All posts by : Car Bima

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for strategic cooperation with Exide Energy Solutions (Exide Energy), a leading Indian battery company, as part of their electric vehicle (EV) expansion plans.

1. Hyundai, Kia aim to localise EV battery production
2. Specifically focus on lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cells

The signing ceremony took place at Hyundai Motor Group’s Namyang Research and Development Center in South Korea, attended by Heui Won Yang, president and head of Hyundai Motor and Kia’s R&D Division, Chang Hwan Kim, head of Electrification Energy Solutions Tech Unit, Duk Gyo Jeong, head of Electric Vehicle Parts Purchasing Sub-Division and Dr. Mandar V Deo, managing director, and CEO of Exide Energy.

With the expansion of their EV plans for the Indian market, Hyundai and Kia aim to localise their EV battery production, specifically focusing on lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cells. This strategic move is said to position them as pioneers in applying domestically produced batteries in their upcoming EV models in the Indian market.

“India is a key market for vehicle electrification due in part to the government’s carbon neutrality goals, which makes securing cost competitiveness through localized battery production crucial,” said Heui Won Yang, president and head of Hyundai and Kia’s R&D Division. “Through this global partnership with Exide Energy Solutions Ltd., we will gain a competitive advantage by equipping Hyundai Motor and Kia’s future EV models in the Indian market with locally produced batteries.”

This strategic cooperation with Exide Energy marks the beginning of Hyundai and Kia’s efforts to expand its exclusive battery development, production, supply and partnerships in the Indian market.

India is recognized as a highly promising automotive market worldwide and the country is rapidly emerging as a critical player in the production and sales of electric vehicles. In FY2024, retail sales of EVs in India jumped 42 percent year-on-year to 1.67 million units, with electric two- and thre-wheelers, cars and SUVs scaling new highs. 

Also see:

1.36 lakh EV two-wheelers sold in March as FAME subsidy ends

Hyundai Creta EV to have 4 rivals at launch

Tata Punch EV on discount for first time

The launch of Maruti Suzuki’s eVX SUV seems to be delayed by a few months, according to our sister publication Autocar Professional. The brand is currently trying to address multiple battery supply and software challenges that have delayed the start of production (SOP) by at least five months.

1. eVX will be manufactured in India and exported
2. International and India launch plan now delayed
3. Toyota’s version of the eVX will be delayed too

Maruti eVX SUV production, launch details

Sources tell us that the start of production for the Maruti eVX SUV is likely to move from September 2024 to February 2025 at the earliest, which would also push its export to Europe and Japan from end-2024 to next year. The ramifications of the delay are also likely to be felt by Suzuki, which is banking on the eVX to make its debut in Europe’s competitive EV market. Maruti Suzuki will be a key export base for the eVX and almost 75-80 percent of the output of 1.5 lakh units planned by the company will be allocated for the overseas markets.

This unexpected delay towards the end of the eVX’s development cycle also highlights the challenges of software development in EVs due to the complexity of the electric powertrains, advanced features, and the need for continuous updates and innovation. Sources say that the company wants to enter the EV space with the right preparedness on both the product as well as distribution front, and has hence taken this drastic step of delaying SOP by a few months to ensure that the product launch is glitch free.

The company is reportedly likely to retail its EVs from its Nexa outlets. This could potentially mean that the Toyota EV based on the eVX may also witness a change in its launch plan.

Six new Maruti EVs by FY31

Maruti Suzuki has defined a long-term plan of launching six electric vehicles in the country by FY31, and it plans to enter multiple segments, right from hatchbacks to SUVs. The company forecasts that about 15 percent of its total sales by the end of the decade will be electric vehicles.

The eVX is likely to be followed by the YMC MPV and an EV hatchback based on the eWX concept showcased at the Japan Mobility Show in 2023. Maruti Suzuki has often been critiqued for its late entry into the EV space, but the company has taken all these years to localise parts and it wants to make in India for global operations.

Maruti Suzuki is of the opinion that it is entering the EV space at the right time, as the market share for EVs hits 3-5 percent. The company’s EV foray will happen around the same time as Hyundai introduces its Creta EV in the market and Mahindra launches a range of Born Electric Vehicles. 

Given the fact that Maruti is working on a large product portfolio of over 24 models with an overburdened R&D department, it has been busier than ever before. A delay of three to six months is expected for some of its ICE models as well. The company has launched six to eight all new models in the last two years and is preparing itself for the launch of the all-new Swift and Dzire in the coming quarters.

Also see:

Maruti Suzuki surpasses 3 crore units production milestone

Discounts of over Rs 60,000 on Maruti Alto K10, WagonR, S-Presso, Celerio

Suzuki trademarks Escudo, Torqnado nameplates in India

Bouncing back from his Australian GP retirement, Max Verstappen returned to winning ways at Suzuka, leading another dominant 1-2 finish for Red Bull. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz passed Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc in the closing stages to land the final spot on the podium.

1. Verstappen wins, 12.535 secs ahead of Perez
2. Ferrari’s Sainz and Leclerc finish P3, P4
3. Tsunoda scores point on home soil

Ricciardo, Albon bring out red flag

The race was red flagged just seconds after the start as Daniel Ricciardo and Alex Albon crashed at Turn 3. This puts added pressure on Williams, with team principal James Vowles confirming the team won’t have a spare chassis ready until at least the Miami GP.

The race itself saw a variety of different strategies come into play, due to the warmer-than-expected weather conditions. But Verstappen stayed in control out at front throughout. He crossed the chequered flag 12.535 secs ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez, handing Red Bull its third 1-2 finish in four races.

“I think the critical bit was of course the start, to stay ahead, and after that the car got better and better for me throughout the race. I don’t know if it had to do with the clouds coming in, but yeah, [it was] very nice,” said Verstappen.

“Everything just went really well, the pit stops went well, the strategy I think worked out well, so it couldn’t have been any better.”

Sainz on podium

Sainz continued his run of finishing on the podium in every single race he’s participated in this year. He was the last of the front-runners to stop for new tyres and took advantage of that fresher rubber to overtake Norris and Leclerc in the closing laps.

Leclerc, who was on the alternate strategy, fended off Norris to hold on to fourth place. Fernando Alonso finished sixth for Aston Martin, followed by Mercedes’ George Russell and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

Lewis Hamilton ended up ninth, while Yuki Tsunoda pulled off some strong overtakes to score the final point on home soil.

2024 F1 championship standings

Thanks to his latest win, Verstappen has extended his championship lead to 13 points from teammate Perez. Leclerc is third overall, 18 points off the lead and four points ahead of his Ferrari teammate Sainz.

F1 will now head to the Shanghai International Circuit for the Chinese GP on April 19-21. The round will also host the first of six sprint races this season.

2024 F1 Japanese GP results

Also see:

Sainz wins Australian GP as Verstappen retires

At the Ather Community Day event this year, Ather has revealed its first-ever helmets – the Halo and the Halo Bit. These helmets come with built-in speakers and mic, and can be charged wirelessly.

1. Halo is full-face, Halo Bit is half-face
2. Halo line-up is ISI as well as DOT certified

The Ather Halo helmet gets a Harman Kardon speaker setup and also gets a mic, which means you can pair the Halo to your smartphone as well as your Ather e-scooter. This will allow you to control music playback and receive phone calls on the go. The Halo Bit is essentially the half-face version of the full Halo helmet and comes with the same kit but in a smaller, open-face avatar.

Also See: Ather Rizta launched at Rs 1.10 lakh

Both the Halo and Halo Bit have been certified to both the ISI as well as DOT standards, and both feature a ratchet strap (also known as a micrometric buckle) closure.

Ather claims that the Halo helmet has a battery life of roughly 10 days on a single charge, and that the rider and the pillion can listen to the same music if both are wearing Halo helmets.

The Halo Bit is priced at Rs 4,999, while the Halo costs Rs 14,999. However, the introductory price is Rs 12,999 for the first 1,000 orders, and for the people at Ather Community Day that number drops further to Rs 6,500.

“The EV line-up strategy involves following up our flagship EV models with the introduction of mass EV models for enhanced consumer accessibility,” he said.

1. Kia to bring two mass market EVs in India
2. Kia Clavis EV and Carens EV will launch in second half of 2025
3. Kia EV9 will launch this year as a CBU

Kia Carens EV, Clavis EV to launch in second half of 2025

Sources say that the company is likely to launch a mass market electric SUV codenamed AY-EV, which will likely be called Kia Clavis upon its launch in the second half of 2025. Around the same time, it is also planning to bring in the Carens-based EV, codenamed the KY-EV.

Interestingly, the Kia AY SUV with a petrol powertrain is likely to hit the roads in the first half of 2025, and Kia estimates that both EV models are likely to bring in combined volumes of 50,000-60,000 units by 2026.

Kia has aggressive sales plans for EVs

“The goal for 2026 is to achieve sales of 5,87,000 units of mass EV models, with the aim of accounting for 66 percent of total EV sales,” Song added. As for the market-specific sales strategies, in key markets, Kia will continue growth by building a full EV line-up by creating new demand using Purpose Built Vehicles (PBVs). “In emerging markets, we will differentiate the brand with enhanced high-quality customer experiences and respond to increasing demand by diversifying manufacturing bases,” he explained.

The flexible manufacturing line and ICE-derived EVs are a part of Kia’s plan to de-risk itself if the sales momentum for EVs does not take off. “While short-term concerns about EV demand slowdown may exist, in the long-term, EV demand is expected to continue to grow considering the global CO2 reduction regulations and the downward trend of EV prices,” Song said.

Kia’s future EV launch plans

Overall, a total of 15 EV models have been decided for a launch by 2027. Beginning with the launch of the EV3 this year, additional models such as the EV2, EV4 and EV5 will be introduced in major markets, for a total of 6 mass-market models.

“The EV sales target of 1.6 million units by 2030 requires selling 1.3 million more units than 2024. The proportion of EV sales in major markets is planned to grow from 13 percent in 2024 to 52 percent by 2030, with the Korean and North American markets reaching up to 40 percent, and Europe up to 79 percent,” shared Song, but he did not have specifics on the Indian market’s volumes or share of EVs.

Also See:

Kia Carens diesel MT launched at Rs 12.67 lakh, variants rejigged

Kia Seltos automatic now more affordable; prices start at Rs 15.40 lakh

Lexus India has launched the NX 350h Overtrail edition at Rs 71.17 lakh (ex-showroom, India), which is outdoors-inspired and gets minor updates reflect that.

Lexus NX 350h Overtrail exterior

The Lexus 350h Overtrail edition is available in a single, exclusive paint shade called ‘Moon Desert’, which is similar to the paint scheme seen on the Thar Earth Edition. The Lexus Overtrail also gets specific blacked-out exterior elements such as the grille, wing mirrors, door handles and roof rails. Since the SUV is more focused on the outdoors, the company has given it a new set of alloys and tyres. While the NX 350h F-Sport, Exquisite and Luxury ride on 235/50 tyres and 20-inch alloys, the Overtrail gets 18-inch matte black alloys shod with 235/60-section tyres, which the brand claims will improve driving on broken roads.

Lexus NX350h Overtrail interior

On the inside, the NX 350h gets a synthetic black leather interior with earthy-coloured highlights on trim pieces such as the front armrest, seat edges and door panel. Equipment-wise, the NX 350h gets a leather-wrapped steering wheel with a heating function, electrically adjustable seats, ventilated front seats, a powered tailgate, Mark Levinson 17-speaker audio system, an ADAS suite and more.

Lexus NX 350h Overtrail powertrain and suspension

Like the Lexus NX 350h F-Sport, the Overtrail edition also gets the brand’s variable dampers system, however, other things remain the same. The SUV is powered by a 2.5-litre petrol engine that’s mated to two electric motors, one in the front and one in the rear, with a total system output of 243hp. Power is transferred to all wheels via a 6-step e-CVT gearbox.

Lexus NX 350h Overtrail rivals

The NX 350h rivals other luxury SUVs like the Audi Q5 (Rs 65.18 lakh), BMW X3 (Rs 68.5 lakh), Mercedes-Benz GLC (Rs 74.45 lakh) and Volvo XC60 (Rs 68.9 lakh).

Also see: 

2022 Lexus NX review: The only Strong Hybrid in its class

Lexus RX 350h review: New age luxury