Helios Climate (HC), an investment platform, has partnered with the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) to invest in Bengaluru-headquartered battery swapping solutions provider for electric vehicles – Sun Mobility.

This investment contributes to the approximately USD 135 million raised by Sun Mobility over the past year and will support the launch towards establishing battery swapping network in Africa along with contributing to Sun Mobility's growth in India.

Established in 2017 by Sun Group and the Maini Group, Sun Mobility operates over 900 battery swapping stations, powering a fleet of over 50,000 vehicles. Its battery technology, developed and produced in India, works across two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers and heavy electric vehicles through various global OEM partners. Indian Oil Corporation, Vitol (parent of Vivo Energy) and Bosch are among Sun Mobility’s early investors.

Tavraj Banga, Partner & Co-Head, Helios Climate, said, “Sun Mobility is a global category leader with a differentiated and proven solution for the e-mobility space. Their platform’s interoperability spans multiple OEMs and vehicle types, allowing electrification at scale. Coupled with the economic and decarbonisation benefits, it is an ideal solution for emerging markets. We’re proud to support their entry into Africa and work alongside their key partners to deliver scalable, affordable and climate-resilient mobility solutions on the continent. We look forward to working alongside the company and its shareholders, including Vitol, Indian Oil and Bosch, to realise this potential.”

Chetan Maini, Co-Founder & Chairman, SUN Mobility, said, “We’ve built a modular, fast, and scalable battery swapping ecosystem that adapts to real-world mobility needs. With over 1.4 million monthly swaps in India and growing global interest, we’re excited to extend our proven model to emerging markets like Africa. The region’s rapid urbanisation, reliance on two and three-wheelers and need for robust HEV solutions position it perfectly to leapfrog into clean mobility.”

As per estimates, two-wheelers and three-wheelers contribute a significant portion of CO2 emissions in Africa, with the market forecasted to exceed 1.9 million vehicles annually by 2030. This presents a significant growth opportunity for clean, cost-effective electrification. This investment will support the growth of the e-mobility supply chain in Africa and South-East Asia (batteries and quick interchange stations).

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Affordable Robotic and Automation (ARAPL) has appointed Meru Cabs Founder Neeraj Gupta as its Strategy and Growth Advisory Director.

Gupta brings over two decades of experience as an entrepreneur and leadership experience. He built Meru Cabs into a mobility brand with a customer base of over 15 million users and a fleet of over 20,000 vehicles. Meru operated at major airports and offered both inter- and intra-city services. He sold his stake in Meru in June 2021 to the Mahindra Group. Before Meru, in 2000, he founded V-Link Tours & Travels, which grew to be one of the largest enterprise mobility companies in India.

Milind Padole, MD, ARAPL, said, "We are delighted to welcome Neeraj on board. I found in Neeraj the same madness and passion to build a robotic company as mine – one that can be scaled on the world map. His proven expertise in building scalable business models and navigating disruptive industries will strengthen our strategic vision. We are undergoing a transformative stage that requires the right partners to take the ARAPL journey to the next level. Having an advisor with such rich experience as Neeraj will further enrich the company’s growth plans ahead."

Gupta's understanding of scaling businesses, customer-centric innovation and partnerships will provide direction as ARAPL accelerates its growth.

"I am excited to join ARAPL at this crucial juncture in its growth journey. With its strong foundation in robotics, proprietary technologies and international presence, led by Milind and team’s vision, ARAPL is well-positioned to capture emerging opportunities in automation across industries. I look forward to working with the leadership team to unlock new growth avenues and create long-term value."

ARAPL has demonstrated innovation in robotic welding, multi-level car parking, warehouse automation and AI-based robots. With Gupta’s insights, the company aims to expand its footprint in Europe, the Middle East and the US. It also plans to increase its presence in sectors like autonomous logistics and port automation.

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Porsche is set to bring a new level of entertainment to its vehicles through a collaboration with AirConsole, a leading in-car gaming platform. The new Porsche Macan, arriving later this year, will be the first model to feature a curated library of multiplayer games, transforming car rides into a shared entertainment experience.

The integration allows passengers to use their smartphones as controllers to play a variety of games on the vehicle’s infotainment screen. When the car is parked, all passengers, including the driver, can participate. While on the move, gaming is restricted to the front passenger display, ensuring the driver remains focused on the road. The system uses Porsche’s integrated screen privacy features to keep the display safe and distraction-free.

Anthony Cliquot, CEO, AirConsole, said, “Our collaboration with Porsche is a powerful signal of how quickly AirConsole is scaling in the automotive industry. In just two years since launching our in-car platform, we’ve partnered with some of the world’s most respected car brands, now including Porsche. This momentum confirms that gaming has a meaningful place in the future of mobility, and we’re proud to be leading that evolution.”

To access AirConsole, users can simply download the app from the Porsche App Centre. Passengers then connect their smartphones by scanning a QR code on the screen, with no need for additional hardware. The platform supports up to five players, allowing for both collaborative and competitive sessions.

AirConsole specialises in casual, short-session games that are optimised for the in-car environment. The growing catalogue includes popular titles like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Overcooked, and UNO Car Party!, ensuring a wide range of options for passengers.

The AirConsole platform will be available in the new Macan starting at the end of this year, rolling out in all markets where Porsche Connect is offered, with the exception of China.

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Japanese automotive major Honda Motor Co, has announced that it will present a wide range of mobility products and technologies at the Japan Mobility Show 2025, scheduled from 29 October to 9 November at Tokyo Big Sight.

The company said it will display automobiles, motorcycles, power products, aircraft and concept models under its theme of ‘The Power of Dreams.’ Among the highlights will be the Honda 0 Series EV models, due for global market introduction in 2026, as well as the full-size interior mock-up of the HondaJet Elite II, which allows visitors to experience its spacious cabin.

Key exhibits will include the Honda 0 Saloon Prototype and Honda 0 SUV Prototype, both making their Japan debut. Honda will also present production models such as the CUV e:, a Class-2 electric commuter powered by swappable batteries and the Rebel 1100 S Edition cruiser with dual clutch transmission.

Beyond land-based vehicles, Honda will showcase the Honda BF350 outboard motor and the HondaJet Elite II business jet interior. The brand will also participate in programmes organised by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), including the Tokyo Future Tour 2035 and the Mobility Culture Programme.

Honda said: “The Honda booth is designed to enable the visitors to experience dream-inspiring mobility products Honda created with its original technologies and ideas while being driven by its own dreams.”

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Bengaluru-based design and technology services major Tata Elxsi and Japanese auto major Suzuki Motor Corporation have inaugurated the Suzuki–Tata Elxsi Cloud HIL Centre in Trivandrum, India.

The new centre is Suzuki’s first full-vehicle cloud-enabled Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) validation facility and represents the second engineering centre established under the Tata Elxsi–Suzuki partnership, following the Offshore Development Centre (ODC) in Pune.

The new facility is engineered for early-stage, full-vehicle simulation and validation through a cloud-native infrastructure. It will allow the Japanese automaker’s development and test teams to remotely access HIL infrastructure integrated with Electronic Control Units (ECUs) – reducing reliance on physical prototypes and accelerating validation cycles across R&D centres worldwide. This aligns with Suzuki’s roadmap for Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs), reinforcing a shift toward software-led, scalable development.

Being purpose-built, the facility integrates Tata Elxsi’s domain expertise in automotive Verification and Validation (V&V), test automation and simulation, which it claims enables transformative advancements in development speed, quality and future readiness.

The Cloud HIL Centre is part of Suzuki’s global ‘SDV Right’ strategy for Electrical and Electronic (E/E) Virtual Development, which is set to play a foundational role in delivering continuous integration, faster release cycles and system reliability.

Katsuhiro Kato, Director and Executive Vice-President, Suzuki Motor Corporation, said, “The Suzuki-Tata Elxsi Cloud HIL Centre is a new base that leverages Tata Elxsi's expertise and deep experience to build an advanced and efficient development system. We hope that Suzuki will promote virtualisation to realise minimisation of energy and contribute to the development of next-generation mobility significantly."

Manoj Raghavan, CEO and Managing Director, Tata Elxsi, said, “We thank Kato-san and Suzuki Motor Corporation for their continued trust. This new Cloud HIL Centre builds on the strong foundation of our Pune ODC and marks a forward leap in our SDV-focused collaboration. It reflects our shared vision for sustainable and smarter mobility.”

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