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The NH48 highway in India. The country’s electric car sector is small compared to other major economies like China and the U.S.

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With a huge population, military and economy, India is viewed by many as country whose influence could grow significantly as the 21st century progresses.

When it comes to electric cars, however, the country is playing a game of catch up.

That’s because while China, Europe and the U.S. have become hubs for the purchase of electric cars — over 50% of those on the road can now be found in China, according to the International Energy Agency — India currently lags pretty far behind.

Change could be around the corner, however, with the IEA’s Global EV Outlook for 2023 noting that battery electric vehicle sales in India hit almost 50,000 in 2022, four times more than the previous year but still small fry compared to the 4.4 million sold in China.

Alongside the increase in sales, the IEA said India was also seeing a “ramping up” of both EV and component manufacturing.

This had been backed by a $3.2 billion incentive program from the Indian government, which had in turn led to $8.3 billion of investment.

Read more about electric vehicles from CNBC Pro

With all of the above in mind, executives at some of the world’s biggest automotive firms are making the case for establishing a foothold in India.  

These include the CEO of Stellantis’ Citroën Brand, who believes India’s electric vehicle sector, while in its early stages of development, could be “absolutely perfect” due to the way people there use cars.

During a recent interview with CNBC’s Charlotte Reed, Thierry Koskas accepted that the market in India was “just starting.”

“But we have great hope for this market because a lot of car usage in India is urban or suburban, and that can be absolutely perfect for electric vehicles,” he added.

Citroën India, which launched the fully electric ë-C3 in Feb. 2023, is not alone when it comes to making a move in India’s nascent electric car sector.

Other firms doing the same include Volvo Cars, with its fully electric XC40 Recharge, and Audi, with its e-tron.

Speaking to Autocar India back in 2021, the head of Audi India expressed confidence that the EV sector in the country would go from strength to strength.

“I think [the] four-wheeler industry is one [area], but you also will have two-wheeler industry, even buses on the electric side that will come, and also three-wheelers,” Balbir Singh Dhillon said.

“So I think the whole ecosystem is going to develop at a much faster pace than we can imagine,” he added.

A packed field

Companies like Audi, Volvo Cars and Stellantis are focusing on a market already home to some big India-based players.

These include Tata Motors, which counts Jaguar Land Rover among its subsidiaries. According to the IEA, Tata was responsible for more than 85% of battery electric vehicle sales within India last year.

Other Indian firms jostling for position in the sector include Mahindra and Mahindra and Ola Electric.

In Aug. 2022 the latter’s CEO, Bhavish Aggarwal, said his company would launch an all-electric vehicle that can go from zero to 100 kilometers per hour (just over 62 mph) in four seconds. At the time, the company said it planned to launch the car in 2024.

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While there is a huge amount of chatter about the potential for electric cars in India, a lot of work needs to be done if they’re to become a key part of its transportation system.  

“In India and across all regions outside the three major EV markets, electric car sales are expected to represent 2-3% of car sales in 2023, a relatively small yet growing share,” as the IEA notes.  

Citroën’s Koskas remains bullish, however. “We launched the electric version of the C3, six months after launching the ICE [internal combustion engine] vehicle — nobody else did it,” he told CNBC.

Despite the speed at which a company like Citroën can move, the fact vehicles running on fossil fuels are still being launched shows just how much the automotive industry will need to change if EVs are to become dominant in India and around the world.

It’s a massive task, but Koskas seemed optimistic about the road ahead in India. “We are one of the few manufacturers today that are present in this electric vehicle market,” he said.

“It’s today, marginal — we think that it will grow a lot in the future, and we are very happy to be present as one of the first newcomers in this market.”

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Honda pauses planned EV factory in Canada amid tariff war

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Honda pauses planned EV factory in Canada amid tariff war

Honda announced that it is pausing about $15 billion in planned EV investments to build electric vehicle and battery factories in Canada amid uncertainty over trade.

It’s the latest example of Canada’s backing the US plan backfiring.

A few years ago, Canada sided with the US in its plan to save the US auto industry, which was falling behind the rest of the world in the transition to electric vehicles.

Canada agreed to heavily tariff Chinese EVs to keep them away from the North American market, which mainly helps the US auto manufacturing industry, and in return, Canada’s EV production was included in Biden’s IRA to encourage foreign automakers to invest in EV production in both US and Canada to get access to the US market.

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However, when Trump came into power earlier this year, he threw a wrench into this entire plan by canceling IRA funding, planning to kill the EV tax credit, and placing tariffs on many countries, including Canada.

It has resulted in planned investments in the EV sector in Canada to cool down.

Now, one of Canada’s most significant EV investments has been paused.

Honda has announced that it is pausing for two years its plan to establish a massive new EV production base in Canada:

“Due to the recent slowdown of the EV market, Honda Motor has announced an approximate two-year postponement of the comprehensive value chain investment project in Canada. The company will continue to evaluate the timing and project progression as market conditions change.”

The investment was announced just over a year ago. It was supposed to include a new EV factory in Ontario and a battery factory, totaling more than $10 billion in investments.

It was supposed to create over 1,000 jobs in Ontario and help retain the 4,200 jobs at Honda’s current assembly plant in Ontario, which are threatened by the electric transition.

Electrek’s Take

Canada is taking a beating here and all for mostly just protecting the US auto industry.

As I have been saying for a while, at this point, you should just invite the Chinese automakers to join.

You can do a deal à la India, where you remove tariffs for Chinese automakers willing to invest in the EV supply chain in Canada.

There’s no point in protecting the US automakers if the US is purposefully destroying the Canadian auto sector.

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Meet ONOX: The all-electric tractor with swappable battery packs

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Meet ONOX: The all-electric tractor with swappable battery packs

A new company out of Germany called ONOX is bringing sustainable technology to the agriculture industry. After garnering design awards, the ONOX electric tractor prototype is in operation overseas as its makers look to scale and bring its unique modular design, complete with swappable battery packs, to farms everywhere.

It’s been less than two years since ONOX hit the tech scene with a prototype of its flagship electric tractor, which debuted at Agritechnica 2023 in Hanover, Germany. In April of 2024, the German startup’s electric tractor was awarded an iF Design Gold Award.

That same summer, the ONOX1 finalized commissioning before entering an extensive test phase. By December, the startup had snagged another trophy – the Federal Ecodesign Award. This past February, the ONOX electric tractor received road approval in Germany and began operations while the design team continues its mission of making electric agricultural machinery a reality.

The ONOX electric tractor is unique in that it utilizes modular battery swap technology, in which farmers can choose from three different mounting areas (see below).

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  • ONOX electric tractor
  • ONOX electric tractor
  • ONOX electric tractor

ONOX’s electric tractor could breathe new life into farming

Since the ONOX electric tractor remains a prototype, many of its specs are targets and estimates, but the initial design is quite impressive. The electric tractor’s motor offers peak power of 70 kW with over 2,400 Nm of torque up front and over 5,500 Nm in the rear. ONOX’s targeted top speed is 40 km/h (~25 mph).

The ONOX tractor features an integrated 20-kWh battery pack and room for additional swappable packs of 30 kWh each. The entire system operates on 48V power, so maintenance is safer and easier for users without further training since there is no risk of exposure to high-voltage components.

The ONOX design team has also integrated an Airline system with mounting rails on the tractor’s hood, enabling future owners to mount cargo, haul hay or produce, or customize the area with other parts. The front of the tractor is also front-loader-ready, adding to its modularity and versatility.

The ONOX website says the electric tractor is self-sufficient using its own solar energy, but from the specs and images we’ve seen, there is no evidence of any solar technology implemented on the current prototype. Perhaps they mean the swappable batteries can be charged using solar when not installed on the tractor.

We will monitor ONOX’s progress as electric tractor development continues en route to commercial sales.

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Toyota’s bZ electric SUV gets a new name, more range, an NACS port and other upgrades

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Toyota's bZ electric SUV gets a new name, more range, an NACS port and other upgrades

Toyota upgraded its electric SUV in just about every way possible. The 2026 Toyota bZ is refined from end to end with a fresh new style, more driving range, advanced new tech, and much more. It even has an NACS port, so you can charge at Tesla Superchargers. Here’s our first look at Toyota’s new EV.

Meet the 2026 Toyota bZ electric SUV

Remember the bZ4X? It’s currently the only EV Toyota sells in North America. It’s now called the “bZ,” and it’s better than ever.

The 2026 Toyota bZ has an estimated driving range of 314 miles, a 25% improvement over the outgoing bZ4X. It also has a built-in NACS charging port, unlocking access to Tesla’s vast Supercharger network across North America.

Toyota said the upgraded EV can charge from 10% to 80% “under ideal conditions” when using DC fast charging. With added Plug & Charge capabilities, charging has never been easier.

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The AWD models now have up to 338 hp, a 50% improvement thanks to new SIC semiconductors. Front-wheel-drive (FWD) models deliver 221 hp, up from 201 HP in the 2025 bZ4X.

Other upgrades, including battery pre-conditioning and a thermal management system, help optimize charging speeds in cold weather.

2026-Toyota-bZ-EV
2026 Toyota bZ electric SUV (Source: Toyota)

Battery options and driving range

The 2026 Toyota bZ will have two battery options: 57.7 kWh and 74.7 kWh. Toyota estimates that the larger (74.7 kWh) battery will provide up to 314 miles of range, while the smaller (57.7 kWh) option will get up to 236 miles.

Toyota upgraded the electric SUV inside and out. The exterior features Toyota’s new “hammerhead front end,” which is shown on updated vehicles like the Camry and Crown. The new styling includes redesigned front overfenders and slim LED daytime running lights.

The interior received a few upgrades, including a redesigned center console. The setup now includes a larger 14″ Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen, two wireless phone chargers, and a slimmed-down dashboard.

Standard features include a 7″ driver display screen, heated front and rear seats, regenerative braking, Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, and more.

Upgrading to the Limited trim will gain you 20″ black alloy wheels, multi-LED headlights, SofTex®-trimmed seats, ventilated front seating, and added safety/ driver assist features. Other options include a panoramic moonroof with power sunshade (XLE) and a premium 9-speaker JBL Audio system (Limited).

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2026 Toyota bZ trim Battery Range
(Manufacturer estimated)
XLE FWD 57.7 kWh 236 miles
XLE FWD Plus 74.7 kWh 314 miles
XLE AWD 74.7 kWh 288 miles
Limited FWD 74.7 kWh 299 miles
Limited AWD 74.7 kWh 278 miles
2026 Toyota bZ battery, range, and trim options

According to Toyota, the new name will help simplify things for buyers. We suspect it’s also designed to revamp the brand’s sole EV after a slow (to say it nicely) rollout in North America. The bZ4X was recalled shortly after launch over concerns that the wheels may fall off.

The 2026 Toyota bZ is expected to arrive at dealerships in the second half of 2025. Check back for more info as prices will be revealed soon.

With the upgraded 2026 model arriving, Toyota is offering close-out prices on the 2024 and 2025 bZ4X. The 2024 bZ4X is listed with up to $19,000 in lease cash, while 2025 models can be leased for as low as $269 per month. You can use our link to find deals on the 2024 and 2025 Toyota bZ4X in your area today.

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