Movin'On Challenge Design 2022 Winners Announced

Maharashtra’s EV Policy 2.0

Movin’On, a ecosystem of strategic anticipation and co-innovation for sustainable mobility, has unveiled the three winners of the Movin'On Challenge Design. 

The theme for the 2022 edition was "DELIVERED: bringing people what they need", the company said in a statement. 

From 1 September 2021 to 1 March 2022, artists, designers, engineers, architects, urban planners and creative people from all over the world have participated in the competition evaluated by an international jury. 

Since its creation, the Movin'On Challenge Design has received more than 14,000 entries from 134 countries, the release claimed. 

The first prize went to the AGORA concept by Damián Mora, Pau Verdú, Fabiana Pando, Víctor Fernández, María Mora from Spain. 

The release said the new edition of Movin'On Challenge Design has been dedicated to the AGORA concept created by Damián Mora and his team of three industrial design engineers and a graphic designer. The young Barcelona native specialises in modelling, rendering and 3D animation. His work is recognised for its environmental consistency and attention to detail, the
release pointed out. 

Focusing on access to culture, the team's AGORA project draws its inspiration from Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits. The AGORA concept thus plans to open up delivery - usually limited to goods or services - to other areas, allowing the most significant number of people to experience cultural and entertainment spaces in the flesh. 

The second prize went to Sharon Ramalingam Radhakrishnan from India for his GAC FORMA concept. A recent graduate of the Royal College of Art Intelligent Mobility in London, Sharon, interned as an OLA Electric Mobility interior designer, the release said.  

His project, called GAC FORMA, provides a new solution adapted to the challenges of automobile traffic present in many cities. Built around a subscription service, it predicts the end of a car ownership culture, a practice responsible for significant space consumption and street congestion for parking purposes. GAC FORMA is also planning a car model that folds widthwise, allowing a considerable gain in space. 

Imthiyas Ahmed Sheik, a second-year student at the M.I.T. Institute of Design, Pune, India, bagged the third prize for his R.R:ALPHA concept. The R.R:ALPHA project imagines an automobile capable of connecting rural and urban areas to open up regions that are sometimes isolated and subject to a significant departure. Combining a contraction wheel and a zorbing ball, R.R:ALPHA provides a feasible and functional solution, allowing the simultaneous transport of a large number of goods on different terrains; even in case of flooding, the vehicle becomes amphibious. 

The members of the jury were Nick Mailhiot, Movin'On Challenge Design Chairman; Craig Metros, Former Design Director, North American Truck, S.U.V. & Commercial, Ford Motor Company, Instructor of automotive design, College for Creative Studies; Chris Chapman, Former Design Director, Hyundai Design of North America. Design consultant; Angela Hariche, CEO of Catapult Design; Freeman Thomas, CEO of Meyers Manx, Former global advanced Design Director, Ford Motor Company; Stewart Reed, Chair, Transportation Design Department, Art Center College of Design; Dave Marek, Acura global Creative Director, Honda R&D Americas, Inc.; Frank Saucedo, Design Director, General Motors; and Damien Michelin, honorary juror. (MT)

Lexus India Launches New RX350h Exquisite Grade At INR 8.99 Million

Lexus RX350h

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.”

MG SELECT Crosses 1,000 Sales And 15 Experience Centres

MG Select

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.

Maruti Suzuki e Vitara Gets 5-Star Bharat NCAP Safety Rating

Maruti e Vitara

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.

Mahindra Launches First Dealership-Based Ultrafast EV Charger In Anantapur

Mahindra Charger

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.