The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) will host a webinar on ‘Ethanol roadmap for 2025’ on 22 April 2022.   

CII said in a statement that the webinar, supported by GPS Renewables, aims to highlight the market opportunity of 1G Ethanol projects to achieve India’s target of 20 per cent ethanol blending with petrol by 2025. The webinar will focus on key aspects such as debt financing and feedstock availability challenges, project risks like input, tech and output, technology readiness, and government policies.  

Milind Patke, President, Biofuels, GPS Renewables, said, “We are thrilled to partner with CII to identify and address some of the roadblocks in achieving India’s E20 target. Our aim is to bring together key stakeholders in the industry to find solutions for issues hampering ethanol production. Through this tailor-made webinar and more events in the future, we aim to bridge the gap between lenders and project developers, and help speed up the country's ethanol capacity building process.”  

The key speakers are Sangeet, Chief Director (Sugar), Department of Food and Public Distribution; B. Sankar, CGM, SBI; Sanjay Rudra GM, Bank of Maharashtra; Sridhar Goud, ED, Supplies Operations and Distribution, HPCL; Anurag Saraogi, CGM, BPCL – Biofuels; Saurabh Banerjee, GM, Biofuels, IOCL; Atul Mulay, President, Biofuels, Praj Industries, Roshan Lal Tamak, Member, CII and ED & CEO-Sugar Business, DCM Shriram Ltd; Vijay Nirani, MD, MRN Group; V.N. Raina, DG, AIDA; PK Banerjee, ED, SIAM; Mainak Chakraborty, CEO, GPS Renewables; and Milind Patke, President, Biofuels, GPS Renewables. 

The registration link for the webinar, scheduled to be held from 10.30 am to 1 pm, is
https://bit.ly/3OaPC5W, the release said. 

In order to reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels, India has set a target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol by 2025. Currently, 10 per cent ethanol derived from sugarcane or surplus food grain is required to be blended with petrol. As per the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), to meet the 20 per cent objective, India's ethanol production must increase to 10.2 billion litres, with 5.5 billion litres of 1G ethanol produced from sugarcane and 4.7 billion litres produced from grains. 

India’s current ethanol production capacity stands at 3 billion litres, the release said. Lack of financial stability to invest in biofuel plants and uncertainty over the price of bioethanol in the future are some of the key challenges in meeting the ethanol blending target. (MT)

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Japanese luxury brand Lexus India has introduced a new ‘Exquisite’ grade to its RX 350h line-up, strengthening the model’s presence in the luxury SUV segment.

The new RX 350h Exquisite grade starts at INR 8.99 million (ex-showroom), which goes up to INR 10.09 million (ex-showroom).

The RX 350h Exquisite grade features Lexus’ hybrid system, which combines a highly efficient 2.5-litre inline 4-cylinder engine and high-output motor. It includes a bipolar nickel-metal hydride battery with enhanced performance. On the inside, it gets 10-way power adjusted front seats, heated and ventilated seating for front & rear seats and ambient lighting.

The RX 500h F-SPORT grade is the only Performance Hybrid Electric Turbocharged Luxury SUV in India. The 2.4 L-T HEV on the RX 500h features a front unit integrating a 2.4-L turbocharged engine, motor, a 6-speed automatic transmission and an eAxle with a built-in high output motor driving the rear wheels. The RX 500h features Dynamic Rear-Wheel Steering and DIRECT4 technology for acceleration.

The RX features a Mark Levinson 21-speaker audio system and offers Lexus Safety System+ with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Cross Traffic Alert and Safe Exit Assist with Blind Spot Monitor.

Between January and November this year, the RX model recorded 12 percent growth, reflecting rising demand for luxury SUVs in the country. During the same period, SUVs contributed about 40 percent to Lexus India’s overall performance, underscoring the RX’s pivotal role in driving the brand’s momentum.

Hikaru Ikeuchi, President, Lexus India, said, ‘The Lexus RX represents our dedication to luxury, design, performance, and sustainable mobility. As the luxury SUV segment continues to grow, the introduction of the new Exquisite grade allows us to offer guests a wider range of options and features to choose from. This enhancement reflects our continued commitment to expanding our portfolio and elevating the Lexus experience in India, supported by advanced technology and a guest-first philosophy.”

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JSW MG Motor India has announced that its luxury retail channel, MG SELECT, has crossed a triple milestone: reaching 1,000-unit sales, inaugurating its 15th Experience Centre and maintaining the second position in India’s luxury EV market.

The network now encompasses 15 Experience Centres across 14 cities in India, reinforcing the brand's commitment to delivering an exclusive automotive retail journey. The recent inauguration of the 15th store in Jaipur further underscores the brand's ambition to redefine luxury mobility.

The milestone also highlighted sustained market demand for the select portfolio and is a key driver behind the brand’s 32 percent YTD growth in 2025.

The company claimed that the MG Cyberster, India's highest-selling sports car, has a 4–5 month waiting period, and the MG M9 - Presidential Limousine shows strong momentum in the luxury MPV segment. The MG Cyberster is available at an ex-showroom price of INR 7.49 million, while the MG M9 is available at an ex-showroom price of INR 6.99 million.

Anurag Mehrotra, Managing Director, JSW MG Motor India, said, "Our rise to become the second largest luxury EV brand in the country speaks to a singular belief. True luxury is felt in every touchpoint when precision, ambition and care move together. Through MG SELECT we have crafted an ownership world where innovation meets desire and where every interaction feels intentional. We are shaping the next era of electric mobility for India’s most discerning customers, with a commitment that is both bold and deeply personal.”

The MG SELECT Experience Centres are spaces for the brand's flagship vehicles. These venues provide an immersive, gallery-like setting, ensuring the display of these models is the focal point of the customer interaction. The Jaipur showroom, located at Tonk Road near Sanganer Flyover, exemplifies the MG SELECT philosophy of ‘Reimagining Luxury’, featuring spacious, serene, and technologically advanced environments that elevate the car buying journey.

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Maruti Suzuki India has been awarded a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating for its e Vitara, marking a moment for the company's electric vehicle strategy.

The e Vitara is built on Suzuki’s Heartect-e platform designed for electric vehicles to deliver strength, structural rigidity and advanced high voltage protection. The ‘Made-in-India, Made-for-the-World’ e Vitara is designed and tested for temperature conditions across the world, ensuring performance from as high as 60deg Celsius to as low as -30deg Celsius. The model is offered with 49 kWh and 61 kWh battery options.

Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, said, “Congratulations to Maruti Suzuki for achieving 5-star Bharat NCAP in both adult and child occupant protection for their e Vitara. I am especially glad that Maruti Suzuki has shown real leadership in providing 7 airbags as a standard across all variants of the e Vitara.”

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “The 5-star Bharat NCAP rating for e Vitara, our first Battery Electric Vehicle, is a moment of immense pride for all of us at Maruti Suzuki. Using the Bharat NCAP 5-star rating, we will export the e Vitara to more than 100 countries of the world. Bharat NCAP’s globally benchmarked stringent vehicle test protocols have been a catalyst in empowering customers to make informed decisions. I thank the Minister Gadkari, the officials in his Ministry and test agencies for their rigorous efforts and commitment in shaping India’s journey towards safe mobility.”

The e VITARA’s body structure uses more than 60 percent ultra-high tensile and high-tensile strength steel. Its battery protection system incorporates a structural design with an energy-absorbing battery pack mounting structure.

Key safety features include 7 standard airbags (including the Driver's knee airbag), Level 2 ADAS (Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control), Hill Hold Control, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and a 360-degree Surround View Camera.

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Mahindra has marked a major milestone in its nationwide electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure expansion with the inauguration of its first dealership-based ultrafast charger – a 180 kW Charge_IN station.

This is the first of many such installations planned across Mahindra dealerships, forming a key pillar of the company’s commitment to building India’s ultrafast charging network.

This initiative scales up Mahindra’s Charge_IN ecosystem, complementing the 250 highway fast-charging stations already announced. The new 180 kW ultrafast chargers will enable EV users to charge quickly and conveniently at strategically located dealerships across the country, with 24x7 on-ground support.

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