Tag: Electric Vehicle

Categories
Business India News Motoring

Luxury Meets Green

With its electric drive, forward-looking design and latest technology, the all-new BMW CE 04  scooter is built for a fresh mobility experience…reports Asian Lite News

BMW Motorrad India has launched its first electric offering – the all-new BMW CE 04 – India’s first premium electric scooter. The urban electric scooter will be available as a Completely Built-up Unit (CBU) in select metropolitan cities in India. Deliveries will commence from September 2024.

With its electric drive, forward-looking design and latest technology, the new scooter is built for a fresh mobility experience. The lightness of a scooter paired with the technology of a motorbike has been perfected for an urban environment.

Vikram Pawah, President and Chief Executive Officer, BMW Group India said, “The all-new BMW CE 04 is the beginning of a whole new era of electro-mobility at BMW Motorrad India. It is the new electric star, made for the city. Quiet, quick and agile, the BMW CE 04 slips easily through the city, turning the urban sprawl into a playground. It’s big on design statement with futuristic and innovative style. Impressive power, latest technology and abundant range deliver a fun riding experience that you want to wake up for every day. An ideal companion for anyone who feels part of new urban living.”

The ex-showroom price of BMW CE 04 starts at INR 14,90,000.

BMW India Financial Services offers customized and flexible financial solutions for BMW Motorrad. Customers can get their loans approved before delivery takes place. For complete peace of mind, all BMW Motorrad vehicles come with a standard warranty for ‘three years, unlimited kilometres’, with an option to extend the warranty to fourth and fifth year. Road-Side Assistance, a 24×7 365 days package ensures prompt services in case of breakdown and towing situations.

The design of BMW CE 04 combines functionality and clear aesthetics with digital reality. The shape is dominated by large, calm surfaces, contrasted by sharp edges. The long, stretched form envelops the slim energy storage unit in the underfloor assembly and the compact drivetrain. The front end is excitingly broken up while the rear end reveals technological components, a typical feature of motorcycles. Powerful LED lighting all round increases safety. The floating seat underscores visual lightness. Side design is practical too, for instance, the charging compartment and helmet storage unit fold out towards the side. Trend-setting 15″ standard wheels have a disc-like look and the side stand seamlessly blends in the styling. The low center of gravity represents a further benefit: fun handling, surprising dynamism and timeless riding pleasure.

Two striking colour concepts convey the modern and unmistakable design of BMW CE 04. The base variant is available in Light White and the optional Avantgarde style in Imperial blue metallic colour. The use of bright orange in seat of Style Avantgarde and the tinted wind shield creates an interesting contrast.

BMW CE 04’s innovative electric drive with liquid-cooled electric motor delivers a maximum output of 42 hp (31 kW). The permanent magnet electric motor is mounted in the frame between the battery and the rear wheel, similar to BMW cars. For the classic ‘traffic light starts’ from 0 to 50 km/hr, it gives instant acceleration in just 2.6 seconds. The maximum speed is 120 km/hr for speedy progress not just in the city but on main roads and motorway sections, too.

The lithium-ion battery with net capacity of 8.5 kWh provides abundant range of 130 kms and energy consumption of 7.7 kWh/100 kms. BMW CE 04 will come with a complimentary 2.3 kW home charger which takes 3 hrs 30 mins for 0 – 80% charge. An optional BMW Wallbox charger is also available.

Directionally stable suspension with one-piece tubular steel main frame provides smooth handling and a high level of ride comfort. At the front, the double disc brake is designed for reliable deceleration, assisted by the single disc brake at the rear. BMW Motorrad Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) adds additional active safety. Just as with conventionally powered BMW Motorrad models, the BMW CE 04 also comes with Automatic Stability Control (ASC). The new BMW CE 04 features three riding modes ECO, Rain and Road.

The multifunctional instrument cluster comes with a 10.25-inch TFT color split screen with Bluetooth connectivity. The smartphone stays safe in the watertight and ventilated storage compartment and can be charged at the same time using a 12-volt port.

With the optional ‘Comfort Package’, riders can add Heated Grips and Backrest Comfort Seat. The optional ‘Dynamic Package’ offers Riding Modes Pro, Headlight Pro, ABS Pro, Adaptive Headlights and Daytime Riding Light. A comprehensive range of optional equipment and original BMW Motorrad accessories is available for individualization.

ALSO READ: India Challenges China with Mineral Budget

Categories
Business Economy India News

India’s $500B Green Drive

Sunil Barthwal, Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said the country is currently producing 21 million cars every year….reports Asian Lite News

As India begins its ambitious journey towards achieving the target of net zero by 2070, the energy transition efforts in the country offer an immense $500 billion investment opportunity to businesses, billion, especially in the green energy value chain including renewables and electric vehicles (EV), the government said on Monday. 

Sunil Barthwal, Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said the country is currently producing 21 million cars every year.

“Although, in terms of percentage, the EV manufacturing may not look very large at the moment, but if you look at 1.6 million EVs, it requires a whole ecosystem of manufacturing batteries and the charging ecosystem etc,” he said during the India Energy Storage Week (IESW) organised by industry body India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) here.

Barthwal said this is one great opportunity which India is offering to investors from all over the world to come and invest in the clean energy value chain.

“The government as a policy maker is trying to create an ecosystem, whereby investments can be encouraged. There is not less than a $500 billion potential investment opportunity that exists in the clean energy ecosystem,” Barthwal added.

The Commerce Ministry Secretary said it is the time for businesses to apply their minds and use the skilled youth in the country in R&D, manufacturing and creating a world which is net zero, carbon emission free after a point of time.

At the event, Vikram Gulati, country head and Executive VP (corporate affairs and governance) Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said that by 2037, we are set to become a $35 trillion economy if it keeps growing at 7 per cent.

“This may seem great but what it also means is that there will be a huge demand for transportation, mobility road transportation etc. We’re going to see something like 4 times the energy requirement just for cars from today to perhaps 2030,” he said.

The government has done a tremendous job in terms of looking at the supply side, looking at the demand side, and going to the components level to be able to create an ecosystem in the country that enables us to shift to a sustainable future rapidly.

“It’s time for other stakeholders to also step up. It’s also time for us from the industry to make that shift happen,” said Gulati.

PM Modi Lauds Digital India

Digital India symbolises an empowered country which boosts ‘Ease of Living’ and transparency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday.

 The Prime Minister lauded the successful completion of nine years of the ‘Digital India initiative’, which was launched on July 1, 2015.

Sharing a thread on X by MyGovIndia, the Prime Minister wrote: “A Digital India is an empowered India, boosting ‘Ease of Living’ and transparency. This thread gives a glimpse of the strides made in a decade thanks to the effective usage of technology.”

MyGovIndia said in a post that from revolutionising digital payments to becoming the fastest-growing digital economy, India’s journey in the past nine years has been nothing short of extraordinary.

“The ‘Digital India’ initiative, spearheaded by the PM Modi government, has transformed the nation’s digital landscape.

“India’s trajectory exemplifies that Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is a fundamental driver of social transformation and progress,” MyGovIndia posted.

The country has become a leading global fintech ecosystem thanks to robust digital public infrastructure (DPI) models like unified payments interface (UPI).

Several countries are ready to embrace the ‘India Stack’ solutions to empower the masses, PM Modi told IANS in May.

The Prime Minister said that when he kicked off the ‘Digital India’ movement, opposition parties made allegations that this was being done to serve the needs of the service providers.

“They could not understand how big this area is and the 21st century is a technology-driven century. Moreover, technology today is driven by artificial intelligence (AI),” PM Modi had told IANS.

The digital revolution, driven by UPI and QR-code-based payments, has shown to the world that DPIs like UPI, Aadhaar, and DigiLocker can transform millions of lives.

ALSO READ: India, ASEAN Unite for Retail Payments

Categories
Asia News Business UAE News

UAE Residents Predict Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Takeover in Coming Years

Al-Futtaim Automotive, in partnership with YouGov, revealed survey results indicating strong interest in EV adoption among UAE residents, with 26% considering purchase within a year and 63% aiming to make EVs their primary transport within 6 months to 2 years…reports Asian Lite News

Al-Futtaim Automotive, a key division of the Al-Futtaim Group and the Strategic E-Mobility Partner of COP28, unveiled the results of a comprehensive survey examining the challenges and attitudes of UAE residents toward Electric Vehicle (EV) adoption. Conducted in collaboration with YouGov, the survey gathered insights from 2,008 respondents.

The findings showcased notable shifts in perspectives, highlighting evolving transportation preferences. Notably, 64% of respondents expressed concern about the environmental impact of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, indicating a strong interest in transitioning to electric vehicles in the near future.

Huge Wave Of Interest in EVs

  • 26% of those who currently do not own an EV are interested in purchasing one in the next 12 months, while 50% said ‘maybe’ to consider shifting to an EV in the same period, signaling a growing inclination towards electric vehicles.
  • A staggering 63% plan to make EVs their primary mode of transport within the next 6 months to 2 years, indicating a far swifter move towards sustainable mobility.
  • The huge interest in EVs is also a measure of the strong customer confidence in the UAE’s charging infrastructure growth; 7 out of 10 residents predict that the UAE will have EV charging stations every few kilometres in the next five years.
  • Customers also predicted a widespread electric future in the UAE; nearly one-third of the respondents anticipate that 30–50% of the UAE’s population will be driving EVs or hybrid cars by 2030.

Katib Belkhodja, Customer Centricity Director, Al-Futtaim Automotive, commented on the survey, “Firstly, the results surpassed all our expectations. With 63% of respondents unequivocally choosing to make electric vehicles their primary mode of transportation, the results are not only overwhelmingly positive but also comprehensively reflect the evolving perceptions of the UAE customers towards electric mobility. It was very important for us at Al-Futtaim Automotive to conduct this survey, and get an accurate understanding of the customer mindset, especially against the backdrop of COP28.”

The Survey Also Highlighted Key Barriers To EV Adoption

  • Primary hurdles to EV adoption include safety concerns (49%), servicing costs (44%), lack of charging infrastructure (41%), battery longevity (41%), and resale value (32%).
  • Furthermore, 68% of the respondents believe that EVs are more expensive than regular fuel cars, a factor that could also discourage customers from making the shift.
  • EV charging is a major anxiety trigger, particularly as 44% residents cannot install a charging station at home.

Katib Belkhodja further added: “While there are still some barriers to overcome, the results have strengthened our belief in the e-mobility strategies we are currently pursuing. Our commitment to develop the electric mobility ecosystem – covering a wide EV portfolio, our own charging station (Charge2Moov) as well as e-mobility training for aftersales – directly answers most of the concerns obstructing widespread electric adoption. We are the only automotive group in the region committed to delivering this integrated, end-to-end EV offering, and through this, we are confident that we will be able to accelerate the green transition as well as fulfill our pledge to deliver 50% New Energy Vehicles and install 10% of the country’s charging stations by 2030.”

“Our main objective now is to democratize the EV landscape by offering a wide choice of electric mobility products at diverse price and performance capabilities, and this specifically addresses a key price perception that majority of the customers have with regards to costs of EVs vs. conventional fuel cars.”  

Influential Factors Prompting The Shift To EVs

Faster charging time (54%), more charging stations (54%) advancements in battery technology (54%) and a longer driving range (52%) top the list as the crucial factors that will influence their decisions and encourage more people to switch to electric vehicles.

“This survey not only helps us at Al-Futtaim Group but also the wider industry in clearly underlining the decisive factors that will accelerate sustainable mobility in the UAE”, Katib concluded.

Since 2008, Al-Futtaim Automotive has been focused on steering the green mobility transition in the UAE. The company first introduced alternative propulsion in the UAE, launching hybrid vehicles in collaboration with Toyota, and then later became the first automotive group to hand over a fleet of hybrid vehicles for taxi companies. In the last two years, Al-Futtaim Automotive has accelerated its focus on electric mobility, with numerous groundbreaking initiatives including launching a dedicated new company – Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility Company.

Beyond bringing best-in-class new energy vehicle brands, which include Polestar, Volvo Cars, BYD, Toyota, Lexus, and Volvo Group (heavy-duty electric trucks, buses and construction equipment), Al-Futtaim Automotive has also developed its own UAE-specific charging technology, Charge2Moov, and launched the region’s first IMI-accredited electric mobility training centre to train technicians to become EV experts.

Al-Futtaim Automotive’s e-mobility ecosystem was showcased at COP28, giving audiences within the UAE and the world a chance to experience the growth trajectory of green mobility within the region as well as the tangible products, solutions and innovations that the company is introducing to making sustainable mobility an everyday reality.

ALSO READ : ‘Urgent Course Correction Key to COP28 Renewables Goal’