Tata Motors-owned British marquee luxury brand Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is trialling drone technology at its Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre (EPMC) in Wolverhampton, successfully reducing machinery and site inspection time by up to 95 percent. The pilot is an important step forward in operational efficiency and employee safety, aligning with JLR's vision for its factories of the future.

The Elios 3 drone by Flyability reaches high and confined spaces, allowing maintenance teams to inspect equipment safely from the factory floor, eliminating the need for elevated platforms and reducing risk. Operated via tablet, the drone delivers a live 3D map to identify and troubleshoot issues. This helps JLR prevent costly maintenance downtime while freeing up employees’ time for business tasks.

The drone uses Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensors to create detailed 3D maps of the surrounding environment. Additionally, it features a thermal camera to help pinpoint overheating components or insulation failures, helping optimise energy use by detecting inefficiencies early and supporting JLR’s efforts to reduce its overall operational emissions.

Nigel Blenkinsop, Executive Director of Industrial Operations, Jaguar Land Rover, said, “As we transform our facilities, we’re rethinking every part of our factories, including how we maintain and operate them. Trials like this one with advanced drone technology are helping us improve employee safety, reduce maintenance downtime and operate more efficiently. Just as importantly, they’re helping upskill our people in the latest digital technologies, ensuring our teams are part of our factories of the future.”

Shantnu Mehta, Project Engineer, Jaguar Land Rover, said, “I never imagined I’d be learning to fly drones as part of my role. It’s been exciting to learn how to use this technology and the skills I’ve developed will stay with me throughout my career. Being part of such an innovative project and contributing to how we’re transforming our factories for the future is something I’m genuinely proud of.”

Following successful trials at EPMC, the next phase will take place at JLR’s Logistics Operations Centre (LOC) in Solihull – a vast warehouse space equivalent to thirteen football pitches (approx. 91,800 square metre). Here, the drone will be equipped with barcode scanners to automate inventory checks, replacing manual processes and enabling faster, accurate stock updates. This will help improve safety, reduce errors, and support smarter decisions on space, stock levels and supply flow.

The initiative is part of JLR’s GBP 3.8 billion annual investment into industrial transformation, new products and technology, and is being explored through its Open Innovation programme. It also supports JLR’s Future Skills programme, which aims to train 29,000 employees in electrification and digital skills.

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Zelio E-Mobility, an electric two-wheeler company, has opened its new manufacturing facility in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The company invested up to INR 10 million in the site.

The new plant will support its expansion in South India is spread across 39,000 sqft and will be used for assembly, storage and logistics operations. The facility has an annual production capacity of 60,000 units, increasing the company's total manufacturing capacity to 240,000 units per annum.

Production is expected to start with 24,000–30,000 units annually before scaling to meet market demand. The plant currently employs 30 workers, with plans to add over 100 personnel.

Kunal Arya, Managing Director, Zelio E-Mobility, said, “The launch of our Coimbatore facility marks a major milestone in Zelio E-Mobility’s growth journey. South India represents one of the most promising electric mobility markets in the country, and this expansion strengthens our ability to serve customers, dealers, and partners with greater speed and efficiency. This facility will play a crucial role in supporting our next phase of growth, improving supply chain responsiveness, and reinforcing our commitment to accelerating EV adoption across India.”

For FY2026, Zelio E-Mobility reported its revenue grew 81.8 percent YoY to INR 3.13 billion in FY2025–26, with a revenue CAGR of 121 percent over the past four years.

The company maintains a network of over 400 dealers across 25 states and intends to increase this to over 550 dealerships by FY2027.

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Renault Group has reached the milestone of producing one million electric vehicles in France. This achievement, spanning 15-years of manufacturing, reflects the company’s focus on the electric vehicle value chain within the country.

The company’s electric vehicle production began in 2010 with models such as the ZOE and Kangoo ZE. Production now includes light commercial vehicles like the Trafic Van E-Tech electric and the Master E-Tech electric. The group plans to introduce a Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) in the commercial segment with the launch of the New Trafic E-Tech electric in late 2026.

Francois Provost, CEO, Renault Group, said, “The milestone of one million electric vehicles produced by Renault Group in France is, above all, a source of collective pride: pride in our teams and suppliers who build them, pride in our customers who choose them, and pride in a Group that has made a long-term commitment to France. Since 2021, we have invested EUR 13 billion to build the electric vehicle value chain across our operations in France. Provided the right conditions are in place, we plan to invest a further EUR 13 billion as part of our mid-term plan, futuREady.”

In the industrial hub of Electricity, which encompasses sites in Douai and Maubeuge, the company has produced 600,000 electric vehicles. The Renault 5 E-Tech electric, produced at this hub, reached a production figure of 100,000 units by end-2025 and is projected to exceed 200,000 units this year. The Maubeuge facility also produces the Renault 4 E-Tech electric.

To support this growth, the hub has created 700 permanent jobs between 2022 and 2025, with an additional 300 positions expected by 2027. The northern production sites are multi-brand, manufacturing vehicles for Renault, Alpine, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Ford.

Beyond production, Renault Group has implemented an internal training programme called Reknow University, which has trained 53,000 employees in areas including electrification, battery technology, artificial intelligence, and the circular economy. The company notes that its electric vehicle operations support 35,000 indirect jobs within its supplier network.

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Axalta Coating Systems is participating in Prawaas 5.0, a passenger mobility summit held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from 9–11 July 2026. As a supplier of coatings to the bus and commercial vehicle sector, the company is using the event to discuss technology with manufacturers, body builders and operators.

The company is presenting its low-cure coatings, which are compatible with fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) substrates to support vehicle weight reduction. Other technologies on display include waterborne coatings designed to lower volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and heat-reflective coatings intended to reduce thermal load on electric buses.

Additionally, Axalta is showcasing a portfolio for electric buses that includes motor insulation and battery assembly materials.

Dr Prameela Susarla, Vice-President & MD, Axalta India, said, “Axalta is the global #1 provider of world-class coating solutions for commercial vehicles. Our sustainable coatings provide not only excellent finish and aesthetics but also best-in-class asset protection, durability and productivity in the paint shop, enabling low total cost of ownership for bus OEMs. We are committed to meeting the evolving needs of shared mobility and are excited to be a participant and driver in this critical infrastructure ecosystem. Our ambition is clear - to make Axalta the most trusted and preferred coatings partner for India's commercial vehicle industry."

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Toyota Motor North America has announced an investment of 3.6 billion USD in its plant in San Antonio, Texas. The project will add 2.5 million square feet to the campus and double its size by 2030. The expansion includes a second vehicle assembly line and will create 2,000 jobs, bringing the local workforce to approximately 6,000 people.

As part of this transition, the production of the Tacoma will move from the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Baja California plant to the Texas site over a four-year period. Once the expansion is complete, the San Antonio plant will assemble the Tundra, Sequoia, and Tacoma. The expansion will increase the annual production capacity of the plant by 150,000 units. Furthermore, the production of the Tacoma mid-size pickup will move from the Baja California plant in Mexico to the San Antonio facility over a period of four years.

Ted Ogawa, President and CEO, Toyota Motor North America, said, “Toyota’s continued investment in North America is a testament to our confidence in the region’s workforce, innovation and long-term growth potential. By expanding our San Antonio plant, we are deepening our commitment to American manufacturing, creating meaningful and sustainable jobs, while advancing our mission to deliver high-quality vehicles that meet the changing needs of customers today and into the future.”

Greg Abbott, Texas Governor, noted, “Texas is where the world builds bigger, and Toyota shows it once more with a USD 3.6 billion expansion in San Antonio that doubles their factory footprint and creates 2,000 new jobs. This Texas-sized investment reflects the strength of our workforce and the unmatched business advantages found only in our state. Supported by the Texas Enterprise Fund and JETI program, this expansion will deliver economic opportunities to generations of San Antonio families and further cement Texas as the premier destination for world-class advanced manufacturing.”

Frank Voss, group vice president of truck manufacturing at TMNA and president of Toyota Texas, added, “We are so proud of Team Texas and what they have accomplished over the past two decades. The 2,000 acres of South Texas ranchland our plant stands on today was purposefully selected for its ability to scale with vehicle demand, and today marks the first step toward realising that potential. We’re excited to add the beloved Tacoma to our existing award-winning lineup, and we thank the State of Texas, Bexar County and City of San Antonio for their longstanding support.”

This investment brings Toyota’s total spending at the San Antonio site to USD 8.3 billion since 2003. The facility currently supports 23 on-site suppliers and produced over 197,000 vehicles last year.

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