Like an IC engine automobile where the engine and the driveline make up the key aggregates, in EVs the key aggregates are the battery and the motor. While an IC engine may account for 23 to 30 percent of the total cost and the driveline component such as a gearbox, propeller shaft, transaxle or a differential may together cost another 15 to 20 percent of the total vehicle cost, in the case of an EV, it may not be that simple. 

It is therefore necessary to find out about the battery and motor replacement cost before buying an EV. A young Canadian owner – Kyle Hsu – of Hyundai Ioniq 5 was thrown out of his seat almost when he found out that the warranty was void on the battery pack of his one-year-old electric vehicle and it would cost him a little over $ 60,000 to replace it! The car was bought in 2022 for $ 56,000. 

Hsu was driving to the interior of British Columbia, according to the YouTube channel Motormouth which has highlighted the development, when he avoided something on the road. On the cautionary side, he dropped at the dealer to get the car checked after he returned from the trip. 

The battery cover underneath the e-car was founded to have been scratched. The dealer conveyed that the battery behind the cover had been impacted and should be replaced since it may explode. It was not repairable. 

Hsu took the help of the insurance company once he was told that it would cost over $ 60,000 to replace the battery. The insurance company told him that his vehicle IDV was less than the cost of replacing the battery. If he were to choose to replace the battery, the insurance costs were likely to go up by 50 percent despite his clean driving record. 

Responding to Motormouth, the Hyundai Canada PR Manager Jennifer Mcarthy is known to have said that it amounts to a very rare situation and Hyundai Canada’s customer experience team should have had the opportunity to access the situation prior to sharing of costing. 

The cost of battery replacement depends on the nature of the damage, type of battery and repairs required. There is no one set price for ever replacement while battery cost is a challenge for the business. Pricing strategy for batteries that is reasonable, fair and in line with market competitiveness is being worked on, Mcarthy is known to have expressed further.

In his column in The Guardian newspaper recently, actor and automobile enthusiast Rowan Atkinson stated that he loves electric vehicles and was an early adopter. He however felt increasingly duped. 

An electrical and electronic engineer by education, Atkinson is of the opinion that electric motoring does not seem to be quite the environmental panacea it is claimed to be. 

Stating that electric cars have zero exhaust emissions, which is a welcome development, particularly in respect of the air quality in city centres, Atkinson said in his column, if you zoom out a bit and look at a bigger picture that includes the car’s manufacture, the situation is very different. “The problem lies with the lithium-ion batteries fitted currently to nearly all electric vehicles: They’re absurdly heavy, huge amounts of energy are required to make them and they are estimated to last only upwards of 10 years,” he averred. 

Drawing attention to solid-state battery development, Atkinson expressed that if hydrogen wins the race to power trucks and as a result every filling station stocks it, it could be popular and accessible choice for cars. 

Till then, keeping the old petrol vehicle may be better than buying an EV since it costs far less to make and can last for 30 years with tender loving care. 

If the majority of the first owners would retain their vehicles for over five years, it would result in an amount of CO2 reduction brought about by new cars being put on the road. The entire chain of raw material selection to manufacture, to the end of the road has its share of carbon emissions. 

Though it may be better to reduce our reliance of IC engine vehicles, it would be worth considering that the existing vehicles have already paid their environmental dues – cost to the environment – during their manufacturing process. A lot of technological development has also made them far less polluting and reliable than they were a few years or decades ago. 

Also, the possibility of writing off a one-year-old EV because its battery replacement cost exceeds the vehicle purchase cost is countered by the engine, gearbox or a body part being repairable in case of an IC engine vehicle.

Many of you would also remember the head honchos of some auto companies in India saying that BS VI emission compliant vehicles will only emit water through the tailpipe and will be cleaner than the ambient air. 

The time is ripe to understand what is ‘actually’ environment friendly, an EV or an IC vehicle. The time is right to test and analyse if it the automobiles that are causing more pollution in Indian cities or there are other sources. An air filled with so much dust does not seem like the handiwork of automobiles rather than the gigantic civil projects that being worked on. 

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bengaluru-based Ohmium International to co-develop integrated Green Hydrogen-based power solutions in India.

This collaboration brings together Toyota’s expertise in fuel cell technology and Ohmium’s capabilities in scalable PEM electrolysers to explore applications such as microgrids for use in data centres and remote, environmentally sensitive areas. Toyota Kirloskar Motor will contribute technical know-how and fuel cell modules, while Ohmium will lead design and performance evaluations.

The initiative supports India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission and aligns with the country’s goals of energy independence by 2047 and net-zero emissions by 2070. It also marks a strategic expansion of Toyota’s hydrogen initiatives in India – from the 2022 Mirai FCEV pilot project with iCAT to its recent MoU with Ashok Leyland for hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles.

Through such partnerships, Toyota Kirloskar Motor aims to foster a robust hydrogen ecosystem in India, supporting both mobility and stationary power needs while advancing local innovation under the ‘Make in India’ vision.

Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, said, “Hydrogen, as a clean and renewable energy source, is regarded as the fuel of the future – a key to building a self-reliant and carbon-neutral India. In this direction, the Government of India has been undertaking several progressive initiatives, fostering innovations across the energy and transportation ecosystems. Notably, numerous industry leaders, start-ups and researchers are unlocking new opportunities in the hydrogen space, aiming to drive sustainability across multiple domains. The adoption of strategic approaches to harness hydrogen’s full potential will be crucial in ensuring a clean, affordable, and source energy future for the nation. It is particularly encouraging to witness corporates and technology pioneers actively contributing to the development of scalable, indigenous hydrogen solutions that align with national priorities and the vision of a greener, more sustainable tomorrow. And I commend Toyota and Ohmium for making strong efforts with cleaner energy options through advanced hydrogen-led capabilities, aligning with the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan.”

Shripad Yesso Naik, Union Minister of State, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, said, “Initiatives that foster and promote scalable, home-grown solutions are essential to accelerating India’s transition to a low-carbon economy. In this regard, diverse sectoral industries will play a pivotal role in realising the goal of building a self-reliant green hydrogen ecosystem by 2030. Their innovative capabilities and localised solutions will form the backbone of India’s energy transition. The National Green Hydrogen Mission envisions India as a global leader in clean energy innovation and its deployment. To achieve this vision, it is imperative to strengthen domestic capabilities across the hydrogen value chain. Strategic collaborations such as this, between Toyota Kirloskar Motor and Ohmium, have the potential to significantly accelerate the progress towards a hydrogen-powered green energy future.”

Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Minister of Industries, Food & Supplies, Environment Forest and Wildlife, Government of NCT of Delhi, said, “As India continues to take strong strides in environmental leadership, initiatives like these reinforce our commitment to sustainable transformation at the grassroots. Green hydrogen presents a promising solution to reduce air pollution, drive industrial decarbonisation and enable the development of cleaner, future-ready ecosystem. The collaboration between Toyota Kirloskar Motor and Ohmium is a significant step forward – combining global innovation and local expertise to co-create scalable, green energy solutions. Such partnerships are essential to building sustainable industrial zones and pollution-free society, in line with our vision for a greener, healthier India.”

Ahmad Chatila, Ohmium Board Chaiman, said, “We are privileged to collaborate with Toyota Kirloskar Motor to integrate our locally manufactured electrolyser technology with their advanced fuel cell systems. This collaboration supports India’s Hydrogen economy goals and demonstrates our commitment to a greener future with cleaner air, better public health, and resilient, secure infrastructure.”

Manasi Tata, Vice-Chairperson, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “At Toyota, our commitment to a carbon-neutral future extends beyond clean mobility. Green hydrogen is a vital part of this vision – not only for transportation but also its production, distribution, and diverse end-use applications. Through this collaboration with an innovative PEM technology player like Ohmium, we are not only advancing Hydrogen applications but also reinforcing our support for the country’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. By co-developing locally relevant hydrogen solutions, we aim to empower India’s energy transformation and contribute meaningfully to the hydrogen ecosystem.”

Swapnesh R. Maru, Deputy Managing Director, Corporate Planning, Green Field Project, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), said, “India stands at a transformative juncture in its clean energy journey, with a clear vision to achieve energy independence and long-term sustainability. At TKM, we are happy to contribute meaningfully to this future by adopting a multi-pathway approach. This allows us to diversify our environmental efforts and move with speed and at scale towards achieving carbon neutrality, in alignment with our national objectives. In this direction, our collaboration with Ohmium goes ‘Beyond Mobility’ – it’s a shared commitment to contributing towards the creation of a hydrogen-powered India that is self-reliant, resilient, inclusive, and future-ready. Guided by our deep respect for the planet, we see hydrogen not just as a fuel, but as a catalyst to usher in sustainability across mobility, energy and industry sectors. By integrating global expertise with India-focused innovation, we are proud to be delivering environment friendly solutions, fostering happier paths together.”

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Bengaluru-based electric two-wheeler manufacturer Ather Energy will host its flagship community event ‘Ather Community Day’, towards the end of August 2025.

This year Ather Energy’s theme, christened ‘Technology that works like magic’, will see the company showcase its new ‘EL’ scooter platform, launch next-generation fast chargers and unveil Ather Stack 7.0 its latest software stack.

The new scooter platform, the EV maker stated, is engineered to be versatile and cost-efficient, which will allow Ather to further expand its product lineup to tap into a wider range of customer base.

It is interesting to note, that the company hosted its last Ather Community Day on 6 April 2024, which saw the launch of the Ather Rizta e-scooter, Halo smart helmet and AtherStack 6.0.

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Vida, the electric two-wheeler brand of Hero MotoCorp, aims to disrupt the electric two-wheeler segment with the introduction of a subscription-based Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model. This move is expected to make electric mobility more affordable, with the fine details set to be announced on 1 July 2025.

The company shared that in addition to a flexible ‘pay-as-you-go’ ownership model, the BaaS subscription solution will significantly reduce the upfront ownership cost, making EVs more affordable and accessible to a wider customer base. Customers will be able to get separate finance options for the scooter chassis and battery, reducing significant upfront capital expenditure into manageable monthly payments.

Under the new business model, Vida customers will have greater flexibility for their monthly payments, along with access to over 3,600 fast-charging stations and more than 500 service points in over 100 cities.

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Bengaluru-based electric vehicle startup Oben Electric has raised an additional INR 500 million in May 2025 through an extended Series A funding round led by existing investors Helios Holdings, Sharda family office, Kay family and other new and existing investors.

With this, the company has raised INR 1 billion in Series A and overall INR 2 billion in funding. The funding will be used towards expanding the company’s dealership presence to over 150 showrooms in more than 50 cities this fiscal, accelerating development of its 'O100' affordable e-motorcycle platform and scaling up its manufacturing operations.

Sandesh from Sharda family office, said, “Oben Electric had the right technology, product market fit and growth indicators. They are operating in an untapped large market opportunity with multi-fold revenue growth QoQ, the feedback of the electric motorcycle was great and their vertical integration of critical EV components, including LFP battery, motor and vehicle control unit is a key differentiator. We were also impressed by the maturity of the founders which is required to build such a large & complex business and believe that they would be successful in building the first global electric motorcycle brand from India.”

At present, Oben Electric already has 37 retail outlets across 26 cities in 13 states, entering key markets like Punjab, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.

Madhumita Agrawal, Founder & CEO, Oben Electric, said, “The extended Series A funding is a strong vote of confidence from our investors and comes at a time when our momentum is accelerating nationwide. We’re expanding not just our retail footprint but also our innovation roadmap with platforms like O100 that aim to democratise electric motorcycles for the mass market. Backed by full vertical integration and a resilient supply chain, this funding prepares us for a new phase of scale, impact, and growth opportunities.”

The EV start-up claims to be an R&D-led, vertically integrated company, designing and manufacturing not just e-motorcycles but also all critical components, including batteries, motors, vehicle control units and home fast chargers. It currently has over 500 member team, 100,000-units-per-year manufacturing facility in Jigani, Bengaluru, over 150 vendors. It tests its e-motorcycles over 200 performance parameters and is supported by more than 68,000 public charging stations and over 10 ecosystem partners for insurance, financing and roadside assistance.

The Oben Rorr e-motorcycle line-up starts at INR 99,999 for the Oben Rorr EZ, which can go from zero to 40 kmph in 3.3 seconds, top speed of 95 kmph and a range of up to 175 km (IDC) across three battery variant. On the other hand, the Oben Rorr, its flagship product is designed for high performance. Both EVs are powered by high performance LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery technology.

Going forward, the EV maker aims to further raise USD 30 million in Series B in CY2025 to expand its presence globally.

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