The adoption of electric vehicles (EV) and advancements in technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT) has pushed car brands to develop ‘Connected and Autonomous Vehicles' that MG Motor has pioneered in India. Since then, the journey of connected vehicles has picked up the pace and EVs are showing encouraging signs of adoption. Honourable Road Transport and Highways Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari outlined - more than 18 lakh electric vehicles have been registered in the country. This number is expected to grow almost three times to 50 lakh units by 2030. Electric Vehicles have been recognised as the preferred sustainable mobility platform to overcome metro cities' traffic woes and curb pollution to some extent. EVs will help India reach its 2070 zero carbon emission objective. To combat the climate crisis, accelerated EV adoption is crucial and will be a game changer in multiple ways and make the places we live in much healthier.
The brands aiming to play their part in championing climate change action include:
MG Motor India
MG has taken a long-term vision for future mobility, which they showcased at the just concluded Auto Expo 2023, themed on sustainable, conscious, and innovative technology as a part of its vision in India. The company displayed two technologically advanced, high-safety, and zero-emission electric vehicles (EVs) supporting its stance as an auto-tech brand through the show.
The two vehicles are the MG4, a pure-electric hatchback EV, and the MG EHS, a plug-in hybrid SUV. Both these vehicles underscore MG's commitment to strengthening EV adoption in the country. MG also showcased new energy vehicles (NEVs) with its third-generation hydrogen fuel cell technology - with EUNIQ 7, which not only has zero carbon emissions as it only emits water but also performs like an air purifier does, purifying air equivalent to 150 adults breathing in just one hour of driving.
Earlier this year, the grand event of the G20 Summit in Indonesia witnessed Air EV, the first electric vehicle for the country, as an Official Car Partner. As many as 300 units of Air EVs were on the island of Bali, which welcomed the delegations of G20 members and international organisations.
HOP Electric
HOP Electric, India's fast-growing electric two-wheeler company, showcased its high-speed electric motorcycle - HOP OXO, at the Hyderabad E-Motor Show organised by the State Government of Telangana at HITEX EXHIBITION CENTRE.
OXO is a game-changer in the motorcycle industry, combining sustainability, performance, and affordability in a sleek design. With its cutting-edge features, the e-bike will revolutionise the way people ride. The motorcycle has a top speed of 90 Kmph / 95 Kmph and a range of 135 km/150 Kms. It also has a voltage architecture of 72 V, a motor power (peak) of 5.2Kw / 6.2kw*, and a max torque (at wheel) of 185 Nm / 200 Nm*.
he motorcycle is equipped with a BLDC Hub motor, Sinusoidal FOC Vector Control, and riding modes including, Eco-Power-Sport and Reverse mode. As part of the #OXOSNEAKPEEK program, HOP Electric completed 100,000 km of road testing across 14 Indian states. HOP OXO has been designed and developed indigenously in compliance with FAME II norms. The company gave pre-launch test rides of OXO at several dealership touchpoints in India.
Simultaneously, to address the charging infrastructure challenges and help overcome range anxiety, the company is strengthening the pilot HOP Energy Network in Jaipur, which is being rolled out to other parts of the country.
Lohum Cleantech
Founded in 2018, Lohum Cleantech is India's biggest integrated lithium-ion battery manufacturer and recycler - a climate technology business working on strategies to hasten the world's switch to battery power. Lohum can recycle 100,000 battery packs and additionally accumulate 200,000 two-wheeler battery packs at the facility. By providing batteries with several lives and ensuring that essential raw materials for batteries survive forever, the brand intents to enable electricity in every corner of the globe. To reduce battery prices and enhance global energy security Lohum maximises circular sustainability across the supply chain with its battery reuse and recycling capabilities. Lohum has been able to develop the technology and infrastructure necessary to produce, repurpose, and recycle Li-ion batteries with a 300 MWh annual capacity during the past three years.
Revfin Services:
Revfin is an award-winning and innovative digital platform with a clear focus on financing commercial electric vehicles for individual drivers, helping in mass scale adoption of electric vehicles for passenger transportation, e-commerce, and cargo deliveries. The company provides loans to people at the bottom of the pyramid using revolutionary techniques like psychometrics, biometrics and gamification.
A typical Revfin customer lives in Tier 2 or 3 towns, has no credit history, a low level of education and no banking transactions. Revfin has recently raised its Series A round of funding worth $10 million in a combination of equity and debt.
ChargeEZ:
ChargeEZ is a firm with a sustainable vision that provides destination EV charging solutions. The brand's mission is to make EV charging easy and reliable to access for consumers and businesses. It envisions cities with efficient parking and charging solutions and vehicle users with no pain in finding the same. The brand has built an efficient platform that lets users navigate to the charging stations and utilise multiple offerings provided by them. With their partnership with the Lighthouse Mall Management, ChargeEZ has taken a step towards bringing the EV owners and their leisure closer and making the "charging" a bit "recharging." Through this, the brand aims to provide its users with an area to relax or be productive in the spaces they are offering.
