Stellantis has named Rahul Rajupalepu as the new head of its Global Digital Hub in India. He succeeds Karim Lalani, who has taken up a new role as the Chief Technology Officer - North America ICT and Digital within the Stellantis Group. Rahul joins Stellantis with nearly three decades of experience in IT and has held several leadership positions in the automotive and BFSI industries before taking up the mandate to lead Stellantis' Global Digital Hub in India, the company said in a statement. 

In his new role Rahul will be responsible for leading and driving the business growth of the centre to accelerate digital transformation initiatives and build deep technology expertise for Stellantis globally, the release said. 

Daria Colvett, CIO of Stellantis North America ICT and Digital, said, "With his track record of leading across Global Capability Centres, technology experience, and industry expertise, we believe Rahul is an ideal choice to lead the Stellantis Global Digital Hub on its next chapter of growth. I wish him success as he shapes the trajectory of the Centre and our role within the industry." 

Rajupalepu said, “It’s an honour to lead the Global Digital Hub in its pivotal role in driving Stellantis’ transformation journey towards becoming a sustainable mobility tech company. I am excited to be a part of this journey and looking forward to working with the talented employees and partners to rapidly scale our operations.” 

Since its incubation, the Global Digital Hub in India has grown steadily to become one of the largest in-house ICT and digital organisations of Stellantis. With a team of more than 500 skilled engineers, the Centre houses strong competencies in various Digital skills, Digital Transformation initiatives, Industry 4.0 initiatives and Cyber security areas, the release added. (MT)

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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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JSW MG Motor India has announced that its popular MG Windsor electric vehicle (EV) has completed a journey from Leh to Kanyakumari, covering 3,757 kilometres in 83 hours and 43 minutes. The journey was undertaken by Mountain Goat, a group of motorsport professionals.

This time is the fastest for an EV to complete the route and has been recognised by the India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records. The company states this marks the Windsor as India’s First EV to undertake this journey.

The Windsor navigated through Ladakh’s high-altitude landscape to the southern coast, showing the car's reliability, range and performance under extreme conditions. The vehicle made 20 charging stops, demonstrating India’s growing fast-charging infrastructure.

The charging points were located using the e-Hub by MG app, which connects users to over 13,000 EV charging points across India through partnerships with 36 charge-point operators. This achievement supports the company's ‘EV Sahi Hai’ campaign.

Vinay Raina, Chief Commercial Officer, JSW MG Motor India, said, “Completing a diverse expedition from Leh to Kanyakumari using an EV in record time is a bold testament to India’s growing confidence in electric mobility and the infrastructure that powers it. This achievement also highlights MG Windsor’s reliability and performance across some of the most challenging terrains in the country. The future of transportation is clean mobility and JSW MG Motor India continues to play a leading role in this transition.”

Sanjay Bhola, Adjudicator, Asia Book of Records, and India Book of Records, said, “Heartiest congratulations to the entire team for this remarkable accomplishment and for setting a prestigious record with both India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records.”

The MG Windsor comes with a 52.9 kWh lithium-ion battery, delivering a certified range of up to 449 km per charge and supports fast charging. The car recently crossed the 50,000 sales milestone in India, the fastest time for an EV in the country.

Since its launch in September 2024, the MG Windsor has been India’s best-selling EV. It features an ‘AeroGlide’ design and ‘Aero Lounge’ seats reclinable to 135 degrees. The centre console includes a 15.6-inch GRANDVIEW Touch Display. The company has since introduced the MG Windsor PRO variant with an extended battery pack and the MG Windsor Inspire, a limited-edition anniversary special.

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BatteryPool, a start-up focussing on pay-as-you-go access to EV batteries, has raised INR 80 million in a Pre-Series A funding round led by Inflection Point Ventures. The round also included participation from Indian Angel Network (IAN), Chennai Angels, Keiretsu Forum and notable HNIs.

The start-up currently manages over 2,000 batteries across six cities. The funding will be used to scale its battery fleet 10x over the next 18 months and strengthen its nationwide footprint.

BatteryPool uses proprietary hardware and an IoT-connected battery management system to power a sachet-style, pay-as-you-go energy platform for EVs. The company offers a model that allows riders to pay in small daily, weekly, or monthly amounts, making EV usage more accessible.

Vikram Ramasubramanian, Inflection Point Ventures, said, “As an emerging economy that's adopting EVs, India holds immense potential that can be unlocked through innovative, flexible solutions. Where commercial operation of EVs is concerned, fast and efficient charging becomes vital because any delay directly leads to a loss of time and hence revenues. BatteryPool addresses this by providing seamless, pay-as-you-go access to charged batteries, helping riders and businesses be constantly mobile. In addition, the company monetizes batteries through their complete lifecycle, creating multiple revenue streams out of one single asset.”

Ashwin Shankar, Founder, BatteryPool, said, “The sachet model transformed how Indians consumed everything from mobile data to daily essentials, EVs are next. By bringing sachet-style, pay-as-you-go energy to batteries, we’ve made electric mobility affordable and accessible to the masses. As we move forward, we’re focused on strengthening the ecosystem, building battery access, improving the user experience, and supporting the everyday rider as the country transitions to electric mobility.”

BatteryPool was founded in 2020 by Ashwin Shankar, an Electrical Engineer who previously worked at Schlumberger and NASA.

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