A recent study conducted by researchers from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), George Washington University, and the University of Colorado Boulder in the US estimated that vehicle tailpipe emissions were linked to about 385,000 premature deaths from ambient PM 2.5 and ozone worldwide in 2015. An estimated 70 percent of these occurred in the four largest vehicle markets -- China, India, the EU, and the US.

While the figures paint a grim picture, we see no urgency in bringing about an immediate improvement in air quality standards. The government of India has put a long-term policy focus on shifting to electricity as a transport fuel. However, this will bear fruits only after at least a decade of work and infrastructure development. As we wait for electric vehicles, we must not lose the opportunity to use the readily available cleaner fuels such as auto LPG which can clean the urban air faster.

In the wait for the roll-out of EVs, India is missing on the immediate environmental benefits of auto LPG, an easily deployable source of transport power. It emits up to 120 times less particulate emissions than diesel vehicles; 96 percent less nitrogen dioxides (NOx) than diesel and 68 percent less NOx than petrol. It is also more than 30 percent cheaper than petrol. Over 26 million vehicles across 70 countries run on auto LPG. South Korea sells 4 million tonnes of this fuel annually. In the US, Russia, Japan and China, governments incentivize auto gas usage with tax breaks on sales, excise, registration, parking and road use charges.

Two-wheelers

More than 40 percent of vehicular pollution in Delhi comes from two-wheelers. Across the country, 2-wheelers account for more than 75 percent of vehicles on roads. We need to start pushing two-wheelers towards cleaner fuels as well. Auto LPG makes for the most viable alternative. The 2-wheeler conversion kit is available for about INR 5000-5500 along with a convenient side fitment of the LPG Tank.

Promote Gaseous Fuels

While a large number of buses and public transport vehicles in several cities are running on CNG, it is also necessary to convert a substantial number of private vehicles to gaseous fuels. Rapidly shifting to a mix of CNG and auto LPG is an easier task than shifting to EVs. While the government supports CNG through the City Gas Distribution Project, it has left out auto LPG.

Auto LPG has several advantages over CNG, including 5-6 times less installation cost for refueling stations and less engine performance loss. Globally, auto LPG is the third most commonly used automotive fuel after petrol and diesel. Seven of the 10 large car manufacturers produce LPG-powered cars. Auto LPG occupies very little space in car boots and can be transported in cylinders in trucks to distant outposts.

Auto LPG is already available in 500 Indian cities and it neither needs any major infrastructural overhaul nor any subsidies to encourage consumers. It is important that the government frames policies that are favorable to all alternative fuels to allow consumers a wider choice.

An urgent policy intervention is to change the Type Approval norms of the Ministry of Road Transport for vehicles converting to gaseous fuels. In India companies have to renew the extremely costly Type Approvals for auto LPG and CNG conversions every three years. This has resulted in a rapid dwindling of players in the retro-fitment market. The Type Approval Validity must be made perpetual in line with the European norms. Similarly, the GST rate on LPG conversion kits for vehicles must be reduced from 28 percent to 5 percent as a measure to push up the rate of vehicle conversion to environment-friendly fuels. The GST rate on auto LPG also needs to be brought down from 18 percent.

(Suyash Gupta Is Director General of Indian Auto LPG Coalition; views expressed are personal)

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Delhi-NCR-headquartered electric vehicle maker Omega Seiki Mobility (OSM) has launched Swayamgati Cargo, which it claims is India’s first autonomous electric cargo three-wheeler.

Priced at an introductory INR 415,000, the EV brings self-driving technology to the logistics and industrial mobility sector, making autonomous operations accessible and scalable for Indian enterprises.

Swayamgati Cargo is based on the Swayamgati passenger autonomy platform and is purpose-built for campus logistics, industrial parks, airports, SEZs, manufacturing hubs, gated facilities, e-commerce fulfillment centres and smart cities. Bookings for Swayamgati Cargo open today, with deliveries beginning this quarter.

The new vehicle integrates OSM’s EV drivetrain with an AI-driven autonomy stack featuring Lidar, GPS, multi-sensor navigation, AI-based obstacle detection (up to 6 metres), geofenced route mapping and remote fleet management controls. The vehicle requires pre-mapped routes, customisable for each client’s operational environment.

With a payload capacity optimised for intra-campus logistics and a driving range of up to 120 km, the vehicle is designed to streamline repetitive cargo movement, reduce manual labour dependency and enhance operational efficiency in controlled zones. OSM aims to deploy 1,500 autonomous cargo and passenger units within the next 24 months.

Global industry estimates suggest autonomous logistics and low-speed autonomous mobility are expected to be among the fastest-growing segments in the USD 620 billion autonomous vehicle market projected for 2030.

Dr. Uday Narang, Founder & Chairman, Omega Seiki Mobility, said, “After the successful launch of Swayamgati for passenger applications, Swayamgati Cargo is our next major step toward building India’s autonomous mobility ecosystem. Industrial parks, manufacturing hubs, and logistics facilities today demand precision, efficiency, and 24/7 reliability. Autonomous cargo EVs are the future of structured logistics. With this launch, we are proving once again that advanced autonomy can be designed, engineered, and produced in India – at a cost that makes sense for businesses across the country.”

Vivek Dhawan, Chief Strategy Officer, Omega Seiki Mobility, said, “Swayamgati Cargo brings intelligent logistics to the ground level. From material handling to last-mile campus transport, this vehicle eliminates human error, cuts operating costs, and ensures predictable movement. Our vision is clear: to democratize autonomy for India’s industries. With strong demand coming from airports, factories, and tech campuses, we see Swayamgati Cargo becoming a critical part of India’s smart logistics infrastructure.”

The cargo variant is built on the same autonomy platform that recently completed a successful Phase 1 pilot on a 3 km route with multiple stops, real-time obstacle detection and seamless autonomous navigation. The cargo-focused configuration now begins deployment for structured logistics environments under Phase 2 commercial rollout.

Swayamgati Cargo is engineered specifically for India’s dynamic, high-density industrial and commercial traffic patterns. Its structure, intelligent navigation, and zero-emission drivetrain make it an ideal solution for industrial material movement, airport baggage and cargo handling, intra-campus goods distribution, warehousing and factory-to-factory transfer, e-commerce fulfillment centre mobility, and gated community and tech park logistics.

At present, Omega Seiki Mobility has two manufacturing facility in Faridabad and one in Chakan (Pune). The company’s international assembly plant in Dubai (Jafza) caters to markets across Asia and Africa. A nationwide network of over 200 dealerships and service centres ensures maintenance, spares availability and operational support.

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Exponent Energy, an energy-tech company based in Bengaluru, has opened its first Exponent Sales Point (ESP) Store in Laggere, Bengaluru. The outlet will showcase the full range of Exponent-enabled three-wheelers and serve as a destination for customers. The store will also operate as a retrofit touchpoint for converting existing CNG/LPG passenger three-wheelers into electric vehicles.

The store creates direct access for auto drivers to explore Exponent-enabled vehicles, experience 15-minute rapid charging, understand the retrofit process and take test drives. Drivers can drop off their CNG or LPG autos and pick up their EV retrofits within 24 hours. Exponent plans to add over 15 touchpoints across Bengaluru by the end of FY2026.

Exponent has launched 5 three-wheelers in partnership with OEMs such as Montra Electric (the Murugappa Group) and Kinetic Green. The store brings all Exponent-enabled models under one roof, allowing customers to explore and purchase with financing options and documentation. Every vehicle comes with a five-year warranty or 3,000 charging cycles. With zero to 100 percent 15-minute rapid charging and access to Exponent’s 70-plus charging points across Bengaluru, the company aims to make the shift to electric practical.

Ayush Bhargava, Head of Business, Exponent Energy, said, “Our first ESP store gives drivers a firsthand experience of the full Exponent ecosystem, from exploring our range of Exponent-enabled vehicles to seeing how existing vehicles can be upgraded. This is a buying experience auto drivers have never had before, combining clarity, choice and convenience under one roof. With this store, we are setting the foundation for a faster, more accessible EV transition and plan to replicate this model across more cities soon. When drivers see how easily they can switch to EVs at lower running costs, the shift becomes inevitable.”

In November 2025, Exponent Energy entered the EV retrofit business with its newly launched retrofit technology, Exponent Oto, capable of converting any CNG or LPG auto into an electric vehicle in just 24 hours. With zero down payment, flexible EMIs and an assured buyback after three years, Exponent makes the transition to electric simple. Exponent Oto allows drivers to save up to INR 5,000 every month, even after accounting for charging and EMI costs.

Exponent was co-founded in 2020 by ex-Ather executives Arun Vinayak and Sanjay Byalal. The company worked on its battery pack (e^pack), charging station (e^pump), and charging connector (e^plug) that together unlock a 15-minute rapid charge and give 3,000 cycle life warranty for EVs – all done on a range of lithium-ion cells.

The company has over 2,500 EVs powered by Exponent tech on the roads of India, 150-plus charging stations, over 1 million rapid charging sessions completed and over 50 million kilometres covered. The company has expanded to four new cities within two years.

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South Korean automotive major Hyundai Motor Group held a topping-out ceremony for its Future Mobility Battery Campus in Anseong, Korea, marking a step in advancing battery technology and enhancing global electric vehicle competitiveness.

The event marked the construction progress since breaking ground in January 2025 and reaffirmed the Group’s vision to lead future mobility through next-generation battery research and development infrastructure. The campus represents a KRW 1.2 trillion investment, spanning approximately 197,000 square metre. The site is expected to be completed by end-2026.

Heui Won Yang, President and Head of the R&D Division at Hyundai Motor Group, said, “Through the Future Mobility Battery Campus, we aim to seamlessly connect the entire battery ecosystem to foster cross-industry collaboration and accelerate technological advancement. We are committed to strengthening Hyundai Motor Group’s EV battery competitiveness and advancing global electrification through strategic collaborations.”

The Future Mobility Battery Campus will serve as the Group’s first comprehensive battery research and development hub, enabling Hyundai Motor Group to internalise battery capabilities, including cell design, process engineering and integrated control systems linked to EV battery management.

While existing centres focus on initial cell and process design and validation at the unit level, the new campus will conduct continuous process validation. This approach ensures consistent quality and reliability under conditions that consider real-world vehicle application.

The key focus areas include:

• High-Precision Validation: This includes battery cell production process replication, an integrated testbed for iterative validation and battery lifecycle testing.
• Next-Generation Battery Development: Initially focusing on high-performance lithium-ion cells for EVs and Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs), the scope will expand to diverse formats and materials and adaptability for future mobility.
• Digital and AI Integration: This involves AI-based tools and automated testing for predictive modelling and automation, along with big-data analytics to improve reliability and performance.

Hyundai Motor Group aims to build stronger partnerships with battery manufacturers and drive shared growth across the battery value chain. The campus will provide infrastructure and data-driven insights that enable faster technology commercialisation and validation processes.

Beyond EVs, the Future Mobility Battery Campus will enhance readiness for robotics, Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and other future mobility sectors.

During the ceremony, the Group signed an MoU with Gyeonggi Province, Anseong City, and Gyeonggi Housing and Urban Development Corporation to foster a battery industry ecosystem and attract related businesses. This partnership underscores the Group’s commitment to creating an industrial cluster that supports technological advancement and sustainable economic development.

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Japanese technology company Pioneer Corporation has announced it will attend CES 2026 in Las Vegas from 6-9 January 2026. The company plans to showcase its recent accomplishments in devices and solutions for software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and motorcycles.

These solutions leverage Pioneer's expertise in in-vehicle acoustic environments, human-machine interface (HMI) and connectivity technologies.

The presentation will cover several areas:

• Integrated Sound Platform: This platform is scalable, allowing diverse automakers to install Pioneer's or other vendors’ sound solutions tailored to their models. The software-enabled hardware design allows for lighter parts and components, contributing to lighter vehicles and improved fuel economy, while optimising costs. Visitors can experience three types of sound systems (entry-level, premium, and luxury) in a demo vehicle.
• Spatial Audio System: An advanced audio system, adaptable to vehicles including older models, provides drivers and passengers with a high-quality spatial audio experience. This innovation is the culmination of Pioneer’s expertise in in-vehicle acoustics, coupled with technologies. Visitors will experience multi-channel spatial audio and a sense of presence in a demo vehicle.
• Entry-level Cockpit Domain Controller (CDC): A newly developed CDC is designed for budget-friendly vehicles, offering a cost-effective alternative for flexible display and control design. This CDC shares fundamental design with Pioneer’s existing IVI software without employing a hypervisor, enabling entry-level vehicles to benefit from cockpits.
• AI-enabled Camera Solutions: Next-generation automotive-grade AI-enabled camera platforms elevate driver safety by enhancing visibility and eliminating blind-spots and also deliver personalised driving experiences. Pioneer will showcase a demo vehicle equipped with ten AI-enabled cameras, designed for factory-installation by automakers, providing the driver with 360-degree surround view during driving, parking, and poor weather scenarios. The company will also showcase its drive recorder portfolio, which encompasses a connected smart camera featuring real-time driver monitoring, alerts and driving diagnostics, as well as digital mirrors, modular dashcams and other accessories available for factory installation and as add-ons to enterprise fleets.
• Connected Solutions for Motorcycles: Software-defined solutions for motorcycles will be unveiled, encompassing meter clusters, onboard camera devices, and other connected solutions. Live demonstrations will showcase services made possible by Pioneer Ride Connect, which integrates Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) between smartphones and onboard devices, AI technology for enhancing the safety and entertainment of motorcyclists and unique HMIs that facilitate an intuitive user experience.

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