Shailesh Hazela to succeed Aditya Jairaj as Stellantis India Boss
- By MT Bureau
- June 01, 2024
Stellantis has announced the appointment of Shailesh Hazela as the new CEO and Managing Director for India operations. He will succeed Aditya Jairaj, who will be relocating to the United States, with the transition to happen in mid-July.
Hazela, previously serving as Vice President – Global Purchasing and Supply Chain for India and Asia Pacific Region for Stellantis, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in driving growth and innovation.
Since joining Stellantis in September 2022, he has focused on leveraging the supply base across India, ASEAN, Korea, Japan, and other regions, and developing the supply base for Stellantis in the IAP region.
The company states that Hazela has a strong experience of over 28 years across diverse sectors including automotive, telecommunication and railways. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering.
Ashwani Muppasani, COO – Stellantis India & Asia Pacific said, “We are delighted to welcome Shailesh Hazela as our new CEO and MD and we would like to thank Aditya for his leadership and contributions to Stellantis India. Shailesh's strategic vision and extensive experience will be instrumental in driving growth and innovation in the Indian market. We are confident that Shailesh will lead the company fostering sustainable business growth.”
Hazela commented, “It is an honour to lead Stellantis in India. Our iconic brands have led the global automobile industry, and I am committed to upholding and advancing this legacy. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Aditya Jairaj for his contributions, and I am committed to fostering sustainable progress with our exceptional teams and partners. I look forward to accelerating technological innovation and strengthening our position in existing and emerging mobility segments.”
Currently, Stellantis operates three manufacturing plants (Ranjangaon, Hosur, Thiruvallur), an ICT Hub (Hyderabad) & Software Centre (Bengaluru), and two R&D centers in Chennai and Pune.
Stellantis's “Make in India” initiative is ongoing, with India being the only country to locally produce four Jeep nameplates outside North America (Wrangler, Compass, Meridian, and Grand Cherokee) and the Citroen C5 Aircross outside France.
Maruti Suzuki e Vitara Gets 5-Star Bharat NCAP Safety Rating
- By MT Bureau
- December 02, 2025
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
- By MT Bureau
- December 02, 2025
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.
Hyundai Motor India Wholesales Grow 9.1% In November
- By MT Bureau
- December 01, 2025
Hyundai Motor India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has reported wholesales of 66,840 units in November 2025, up 9.1 percent YoY as against 61,252 units last year.
This includes domestic sales of 50,340 units, up 4 percent YoY and exports of 16,500 units, up 27 percent YoY.
Tarun Garg, Whole-time Director & Chief Operating Officer, Hyundai Motor India, said, “Supported by GST 2.0 reforms, we continue to carry forward sales momentum with a year-on-year growth in our monthly domestic sales in November 2025. Further, our commitment to bolstering India’s role as a global manufacturing hub is further solidified with 26.9% year-on-year growth in monthly exports.”
He further added that the all-new Hyundai Venue SUV, the company's first software-defined vehicle in India, has received more than 32,000 bookings within a month of its launch. The new Venue features ccNC infotainment powered by Nvidia.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor Reports 28% Sales Growth In November
- By MT Bureau
- December 01, 2025
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has announced its wholesales for November 2025, reporting total sales of 33,752 units, up 28 percent YoY.
This includes 30,085 units sold in the domestic market and 3,667 units exported.
Varinder Wadhwa, Vice-President, Sales–Service–Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “Following a positive festive season supported by the government’s progressive GST reforms, we continue to witness a strong momentum, with a growth of 19 percent. The recent introduction of the Urban Cruiser Hyryder Aero Edition and Fortuner Leader Edition has also continued to help us reinforce this growth trajectory, receiving recognition across the country. The innovative initiatives such as the Drum Tao and the launch of the toyota experiential museum (tem) in Bangalore, have been highly appreciated, further strengthening customer engagement and brand connect.”

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