Latest news with #ARAI
Mint
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- Mint
Honda City Sport Edition launched in India with cosmetic upgrades: Know what's changed
Honda Cars India has introduced a new special edition of its popular midsize sedan – the Honda City Sport Edition – aimed at buyers seeking a more dynamic and stylish take on the familiar model. Priced from ₹ 14.89 lakh (ex-showroom), the limited-run version brings a host of cosmetic enhancements and is now available at Honda dealerships nationwide. The City Sport Edition differentiates itself with a series of blacked-out elements that add a touch of aggression to the sedan's design. The signature chrome grille has been replaced with a gloss-black finish, while the door mirrors and rear spoiler receive a similar treatment. The metallic grey alloy wheels and gloss-black shark fin antenna further enhance the car's visual appeal. A distinct 'Sport' badge adorns the boot lid, completing the exterior makeover. Inside, the City Sport Edition continues the dark theme with an all-black cabin complemented by red accents. The dashboard features red garnish inserts, while the leatherette seats sport contrast red stitching, adding a premium and sporty touch. Other highlights include soft-touch door panels and a black-finished steering wheel, also stitched in red, lending a cohesive design language throughout the interior. Powering the special edition is the tried-and-tested 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine, producing 119 bhp and 145 Nm of torque. The City Sport is offered exclusively with a 7-speed CVT automatic transmission, and Honda claims a fuel efficiency of 18.40 km/l (ARAI certified), making it a sensible choice for city and highway driving alike. In terms of equipment, the City Sport Edition retains all the creature comforts of the standard variant. This includes an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice command support, automatic climate control, and a four-speaker audio system. The dual-pod instrument cluster with a multi-information display and Level 2 ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) also come as standard. The Honda City Sport Edition is available in three paint finishes – Platinum White Pearl, Radiant Red Metallic, and Meteoroid Gray Metallic. It will compete with other premium sedans in the segment, such as the Volkswagen Virtus, Skoda Slavia, and Hyundai Verna.
Hindustan Times
17 hours ago
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Honda City Sport teaser unveiled. Here's what it will be getting
The Honda City is expected to get a new 'Sport' edition in the coming days. Check Offers Honda Cars India has released a teaser video for its upcoming Honda City Sport sedan on social media. The carmaker is set to launch this new sedan edition in the coming days. However, the Sport edition of the sedan is likely to receive only cosmetic updates without any changes to the mechanicals. The manufacturer added the sentence, 'Read to live a sportier life? Stay tuned,' indicating that the new edition will feature elements that make the sedan look sportier. The manufacturer has been launching multiple different editions of its cars in order to improve the sales numbers and the City Sport Edition is one among these. Read further to know what is new in the upcoming edition of the sedan. Honda City Sport: What's new The new Sport edition will likely only feature cosmetic updates. Some of these will include elements like a 'Sport' badge, a black boot lip spoiler, a blacked-out grille, blacked-out wing mirrors and a fully dark-themed interior including a black roof liner. Also Read : Honda Cars India stays the course with EVs and hybrids amid global strategy shifts Honda City Sport: Engine and performance Honda has not made any mechanical changes to the City Sport Edition. It will continue to come with its tried and tested 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine that puts out 119 bhp and 145 Nm of peak torque. This engine puts power down to the wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-step CVT automatic. Honda City Sport: Fuel efficiency Since there are no mechanical changes to the Honda City Sport Edition, the fuel efficiency of the car will remain similar to the standard City. The sedan offers a fuel efficiency of 17.8 kilometres per litre with the manual transmission and 18.4 kilometres per litre with the automatic transmission. All the values mentioned are certified by ARAI. Honda City Sport: Pricing expectations The Honda City Sport edition is likely to carry a higher price than its standard sibling. The standard edition of the Honda City is currently priced starting at ₹ 12.38 lakh (ex-showroom) base SV Petrol MT trim and goes up to ₹ 16.65 lakh (ex-showroom) for its ZX Petrol CVT trim. However, an interested buyer might have to shell out about an extra ₹ 25,000 to ₹ 35,000 for the Sport edition of this sedan. Check out Upcoming Cars in India 2024, Best SUVs in India. First Published Date: 20 Jun 2025, 09:11 AM IST
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Delhi's e-rickshaw crisis: Numbering over 1.2L, why they should be city's last option for last-mile connect?
Representative AI image NEW DELHI: E-rickshaws are not a menace only the roads. They are also proving hazardous when parked or when their batteries are being recharged. Incidents related to charging are on the rise. In one incident reported last month, two people died after a fire broke out at a charging station in Shahdara. In another, a woman died and five people were injured when charging triggered a blaze in Farsh Bazar. While officially Delhi is estimated to have around 1.2 lakh registered e-rickshaws, the actual number that are operating could well be double the figure. Experts have serious concerns about safety and regulatory gaps in the e-rickshaw sector, particularly about the hazardous conditions of charging stations due to poor maintenance. Anil Chhikara, transport and vehicle expert, said some e-rickshaw drivers and owners have been observed to remove the original batteries and replace them with cheaper lead-acid batteries. "The latter batteries, when overcharged, can leak sulfuric acid — a highly corrosive substance that can cause severe burns or damage materials and people nearby," he said. The expert called for a thorough review and revision of the existing policies and regulations governing e-rickshaws, pointing out that in many cases, the charging points for e-rickshaws were neither secure nor compliant with safety standards. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free Solitaire. No Ads Ever. Play Solitaire Download Undo "There have been numerous instances when charging stations were found to be operating illegally, without any regulatory oversight or adherence to basic safety protocols," claimed Chhikara. The lack of dedicated charging stations in the city has also contributed to the increase in fires related to charging. SP Singh, vehicle expert, rued there were no concrete policies governing e-rickshaws, the first electric vehicles launched in the country. "There are proper charging stations for other electric vehicles, but not for e-rickshaws," noted Singh. "The places where these three-wheelers charge are not meant for that purpose and do not comply with safety standards. E-rickshaws get charged in large numbers at locations that have no awareness of or adherence to safety regulations." Singh also pointed out e-rickshaw drivers do not receive any training on safe charging practices or the precautions they should take while charging. "Delhi govt must establish separate fast charging stations across the city for e-rickshaws," he said. Lack of quality control in the e-rickshaw sector is also a major problem. Balraj Bhanot, former director, ARAI, and chairman, Transport Engineering Divisional Council, Bureau of Indian Standards, highlighted significant challenges faced by the e-vehicle manufacturing industry, particularly with regard to three-wheeler e-rickshaws. He noted that the industry was fragmented and decentralised across the country to meet local demands and often operated without adequate quality control. Firefighters said that when charging was carried out in residential buildings, the threat of accidents was higher. Atul Garg, director, Delhi Fire Service, reiterated that charging stations located in residential buildings always faced a significant risk of short circuits. He attributed the risks to use of poor-quality electrical equipment, improper or outdated wiring and overloading of the electricity setup. E-rickshaws have rapidly gained a notoriety for being unruly and reckless on the streets, frequently violating traffic rules and disrupting the smooth flow of traffic by clogging roads. Last year, Delhi Traffic Police recorded an increase of 47% in bookings related to violation of road laws by e-rickshaws. The number of offences rose sharply from 2,08,130 cases in 2023 to 3,05,959 in 2024. To curb the growth of illegal e-rickshaws, Delhi govt's transport department decided last year to scrap impounded and unregistered e-rickshaws within seven days if their owners did not apply for registration. The process previously allowed a leeway of 90 days for compliance.
NDTV
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
BGauss Announces Ajay Devgn As The Brand Ambassador For Its E-Scooter Lineup
BGauss announced renowned Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn as its brand ambassador. This partnership marks a key milestone for BGauss as the company expands its presence in India's rapidly growing electric 2-wheeler segment. The brand stated that Devgn's has a compelling screen presence, credibility, and mass appeal, and it will amplify BGauss's message of smart, reliable, and future-ready mobility. On this occasion, Ajay Devgn stated, "BGauss, an Indian brand, is focused on building world-class electric vehicles, and I've associated with them for this meaningful reason. The RUV350 reflects their commitment to quality and innovation and marks a step forward in the journey toward smarter, cleaner mobility." Hemant Kabra, Founder and Managing Director of BGauss, added, "At BGauss, we focus on creating practical and reliable electric mobility designed specifically for Indian roads. Our vehicles embody this commitment. Ajay Devgn's integrity and mass appeal perfectly resonate with our brand ethos, and we believe his partnership will significantly strengthen our reach as we promote sustainable urban mobility." With plans to launch electric cycles and two additional models within the next year, BGauss is set to offer the most diverse range in the EV two-wheeler category. The company is also targeting robust dealership expansion over the next two years to strengthen its retail and service presence pan-India. The BGauss RUV 350 is a strong, smart, sturdy, and comfortable electric scooter built for city and long-distance riding, offering a top speed of 75 km/h and a range of up to 145 km ARAI certified. Powered by a 3500W in-wheel motor and a 3 kWh LFP battery. RUV comes with a metal body and has 16-inch alloy wheels along with boot space. Features like a 5-inch TFT display, turn-by-turn navigation, cruise control, Fall-sense, hill-hold, and regenerative braking make it a stylish, tech-friendly, and comfortable ride. The latest model of the BGauss C12 family comes with a dual tone colour and a TFT screen, which combines features of old C12i models like a 2500W hub motor, 60 km/h top speed, up to 123 km range, and better comfort. It also features a 5-inch TFT screen with 2 themes. It has a 2.9 kWh battery with advanced lithium cells ensuring reliable performance. It carries features like Cruise control, Reverse mode, turn-by-turn navigation, Fall-Sense, regenerative braking, and CBS offer safety and convenience. It is built for both city and suburban roads while delivering the best-in-class tech features. BGauss is supported by prominent investors such as Madhu and Mahaveer Lunawat of Bharat Value Fund and Darshan Patel of Vini Cosmetics.
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Business Standard
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Standard
Govt to operationalise Rs 1-trillion innovation fund in next 3 months
The Rs 1-trillion Research Development and Innovation Fund (ANRM), announced in the July Budget for FY25—with Rs 20,000 crore already allocated—will be operationalised in the next two to three months, a top official said. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had, on February 1, allocated Rs 20,000 crore to the Department of Science and Technology (DST) as a corpus to promote private sector–driven innovation. The Rs 1-trillion fund was first announced in the July 2023 Budget. While the ANRM fund primarily supports academic research, universities, and public research labs, the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) fund under it will be dedicated exclusively to private sector R&D. The DST plans to set up a Deep Tech Fund under this scheme, aimed at building strategic autonomy in critical sectors such as clean energy, electric vehicles (EVs), and advanced materials. 'This fund is not just for start-ups—it is also for corporates and industries, provided they undertake cutting-edge R&D projects. Once operational, the industry is expected to deliver innovative products and help India achieve strategic autonomy in the mobility transition,' said Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, DST, at the Battery Summit organised by World Resources Institute (WRI) India on Wednesday. DST's budget has grown from ₹2,777 crore in 2014 to ₹28,509 crore in FY26, and gross expenditure on R&D has risen from ₹60,196 crore to ₹1,27,380 crore over the same period. Investment in battery R&D is crucial, as it drives innovation in energy storage, improving battery performance, safety, and cost-efficiency. Research is essential for meeting rising energy demands, transitioning to sustainable transportation, and achieving energy independence. India currently lacks significant reserves of key battery materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel, making the country reliant on imports and exposing it to price volatility and geopolitical risks. Meanwhile, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), a government body, will set up an advanced battery lab in the next few months as part of its expansion plan, an ARAI official said. However, he expressed scepticism about its capacity to meet India's full testing needs. ARAI is reportedly planning to invest Rs 100 crore to develop advanced testing labs and infrastructure across the country in 2025. Several of its facilities at the new Mobility Research Centre in Takwe are in the final stages of completion and are expected to be operational this year. ARAI established its first Centre of Excellence for Green Mobility in Chakan, Pune, in 2020. At the Battery Summit, WRI India released a report titled Development of Data Frameworks for Battery Circularity in India, which stressed the urgent need for a unified data framework to improve transparency and collaboration across the battery ecosystem. A battery data framework facilitates the collection and assessment of key data across the battery life cycle using its digital record. This enables seamless, secure, and transparent data exchange among multiple stakeholders in the EV ecosystem. Such a framework benefits supply-chain stakeholders by providing access to data on due diligence, carbon footprint, and material composition. This enables battery manufacturers and automotive OEMs to compare suppliers, enhance sourcing decisions, and mitigate risks associated with raw material sourcing, processing, and trading. Similarly, access to reliable and comparable data on a battery's carbon footprint can help consumers make informed purchase decisions. Further, information on battery composition and state of health (SoH) is particularly valuable in ensuring efficient battery recycling and reuse.
