The rapid proliferation of electric vehicles on Indian roads is likely to cause massive financial stress on the country’s top carmakers and place a significant burden on the country’s electricity grid, a study by Imperial College Business School, London, has found. From a wider perspective, the study analyzes ever-bigger-picture implications of India’s pivot to battery electric vehicles (BEVs), reporting that the ramifications are about so much more than just the auto industry.

That means if, by that time, EV sales with upto 25% of all vehicles sold in India (this year it’s around ~8%) automakers who continue to rely on Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles for profits could be at serious risk. This change by Tata Motors would be benefitting the EV maker owing to their stronghold in the electric vehicle market. However, Mahindra & Mahindra, which has a minor EV market share, might be less impacted. Maruti Suzuki, the country’s biggest carmaker, is likely to be most exposed if it doesn’t move aggressively into the electric vehicle market. Maruti Suzuki has yet to sell EVs, despite plans to lead the way in EV production and exports.

On the energy side, while increased EV adoption could drive an overall demand increase of up 60% in terms of electricity, they would also require a tremendous amount of upgrades to the power grid. So if India were to fulfil this higher demand by producing more coal-based electricity, some of the climate benefits of adopting EVs would be nullified. “One way to avoid that,” energy utilities will be required to invest heavily in renewable energy and modernizing the grid. The report raises one big concern about the grid possibly getting overloaded if proper planning isn’t undertaken. To mitigate this, time-of-use tariffs may be required to encourage EV charging during off-peak hours.

By 2030, the researchers estimate India will need to establish 6.7 million new charging points to meet the demand. Such an effort would demand substantial investments from the government and private sector. Public charging infrastructure in India is currently quite limited, with only around 2,000 stations available around mid-2022. By contrast, China trumped the rest of the world with a much stronger public charging infrastructure, which has had a huge impact on EV market adoption around there.

The report highlights a World Bank analysis that found developing charging infrastructure is four to seven times more effective than providing purchase subsidies in increasing EV uptake. Subsidies have also been a major factor behind EV adoption in wealthier countries but in India they mostly serve the middle and upper-middle classes, who are the main buyers of electric four-wheelers.

“If we want to procure electric vehicle market share and invest in charging infrastructure, offering sustainability-linked (financial) instruments — like bonds linked to environmental targets — is one way to incentivize (automakers) to improve market share,” the researchers said. That can mean lower interest rates for a company if it increases sales of EVs or tighter repayment terms if it misses infrastructure targets. Such an approach might also bring the auto industry’s profit motives more in line with the goal of cutting carbon emissions.

India’s EV story is also unique because of its vehicle mix. Most of the market is taken up by two- and three-wheelers using smaller batteries that can be charged with regular AC power. In contrast, for four-wheelers, different chargers may be needed like single-phase as well as three-phase AC chargers based on the battery size and onboard charging equipment of the vehicle. This diversity in requisites makes India’s EV infrastructure rollout more complicated.

An important consideration, is the electricity source that is used to recharge these vehicled. In such countries as Norway, where nearly all of electricity comes from hydroelectric sources, the environmental upside to EVs is easy to see. In India, however, a large share of electricity is still produced in coal-fired power plants. This would reduce emissions from the tailpipe in big cities, but at the generation level it might keep adding to pollution. Even so, cutting oil imports and advancing domestic EV production could continue to produce both economic and strategic dividends.

There is also concern about India’s reliance on buying raw materials for EV batteries from abroad. Lithium, cobalt, and nickel are all part of a global supply chain that’s concentrated in a relatively small group of countries — Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Australia and China supply most of the world’s lithium. Other critical elements are dug mostly in the Congo and Indonesia. India has a very low presence in this value chain and is therefore, highly dependent on imports. The demand for lithium-ion batteries are projected to expand at a rate of greater that 30% per year, meaning that the demand for lithium will exceed 50,000 tonnes by 2030. Although alternative battery technologies are being developed, it is still uncertain whether they could be brought to market on any large scale.

India therefore has an important opportunity window where EV push could significantly reduce its carbon footprint, concludes the report. But achieving this will be heavily reliant on coordinated policy action, investment in renewables, and an expansion of charging infrastructure and smart financial tools that can reward green innovation.

Article By
Sourabh Gupta

Kia Motors Building Battery-Electric Models For The Indian Market. The Japanese automaker is also believed to be working on a fully electric iteration of the Syros, which has recently created a strong impression in the Indian market in terms of its internal combustion engine form, according to industry sources and media reports. Kia’s move is strategically aimed at taking a big share of the growing EV segment and providing a mass market electric vehicle to the customers in India.

India, however, does not have a Kia electric vehicle tailored for the mass market, even as the company has found success globally with models such as the EV6. But the Syros EV appears to be Kia’s first big move to reverse that trend, capitalizing on the growing popularity of the Syros moniker and merging it with electrified travel. It is being reported that the Syros EV should debut sometime in 2026 and should be the cheapest electric vehicle in the firm’s Indian product lineup.

The electric Syros is underpinned by the same E-GMP platform which is used for the Kia Carens EV (to be launched in India). Both cars is likely to share the same platform – Hyundai’s K2 platform, which also supports popular models such as the Hyundai Creta and upcoming Creta EV. This flexible platform enables Kia to conveniently modify its current models to be electric, without exorbitant development costs, nor harming the quality and performance people expect from Kia.

As for design, we can expect the Syros EV to look almost identical to its ICE counterpart, except for minor changes that will distinguish it as an electric car. It’s likely to feature a sealed-off grille, different bumpers, and perhaps unique alloys or EV badging. These visual adjustments both improve the vehicle’s aerodynamic efficiencies while giving the electric vehicle a recognizable aesthetic commonly associated with it. That said, the overall styling should look familiar to customers who are already familiar with the Syros design.

The cabin of the Syros EV will be mostly the same as the petrol car, albeit with an altered layout and features. This suggests that buyers should get a digital instrument cluster, a touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, and possibly a touchpad interface for the climate controls. The idea seems to give buyers within a pure-fuel market, a nice transition to Evs with all the tech and user-friendly bells and whistles.

The Syros EV also maintains a strong safety focus. While the ICE trimmed Syros recently received a five-star safety rating from Bharat NCAP, Kia is likely to match or better these safety standards in the future electric version. Safety kit is also likely to include multiple airbags, ABS along with EBD, a tyre pressure monitoring system, ISOFIX mounts for child seats, vehicle stability management and a comprehensive traction control system. Standard front and rear parking sensors will further improve urben driving confidence too.

Performance-wise, the Syros EV may borrow its electric powertrain from the Carens EV. While official specs have yet to be detailed, expect a front-driven electric motor to be combined with a lithium-ion battery powerful enough to provide a suitably practical driving range. Industry experts say range could be between 300 to 400 kilometers on a single charge — enough for daily commutes as well as the occasional long drive. That would make the Syros EV a potent contender in its class, especially for urban families in search of an electric SUV that’s reliable and economical.

Charging capabilities will likely also be in line with market expectations. Kia might provide both AC and DC quick charging and public fast charging could potentially charge the battery to a reasonable level in less than one hour. Other design elements could improve driving dynamics and energy efficiency, like regenerative braking and multiple driving modes.

The development of the Syros EV by Kia is indicative of both the growing demand for electric vehicles in India and the changing consumer preferences towards these sustainable mobility options. Kia’s clearly aiming for a broad audience by twisting a widely-appealing nameplate into an electric version and doing its utmost to ensure it’s affordable, well-specified and safe. Syros EV Performance & Range Before you miss out on anything, the success of the Syros EV may just be the tip of the iceberg with an India lineup of more EVs on the way and a reinforced position for the brand in the trickling Indian automotive space.

The Syros EV might be a while away from hitting the market, but growing interest in its development suggests that Kia means business in the EV world. If anything, in the coming months as more details are revealed, the Syros EV might just be the game changer in India’s affordable EV segment.

Article By
Sourabh Gupta

The all-electric, Curvv EV Dark Edition has been officially launched by Tata Motors, showcasing an exciting and up-market variant of the electric coupe SUV. This variant, priced at ₹22.24 lakh (ex-showroom), is essentially based on the top-spec Empowered +A trim and adds a series of dark-themed cosmetic enhancements that add ₹25,000 to the price over the standard EV trim. Delivering on its distinctive design and a comprehensive suite of premium features, the Curvv EV Dark Edition is for customers who desire performance with visual appeal in the electric vehicle space.

In terms of looks, the curvv ev dark is an evolution of tata’s popular dark edition look. It sports the same Carbon Black exterior colour available on Tata’s other Dark Edition models. This sinister visage is complemented by darked-out components such as the front grille, alloy wheels, roof rails, and the front and rear glass. Both headlamps and taillamps get a smoked finish that only enhances the sleek, aggressive character. Other striking styling features include a dark chrome ‘Dark’ badge on the fenders and 18-inch alloy wheels with aero inserts. Although the thematics are dark, the electric identity is alive and well thanks to blue EV badges on opposite sides of the front doors.

The overall design elements like the joined headlamps via an LED strip, sharp shark-fin antenna, and steeply raked roofline on the whole remain unchanged, allowing the coupe-like silhouette that makes the standard Curvv EV stand out in the crowd.

Even within the cabin, the Curvv EV Dark Edition carries a completely black theme giving it a cohesive and elegant look. The leatherette separates on the seats and door trims, giving it a luxurious feel. While the layout of the dashboard is mostly similar to the normal variant, the dark theme introduces a vibe of pure elegance.

Tata has loaded the Dark Edition with a host of premium kit. The vehicle features a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with connected car features, and a 10.25-inch fully digital driver’s display. A 9-speaker JBL audio system is available for enhanced audio performance. With a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, 6-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, reclining rear seats, wireless phone charging, and an integrated air purifier, comfort and convenience are taken up a notch. It also gets an automatic climate control system and a vehicle-to-load (V2L) function that gives users the ability to charge up any appliances directly from their EV.

The safety factor is also one of the highlights of the Curvv EV Dark edition. It gets six airbags as standard along with a 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, electronic parking brake with auto-hold and a tyre pressure monitor. Moreover, the car is also available with Tata’s Level-2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), adding another layer of safety with features such as lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, etc.

On the mechanical front is the Curvv EV Dark Edition that packs a 55 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, offering an ARAI-certified range of 585 km on a single charge. It gets a PMSM electric motor with a peak output of 165 bhp and 215 Nm of top torque that powers the front wheels. The vehicle can be tuned to three different ride modes—Eco, City and Sport—offering options depending on your driving style. 0-100 kmph comes up in 8.6 seconds and a top speed of 160 kmph (in Sport Mode) and 120 kmph (other modes).

As for charging, the Curvv EV is offered with a 7.2kW AC charger, capable of charging the battery from 10 to 100 per cent in about 7.9 hours. For faster topups, the EV can take advantage of a maximum 70kW DC fast charge, which can see it go from 10% to 80% in 40 minutes. It also supports conventional charging via a standard 15A home wall socket, which will be a boon for people who don’t have fast charging infrastructure at home.

With this launch, Tata Motors is not only furthering its EV portfolio but also expanding the Dark Edition theme, which is undeniably a hit among Indian buyers. Dark Edition: Style, range, and feature-rich comfort come together in the Curvv EV Dark Edition, which is indicative of the kind of shift in the balance of demands users of premium EV would expect in India.

Article By
Sourabh Gupta