Caption: The virtual groundbreaking of the project was done by M K Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, in the presence of Dr. T R B Rajaa, Minister for Industries, Investment Promotion & Commerce, Government of Tamil Nadu; Arun Roy (IAS), Industries Secretary; Vishnu (IAS), Guidance MD; Gopalakrishnan Chathapuram Sivaramakrishnan, Whole-time Director and Chief Manufacturing Officer - Hyundai Motor India, and Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director - Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), senior officials from Guidance Tamil Nadu, and other senior state government officials.

Hyundai Motor India (HMIL), one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers in the country, held a groundbreaking ceremony for its hydrogen innovation centre at the Tamil Nadu Investors Conclave 2024, held in Chennai. 

In a strategic partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), Guidance Tamil Nadu, and the support of the Tamil Nadu state government the facility will serve as a catalyst for innovation in the field of hydrogen technology.

This initiative aims to be an effective measure to reduce Tamil Nadu’s carbon footprint, and HMIL is upbeat on the potential partnership, which it believes will also play a crucial role in developing a skilled workforce for the emerging hydrogen economy.

• The state-of-the-art hydrogen innovation centre will feature the following facilities and focus areas.
• Electrolyser test rig - Electrolyser development for generation of green hydrogen
• Electrolyser / Fuel cell fabrication line - Localisation of manufacturing and supply chain
• fuel cell test station
• Operational and diagnostic digital twin for hydrogen infrastructure
• Pilot demonstrators using electrolysers and fuel cells
• Hydrogen refuelling station - for hydrogen mobility research
•  

Gopalakrishnan Chathapuram Sivaramakrishnan, Whole-time Director and Chief Manufacturing Officer (CMO), Hyundai Motor India said, “Hyundai Motor India remains committed to being a strategic partner in Tamil Nadu government’s vision of building a sustainable ecosystem for transition towards alternate fuels. We are hopeful the upcoming hydrogen innovation centre will accelerate hydrogen mobility adoption in Tamil Nadu. HMIL will be investing towards facility construction at the IIT Madras Thaiyur campus in Chennai. In line with our global vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’, this facility will serve as a key enabler to advance hydrogen as an eco-friendly, emission-less future source of propulsion for mass-mobility solutions.”

The hydrogen innovation centre will be spread across 65,000 square feet within the IIT Madras, Thaiyur campus, located on the outskirts of Chennai.

Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras said, “IIT Madras has continued to be the forerunner in India’s transformation into a technology and innovation superpower. Furthering this journey, the Institute is honoured to partner with Hyundai Motor India and Guidance Tamil Nadu, to develop a dedicated research facility which we envisage, will create break-through innovations in the field of hydrogen mobility. The hydrogen innovation centre will serve as a catalyst for hydrogen technology innovations, creating a robust ecosystem for start-ups and researchers.”

The hydrogen innovation centre is expected to be fully operational by 2026, and bears an innate potential to foster holistic development of hydrogen ecosystem in India.

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Renault Group reported a 1.3 percent increase in global vehicle sales in the first half of 2025, reaching 1.17 million units across its brands – Renault, Dacia, Alpine and Mobilize. This somewhat flat growth reflects the Group’s strategy of prioritising value creation over volume in a challenging market environment.

The Renault brand led the performance with global sales up 2.7 percent YoY to 808,413 units, driven by a 12.2 percent rise in passenger car sales. However, light commercial vehicle (LCV) sales fell by 22.8 percent, impacted by the end-of-life of certain models and the incomplete rollout of the new Master range.

Dacia recorded a marginal decline in global sales (-0.7 percent) to 356,084 units, while Alpine saw the strongest growth within the Group, with an 84.6 percent surge to 5,015 units, supported by the success of its new A290 electric city car.

Electrified vehicles now account for nearly 44 percent of Renault Group’s total sales, up more than 15 points from H1 2024. Renault’s electrified mix reached 59 percent, including strong growth in hybrid (+36.2 percent) and electric vehicle sales (+57 percent), with the Renault 5 E-Tech emerging as the best-selling B-segment EV in Europe. Dacia increased its electrified mix to 23.5 percent, led by strong hybrid demand for the new Duster. Alpine's electric share jumped to 76 percent, underpinned by the A290.

Geographically, Renault saw international growth of 16.3 percent, particularly in Latin America (+24 percent), Morocco (+48 percent) and South Korea (+150 percent). In Europe, the Group grew by 5.4 percent despite a declining passenger car market, with the Renault and Dacia brands maintaining strong positions among retail customers.

Looking ahead, the Group plans to launch seven new models in 2025, including the electric Renault 4 E-Tech, Dacia Bigster and Alpine A390, alongside two major facelifts. It will also expand the rollout of the Grand Koleos and Kardian in international markets. A EUR 25,000 version of the Renault 5 E-Tech is set to support broader EV adoption in Europe.

Renault Group maintains a solid order book in Europe, equivalent to around two months of forecast sales and continues to focus on retail channels, which represented over 56 percent of total sales in the region. Residual values for its vehicles remain well above the European average, supporting the Group’s value-over-volume approach as it navigates the ongoing market transformation toward electrification.

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JSW MG Motor India has launched the much-awaited MG Cyberster, its first electric roadster, under the MG Select brand at INR 7.49 million (ex-showroom) for fresh bookings and for pre-reserved customers the EV is priced at INR 7.24 million.

The Cyberster features a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain producing 510 PS and 725 Nm of torque. The company claims a zero to 100 kmph in just 3.2 seconds using Launch Control Mode. It is powered by a 77 kWh ultra-thin battery pack – 110 mm thick – providing a MIDC-certified range of up to 580km. A thermal management system is included for long-term efficiency.

The roadster is built on a chassis developed with inputs from former Formula 1 engineer Marco Fainello. It uses a double wishbone suspension setup and maintains a 50:50 weight distribution. Braking is handled by Brembo 4-piston front brake calipers, stopping the car from 100 kmph in 33 metres.

Aerodynamic design features include a drag coefficient of 0.269 Cd, active aero elements and electric scissor doors. The car also comes with 20-inch staggered lightweight alloy wheels fitted with Pirelli P-Zero tyres. Four dual-tone exterior combinations are available: Nuclear Yellow/Black Roof, Flare Red/Black Roof, Andes Grey/Red Roof and Modern Beige/Red Roof.

Inside, the Cyberster offers a driver-centric cockpit with a triple-display layout – comprising a central 10.25-inch touchscreen and two 7-inch digital panels. It also includes dual-zone automatic climate control with PM2.5 filtration, regenerative braking paddle shifters and premium vegan leather and Dinamica suede upholstery. The BOSE audio system features active noise compensation.

In terms of safety, the vehicle has a high-strength H-shaped cradle structure with a Static Stability Factor (SSF) of 1.83. Standard features include Level 2 ADAS, a Driver Monitoring System, dual front and side airbags, electronic stability control and an electronic differential lock.

The pricing includes a 3.3 kW portable charger, 7.4 kW wall box charger, and standard installation. MG says range will vary based on driving conditions and usage.

Anurag Mehrotra, Managing Director, JSW MG Motor India, said, “At MG Select, we aim at curating experiences that spark emotion, inspire desire, and lead the shift towards conscious mobility. The MG Cyberster is a powerful expression of that philosophy. It is a car that is engineered for performance and designed to be remembered. For many, roadsters were once daydreams. The Cyberster brings that dream to life, with the freedom of the open road and the conscience of an electric future”.

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Nissan Motor India, a leading passenger vehicle manufacturer, has achieved a new recognition for its made-in-India Magnite compact SUV.

The Magnite has bagged a 5-star overall safety rating in the Global New Car Assessment Program (GNCAP). 

The SUV was tested by GNCAP and scored 5-star rating in adult safety and 3-star rating in child safety, which translted to an overall 5-star safety rating for the vehicle occupants. The Nissan Magnite is manufactured at the Renault India’s Chennai plant and is exported to more than 65 countries under Nissan Motor India’s ‘One Car, One World’ strategy for both RHD and LHD markets.

Launched in October 2024, the new Magnite comes with over 40 standard safety features including 6 airbags, improved body structure incorporating 67 percent high tensile strength steel (>440Mpa), 6 Airbags, ABS + EBD, ESC, TCS, HSA, Brake Assist and TPMS among others.  

The Global NCAP’s crash test protocols assess frontal and side impact protection for all models, as well as ESC. Pedestrian protection and side pole impact protection assessments are required for vehicles scoring the highest star ratings.

Saurabh Vatsa, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India, said, “We are delighted to receive a 5-star safety rating for the Made In India New Nissan Magnite. Safety remains at the core of our engineering philosophy, and this reflects our dedication to providing our customers with secure, reliable, and technologically advanced and safe vehicles. As per our One Car, One World strategy, Nissan remains committed to the production and sale of the highest quality and safest cars in India for the domestic and export markets”.

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Kia India, a leading passenger vehicle manufacturer, has attained a new milestone in the country by inaugurating its 100th Kia Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) outlet in under three years. As part of its pre-owned car business, the company offers warranty coverage of up to 2 years/40,000 km, along with four complimentary periodic maintenance services.

At present, Kia India's CPO network is spread across 70 cities and represents nearly 60 percent of Kia India’s total retail footprint.

Joonsu Cho, Chief Sales Officer, Kia India, said, “Crossing the mark of 100 outlets milestone for our Certified Pre-Owned network within three years in India is a strong testament to the trust customers place in the Kia brand. In this short span of time, our CPO business has transformed into a strategic growth driver – powered by exceptional quality, reliability and trust. Through our exclusive, design-forward outlets and a fully digital experience, we are reshaping the pre-owned car market by offering customers the same confidence and convenience they associate with a new Kia vehicle. As we expand this network, our commitment remains focused on offering customer-centric solutions, long-term value, and a seamless ownership journey that reflects the Kia promise of movement that inspires."

As part of its focus on offering complete peace of mind to customers, the CPO offers 175-point quality check, and only vehicles meeting the criteria (under 100,000km), accidental structural damage free are certified.

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