplied intercity vehicles to state transport undertakings such as UPSRTC. The company intends to scale its presence in the intercity segment as operators transition from internal combustion engines to electric propulsion for high-frequency travel corridors.

Ganesh Mani, CEO, Switch Mobility, said, “The flag-off marks another important step in expanding electric mobility beyond cities and strengthening our presence in the intercity segment. This partnership reflects the growing confidence in electric buses for high-frequency routes like Mumbai–Pune, where performance, reliability, and efficiency are critical. As we commence deliveries, with the first set of buses now deployed, we look forward to progressively scaling this engagement with Prasanna Purple Mobility Solutions in the period ahead. At Switch Mobility, we are focused on delivering solutions through the EiV12 platform that are not only sustainable but also commercially viable for operators, while ensuring a superior passenger experience. With intercity mobility continuing to evolve, we are building on our experience in the segment and remain committed to accelerating the adoption of reliable, efficient, and future-ready electric mobility solutions.”

Prasanna Patwardhan, CMD, Prasanna Purple Mobility Solutions, added, “Entering the intercity segment with electric mobility is a significant milestone for us. Through this collaboration, we are introducing a cleaner and more efficient travel option on the Mumbai–Pune route. We remain focused on enhancing the overall journey experience while moving towards more sustainable operations. With Switch Mobility we value our partnership for long term E Mobility Solutions.”

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German luxury automotive brand BMW Group has introduced a new hydrogen tank architecture for the BMW iX5 Hydrogen, extending the vehicle's range to 750 km. The BMW Hydrogen Flat Storage system integrates with the vehicle structure to maintain cabin space and compatibility with the company's Gen6 high-voltage battery.

The storage unit consists of 7 high-pressure tanks constructed from carbon-fibre reinforced composite. These tanks are connected in parallel within a metal frame and operate as a single unit controlled by a central valve.

Key performance data:

• Capacity: Stores at least seven kilograms of hydrogen.
• Refuelling: Pressure levels of 700 bar allow for a full refill in under five minutes.
• Propulsion: Utilises Gen3 fuel cell technology combined with the "Heart of Joy" drivetrain and chassis control software.
• Integration: The flat design allows hydrogen models to be manufactured on the same production lines as petrol, diesel and battery-electric variants.

The development of the powertrain and tank system is part of the ‘HyPowerDrive’ project. The initiative has received EUR 191 million from the German Federal Ministry of Transport and EUR 82 million from the state of Bavaria.

BMW intends to integrate the iX5 Hydrogen into its standard production network in 2028. The flexible architecture of the new X5 allows for five different drive system variants, including plug-in hybrid and battery-electric, to be built on a single platform to reduce technical complexity and manufacturing costs.

Dr Joachim Post, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Development, said, “Our new storage concept allows us to fit the hydrogen drive system into the new X5 precisely and in a way that saves space. Think of it as installation Tetris: every customer gets the drive system best suited to their needs and a true BMW X5 with no compromises. This is technology openness and the art of engineering just the way we developers love them!”

The hydrogen programme is part of BMW’s ‘technology-open’ strategy to diversify energy sources and reduce dependence on specific raw material chains. By offering hydrogen fuel cell technology alongside conventional and battery-electric systems, the company aims to provide long-range electric driving with refuelling times comparable to internal combustion engines.

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CUPRA has introduced the all new Raval, a compact electric vehicle that boldly rejects ordinary design and driving expectations. As the latest addition to the brand’s expanding electric lineup, this model is built to form a genuine emotional bond with the person behind the wheel while actively pushing against conventional automotive norms.

Arriving in UK this summer, the Raval combines striking city car style with genuine performance credentials. Its starting price is set at GBP 23,785 (approximately USD 31,976), and buyers can choose from four trims: Origin, V1, V2 and VZ. Every version sits on the advanced MEB+ platform, ensuring a modern foundation for both efficiency and driving dynamics.

The entry level Origin uses a 37-kWh battery producing 115 PS. The V1 and V2 trims offer a choice between the same sized battery with 135 PS or a larger 52 kWh unit delivering 210 PS, the latter providing roughly 280 miles (approximately 450 km) of range and a fast charge time of just 23 minutes from 10 to 80 percent. The sporty VZ trim comes exclusively with the 52-kWh battery, offering around 250 miles (approximately 402 km) of range and 225 PS, plus performance upgrades like an electronic limited slip differential and Dynamic Chassis Control.

At the heart of the Raval lies a driver focused interior featuring an integrated digital instrument setup with a 10.25-inch cockpit display and a 12.9-inch infotainment screen. All vehicle parameters are controlled from this central hub. The redesigned steering wheel includes physical buttons, plus dedicated satellite controls for driving modes and regenerative braking paddles, ensuring every journey delivers the emotional engagement CUPRA promises.

Marcus Gossen, Managing Director of SEAT and CUPRA UK, said, “The CUPRA Raval is the culmination of an immense amount of hard work, dedication and effort on all fronts. Raval is the pinnacle of all things CUPRA – advanced, forward thinking, dynamic. It pushes the boundaries in automotive and encourages drivers to form a real emotional connection to the drive itself. The combination of striking design, electrifying performance and unconventional features reimagines what an urban EV can be for a new generation of drivers. This is a fully electric car designed to redefine urban mobility with CUPRA’s emotional and challenger DNA.”

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