Mercedes-Benz' C200 CGI is a phenomenal engineering work.
The 'Plug-in Hybrid Retrofit Kit' could double the average mileage per gallon. If 50 per cent of the automobiles in America used it, it could save 120 million gallons of fuel per day -- globally, as much as 600 million gallons per day. It will reduce carbon emissions and could create 2,000 new manufacturing jobs.
India's traditional companies are now moving full scale into the renewable and alternative energy space that had been dominated by smaller players over the past decade. Companies such as government-owned NTPC and the Adani and the Tata groups restructured their businesses well in time to become major players in the green space. At the same time, other conventional companies, such as Larsen & Toubro and Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), which have a presence both in the energy sector as well as myriad other activities - construction, technology and retailing - are tying up with new-age companies to hitch a ride to a greener path.
The company will showcase the Ioniq electric vehicle at the Auto Expo that begins next week.
India has a history of jugaad, and retrofitting vehicles is one such manifestation of the legendary Indian skill. Not so long ago autorickshaws and small Marutis used to strap on subsidised LPG cylinders and power themselves to a cheap ride. There were the odd explosions, lives were lost, but the jugaad continued. Then compressed natural gas (CNG) was introduced in Delhi following a court order. Initially, customised CNG kits were fitted to conventional (internal combustion engine or ICE) autos cheaply, enabling commuting at less than half of what you would cough up for diesel. The industry is better organised now with Suzuki and Hyundai designing CNG-fired vehicles, and Mahindra and TVS manufacturing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-powered three wheelers.
New Creta, petrol Vitarra Brezza.. A quick look at what went down at Auto Expo Day 2.
While Toyota will acquire 4.94 per cent shares of Suzuki, worth $ 908 million, the latter will make a $ 454-million investment in the biggest automaker of Japan. Premium products from the Maruti stable such as the Baleno, Ciaz and Vitara Brezza will be sold under the Toyota brand with small changes.
'What volumes will we have with a Rs 1 lakh product?' 'As a company, we will not restrict it to a segment.'
During the six-day-long event, automakers have planned 10 global launches, 26 India specific launches, six concept vehicles, seven facelifts and 21 vehicle unveilings.
In its flight performance, it can move up to a maximum speed of 180 km/h and minimum speed for level flight at 50 km/h.
GST rate for petrol and diesel cars and hybrid vehicles is already at the highest bracket of 28 per cent plus cess.
Conserving energy, the prime minister said, is the need of the hour.
Increasing the duties on auto parts and putting an additional cess on petrol and diesel could drive up costs of vehicles, specially where volumes are low and localisation is not viable.
'By leveraging the immense talent, passion and drive for innovation held by all members of the F1 community, we hope to make a significant positive impact on the environment and communities in which we operate'
The major reason for the policy confusion over e-vehicles is the lack of conviction within government about the utility of this disruptive technology and its role in India's larger Paris Agreement climate change commitments.
Formula One will have simpler, cheaper and noisier engines from 2021 as part of a "road map" for the future presented to teams on Tuesday that could entice new manufacturers to enter the sport.
Hero MotoCorp, Honda Motorcycles, Scooters India, TVS, Honda India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Ford, Nissan, Ashok Leyland are all giving the Auto Expo a miss this time.
If the drop in sales over the past two years is anything to go by, India's dream of putting seven million electric vehicles on road by the end of this decade has come a cropper.
Over 22 passenger and commercial vehicle makers and 18 two- and three-wheeler makers will take part amid proximate security.
Reliance's big-bang entry across the solar ecosystem will cut dependence on Chinese imports drastically. And Ambani's repeated emphasis that RIL's new energy foray will be 'a truly global business' points that his group is playing not just for a share of the Indian pie but to be the OEM in the larger 5,000 GW global market by 2030, points out Shailesh Dobhal.
The Finance Minister proposed a cess of 1 per cent on small petrol, LPG and CNG cars, 2.5 per cent on diesel cars of certain capacity.
For a petrol car with a Rs 500,000-600,000 price tag, an EV variant would not cost less than Rs 12 lakh, making it virtually unaffordable.
Toyota's India unit will also source two cars manufactured by Maruti Suzuki, the Baleno and Brezza, including their hybrid variants, and in return Toyota will offer its Corolla sedan to Maruti.
Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and M&M draw visitors with a range of concept cars.
Car makers are either tweaking their existing engines or developing new powertrains to attain maximum mileage numbers and attract more buyers.
If IOC is not allowed to run its own affairs, then we can see it close down in the next 10 to 15 years, warns Sudhir Bisht.
If you opt for a petrol variant, you will need to reapply for loan.
Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party government, top industry captains pledged mega investments at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit
However, notable absentees from the expo will be Honda, Toyota, Ford, BMW, Audi, Lexus, Volvo and Jaguar Land Rover along with two-wheeler majors Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor Co.
Tata Motors' passenger vehicle sales stood at 229,325 units in the last financial year, registering a market share of just 8.9 per cent.
It is immediately not clear how GST will impact the mass car market. Experts, however, say the level of tax on smaller cars will have to be at a differential to the sedans.
Formula One approved changes to its power unit penalty system with immediate effect on Friday and also tweaked super-licence rules for 2016 to give more drivers a chance to enter the sport from other series.
India and US on Wednesday night signed a new strategically important 10-year defence framework agreement setting the stage for co-development and manufacture of defence equipment.
For deciding which vehicles are to be scrapped, the setting up of fitness centres and regulating them would be a humongous task.
The challenges of transition to stricter emission norm BS-VI from BS-IV and compliance to new safety norms thereby making vehicles costlier are lurking around the sector.
With the government not continuing with lower excise duty beyond December 31, major car makers, including Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, GM India and Honda have raised vehicle prices by up to Rs 127,000.
The $100-billion SAIC would have a dedicated manufacturing facility in India, and would be the first Chinese automaker to do so.
The idea is to set up renewable energy generation capacity, including both solar and wind, along with the associated evacuation infrastructure, at a mega scale in the four Indian deserts -- Thar in Rajasthan, Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, Lahul & Spiti in Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir.
Will Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara see a second innings in India?
The Centre has accorded top priority for cost-effective, pollution-free transportation modes, such as waterways, which reduce logistic costs and increase road safety. Union minister of roads, highways, ports and shipping Nitin Gadkari speaks to Sanjay Jog about the government's strategy.
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