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      Ozone Alice Electric Car Teased Ahead Of India Debut In 2021

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      Ozone Electric Car Prototype
      Yet another Indian startup is getting ready to showcase a made in India electric car this year

      In what could be a game changer for the electric car segment in the country, Ozone Motors will be unveiling its first product in 2021. Named Alice Urban, the EV has been especially designed for urban commutes.
      Ozone Alice electric car promises to solve the current set of challenges in this segment such as high cost of acquisition and long charging time. It has been in development for the past few years, and now the first teaser of the prototype has been shared.
      Ozone Motors Alice Urban design and styling
      As can be seen in the teaser image, Alice Urban has a compact, aerodynamic design. The front grille stretches all the way to the edges, where it is flanked by LED headlamps and boomerang shaped LED DRLs.
      As the focus is more on practicality, Alice Urban is expected to have a minimalistic look and feel. It is likely to use lighter alloys and composite materials to reduce weight and extract more miles from the battery. More details about the electric car will be revealed in the coming days.
      Hat tip to Rushlane Infolane member Bhargav Patel
      Ozone Motors Alice Urban tech specs
      As compared to other electric cars available for sale in the country, Alice Urban has relatively modest numbers in terms of range and top speed. The top speed is rated at 70 km/h whereas range is 150 km. This has been purposely done to keep the pricing affordable.
      As of now, the cheapest electric car available in the country is Tata Tigor EV, which retails in the range of Rs 9.58 lakh to Rs 9.90 lakh. Top selling Tata Nexon EV is available at a starting price of Rs 13.99 lakh. Others like MG ZS EV and Hyundai Kona are priced above Rs 20 lakh. The high pricing of these cars has made them inaccessible to a large number of customers who may be interested in buying an EV.
      Alice Urban can be expected to be offered at lower prices. The price difference would be significant enough to motivate customers to switch to an electric vehicle. With lower cost of acquisition, Alice Urban will also appeal to first time car buyers as well as youngsters who are more willing to contribute to environmental causes.
      Ozone Electric Car Prototype
      With its smaller battery setup, Alice Urban has a faster charging time. It can achieve a full charge in just 180 minutes. This will be useful when charging the vehicle at a recharging station in the city.
      Advanced tech features
      Alice Urban will be equipped with a range of internet connected smart features. Below is a short video of the Ozone Alice electric car early prototype in action.
      [embedded content]
      Ozone Motors is a leading provider of vehicle tracking and safety systems and it will be an easy job to equip Alice Urban with the same set of features. Expect Alice Urban to have smart features such as real-time vehicle tracking, vehicle speed monitoring, vehicle location update, remote engine on/off, unauthorized vehicle movement detection, and SOS button. More

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      in Electric Cars

      Maruti Dzire Electric Modified By Owner – Range 250 Kms, Petrol To EV Conversion

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      Maruti Dzire Electric by – Hemank Dabhade / Northway Motorsport EV
      On a full charge, the modified DZire EV can do 250 kms when driven at moderate speeds

      The electric vehicle culture in India is on the rise as every automaker is making some headway into this segment. Tata Motors Nexon EV has crossed the 2,200 sales mark since launch and the MG ZS EV got 200 bookings just in December 2020 alone. The Hyundai Kona Electric has also seen its share of success in Indian markets.
      Maruti Suzuki is yet to launch any electric vehicle in the country. There was some talk of Maruti WagonR EV some time last year but there have been no further updates even as the company had been actively testing the model in India. In international market, Suzuki already sells the electric WagonR.
      Maruti Suzuki DZire VXI Electric
      Northway Motorsport EV has now modified a brand new Maruti Dzire into an all electric car. The car was purchased last year, only to modied as an electric car. The company has been noted for converting several other petrol and diesel powered vehicles into electric models, but this DZire VXI by far excels them all.
      Developed in-house, the Maruti DZire now receives a 15 kW motor that can peak upto 35 kW. It produces 170 Nm torque that goes up to 842 Nm at the wheels. Even as the team has developed several battery packs, the DZire received 3 options each mounted on the fuel tank, transmission tunnel and extension exhaust area respectively.
      Maruti Dzire Electric
      The pack on the fuel tank is at 13 kWh while that in the tunnel stands at 15 kWh and at 1 kWh in the exhaust area. The Maruti DZire is water sealed at IP67 rating and receives a 5 speed manual transmission. Yes, a manual transmission. This is the first electric car in India to have a manual transmission.
      Modifications made to the vehicle for conversion to electric power sees a reduction in overall weight by 3 kgs from 950 kgs to 947 kgs. This changes see a lighter fly wheel and usable reverse gear. The new DZire also gets VCU compatibility and full integration with all CAN functions.
      Apart from minimal changes, all other features such as instrument cluster, throttle peddle and power steering along with safety equipment of ABS, EBD and airbags remain unchanged. For its air conditioning system, the DZire EV uses a Brushless Direct Current Motor (BLDC).
      [embedded content]
      The radiator fan works to keep battery and other electronics cool and he instrument cluster now gives off all vital EV information. The tachometer indicates motor RPM and the fuel gauge details the battery level. Temperature gauge shows off the temperature of the battery while charging level is also indicated on the instrument cluster when the engine is switched off.
      DZire EV Charging and Top Speed
      The new Maruti Suzuki DZire EV can be charged via a CCS 2 Port. It is positioned in the place of the fuel nozzle behind the fuel filling lid. Charging from 0-100 percent is done via a 15 Amp socket in 8 hours while the team is also devising a fast charging system.
      Top speed is at 160 kmph while the EV can also take on a gradient of 34 percent and can tow a 3 tonne vehicle with free rolling. In full charge, the EV claims a 250 km range when driven at moderate speeds.

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      Nio ET7 Electric Car Launched To Take On Tesla – Claims 1,000 Kms Range

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      Nio ET7 Electric car
      NIO’s ET7 all-electric ET7 sedan to take on Tesla Model S in China

      Tesla faces some serious competition in China as NIO has launched the ET7 electric sedan that promises an every higher range as compared to Tesla’s Model S. The new ET7 electric sedan was unveiled at the Sichuan provincial capital of Chengdu by NIO’s Chief Executive William Li Bin. Bookings are now open.
      The ET7 electric sedan will be ready for delivery from 2022. Pre-orders open in China with the company not yet confirming launch in other markets. ET7 is offered in Standard, Premium and Extended Editions and priced at 448,000 Yuan (approximately $69,160) or at 378,000 Yuan without the battery.
      Driving Range
      The Standard Edition offers a range of 500 kms with a 70 kWh battery pack which is around 7 percent higher than that offered by the Tesla Model S. This goes up to 700 kms on the Premium Edition with a 100 kWh battery while the Extended Edition has a range of 1000 kms with a 150 kWh battery.
      These figures are as per China’s NEDC testing standards while on Europe’s WLTP test it could give a lower figure. The Premium Edition is priced at 536,000 yuan while no price details of the Extended Edition have been revealed as on date.
      Nio ET7 Electric car
      ET7 Design
      The ET7 is a large sedan measuring 200.7 inches in length making it around 5 inches longer than the Tesla Model S. It comes in with a single screen serving as an instrument cluster and one with a portrait orientation serving as an infotainment hub. This can be controlled via a digital assistant known as “Nomi’.
      NIO ET7 gets Nio autonomous driving or NAD with a self-driving system with sensing technology, control software and computing power. The system consists of 33 sensors with radar, lidar and high resolution cameras along with 4 NVIDIA Drive Orin computers and vehicle to infrastructure communication and a capability to process 8 gigabytes per second. Buttons are very few and the steering wheel sports a two-spoke design.
      Battery And Motor Options
      NIO’s ET7 electric sedan will be powered by a single powertrain. This dual motor system offers a combined 644 hp power and 626 lb/ft (850 Nm) torque. Acceleration from 0 to 100 kmph is achieved in 3.9 seconds.
      Nio ET7 Electric car
      As is also seen with other NIO electric vehicles the battery of the ET7 can be swapped via the company’s network or power battery stations. The owner can drive into any of the stations wherein the automated system handles the swap.
      The NIO ET7 is the company’s first electric sedan. They already have ES8 and ES8 models in the SUV segment. The ET7 electric sedan is aimed squarely at the Tesla Model S, and could be launched in global markets to take on the US electric car giant. More

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      Tata Nexon Electric Discount Offer To Celebrate 1st Anniversary

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      Tata Nexon Electric
      An exchange bonus of Rs.15,000 is being offered on the purchasing the Nexon EV

      Tata Motors has announced their discount offers for January 2021. These are across product range and in the form of cash discounts, exchange benefits and corporate discounts. The Tata Tiago and Tigor can be had at a cash discount of Rs.1,000 and corporate benefit of Rs.3,000 while exchange bonus is at Rs.10,000 and Rs.15,000 respectively.
      Buyers of the Tata Nexon petrol variant do not receive any cash discount or exchange benefit but corporate buyer receive a Rs.3,000 discount. The diesel variant is being offered at an exchange bonus of Rs.15,000 and corporate discount of Rs.3,000. The Tata Harrier gets the highest discounts at cash discount and exchange bonus at Rs.25,000 and Rs.40,000 respectively.
      Discount on the Tata Nexon EV
      The Tata Nexon EV, which completes its 1st anniversary, is at a special discount at company dealerships with an exchange discount of up to Rs.15,000. The Nexon EV also receives 8 years/1,60,000 km battery and motor warranty.
      It is priced from Rs.13.99 lakhs onwards and has emerged as the best-selling electric car in India in 2020. Sales in the past year stood at 2,529 units making the Nexon EV a leader in its segment. The MG ZS EV and Hyundai Kona EV were at second and third position with sales of 1,142 units and 223 units respectively.
      Tata Nexon Electric Discount Offer
      Not only is the Tata Nexon EV the most sold electric car in India but it is also the most affordable electric SUV in the country. The Nexon EV was launched on 28th January 2020 and celebrates its first anniversary in the next week.
      Tata Nexon EV is presented in variants of XM, XZ, and XZ+ Lux and priced from Rs.13.99-16.25 lakhs. This makes it the cheapest electric SUV in India and another major attraction is the fact that the company also offers the Nexon EV at a subscription plan of Rs.29,500 for a 36 month tenure.
      Tata Nexon EV- Power and Performance
      The Tata Nexon EV boasts of a long list of features. It receives a semi digital instrument panel, 7 inch touchscreen system, automatic AC and a dedicated Nexon EV app called ZConnect which offers a total of 35 connectivity features that include charging station locator, driving behaviour analytics, vehicle tracking, remote diagnostics, etc.
      Tata Nexon EV is powered by a 30.2kWh battery and a 3 phase Permanent Magnet Synchronous motor that offers 127 hp power and 245 Nm torque. It claims to deliver range of 312 kms per charge and is capable of acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.9 seconds. Charging is via a standard 15A power output which can charge the Nexon from 20 to 100 percent in 8 hours or from 0 to 80 percent in 1 hour via a fast DC charger. More

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      in Electric Cars

      Renault Kiger LED DRLs Teased – New Electric Car Prototype Unveiled

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      2021 Renault Kiger SUV – Teaser
      Along with teasing the upcoming Kiger small SUV in production spec form, Renault has also revealed their new electric car prototype

      With global debut set for 28th Jan 2021, the new Renault Kiger has now been officially teased in production ready form. From the teaser image, it is clear that the production ready Kiger carries the LED DRL and projector headlamps from the concept which was revealed back in November.
      Kiger Debut
      With compact and subcompact SUVs being highly popular in the Indian markets, automakers are heralding in various models in this segment. Kiger will be based on the same platform as the Magnite, which has met huge sales success in India.
      The Renault Kiger and the Nissan Magnite will be produced at the Renault-Nissan Alliance’s production base in Oragadam, Tamil Nadu. The Kiger will enter the sub 4 meter segment wherein it will take on the Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue, Mahindra XUV300, Tata Nexon, Maruti Brezza, etc in terms of competition.
      Renault 5 Electric Car
      Renault has unveiled its upcoming retro-styled electric car called ‘5’. Renault 5 Prototype Electric Car gives a look into the future small EV from Renault, which is set to go on sale by the middle of this decade. The car takes its design and styling cues from the R5 hatchback which was in production from 1972 to 1996. It is among the fourteen new models which are expected to hit showrooms by 2025.
      Renault 5 Prototype carries numerous references to the original model including the R5 Turbo versions and cult classic Supercinq albeit in a modern touch
      Seven of these fourteen models are going to be fully electric vehicles. The new concept blends with its namesake’s boxy proportions with a modern and contemporary design which includes high-tech displays, LED lighting signatures and sculpted side surfaces expected out of a modern car.
      Exterior Design Highlights
      Upfront, the B-segment concept car features LED headlight clusters flanked by the French brand’s diamond-shaped emblem with no radiator grille. It gets a clean front bumper which features thin square-shaped LED DRLs and ‘RENAULT’ in bold lettering.
      The bonnet air intake is neatly hidden with a charging hatch on the company’s logo on the front nose. The small impression of the French flag on its rearview mirrors shows its nationalistic pride.
      Renault 5 Prototype Electric Car
      At rear, the LED taillights feature aero flaps with an illuminated reflector strip running around the roof lining to the A-pillars which seem to pay tribute to Renault 5 models of the 1980s. Side profile’s centre of attraction are the large alloy wheels wrapped in Continental tyres.
      Overall, the concept’s design looks very clean and simple yet feels a modernised version of the original R5 with references such as boxy wheel arches, flat sides and a tilted C-pillar. There is also a nod to the original ‘5’ with impressions on its wheels, rear logo and side grid.
      Renault 5 Prototype Electric Car
      Other Details
      Details are very sparse at the moment with the automaker yet to reveal its expected specifications or even its interior images. All we know is that it will be based on a modular EV architecture that has been developed by Renault and its alliance partners Nissan and Mitsubishi. Dubbed as CMF-EV, this platform will underpin most small and medium-sized cars from the alliance brands, for instance, the upcoming Nissan Ariya crossover.
      While no definite timeline has been set for its production to commence, new Renault 5 Concept could replace the highly successful Zoe EV as the brand’s compact electric hatchback. The carmaker has also announced that its performance range of cars which will carry the nametag of Alpine, will be an all-electric range of cars and the 5 Prototype could very well be part of this lineup. More

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      MG To Launch New Electric Car Under Rs 20 L – Working On Battery Tech For 500 kms Range

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      MG Marvel at Delhi Auto Expo. Image for reference.
      MG Motor is currently chalking out plans to develop a battery assembly facility in India

      With growing advancement in electric vehicle (EV) technology in India, automobile manufacturers are racing towards development of cost-effective and economical electric mobility. At this point in time, such options are very limited in the Indian market, especially in the passenger vehicle segment.
      With Nexon EV being the most economical of the limited options, it has unsurprisingly led the sales volume chart in EV segment. However, manufacturers are looking to build more affordable models in the coming future with improved accessibility. Recently, MG Motor has revealed their plans to introduce an EV that would cost less than Rs 20 lakh.
      This development has been confirmed by Rajeev Chaba, President and Managing Director, MG Motor India, in an interaction with Economic Times. He further informed that this new electric car will be coming out sometime next year and the company has started working on building a battery assembly facility in the country which could bring down the cost of batteries.
      New Battery Assembly Facility in India
      Currently, details of this facility are being worked on which will provide batteries for the upcoming EV. As per an initial estimate, it will require an investment of around Rs 4,000 crore. This new facility will also help MG develop a much improved battery technology that can deliver a single-charge range of around 500 km.
      Existing MG ZS Electric
      This new technology is expected to feature in production-spec electric cars in 18 months. Furthermore, it has been reported that this technology is currently being evaluated under various climate conditions and terrains.
      As per directives and guidelines set by the government of India, electric mobility seems to be future of the automotive industry in the country. This fact was acknowledged by Chaba during the interaction.
      This development comes at a time when Tesla Inc. has just announced its entry in India with its headquarter set up in Bangalore. As per reports, the Karnataka Government has allotted few acres of land to the American company in Tumkur, on the outskirts of Bengaluru to set up a R&D facility.
      New MG Electric Car
      MG Motor currently has only one electric car offering in the form of ZS EV which registered sales for 1,142 units in 2020. This accounts for 25 percent of total electric vehicles sold in India last year. The company intends to double this volume to around 2,500 units in 2021. Chaba further added that MG has received over 200 bookings for the electric crossover in December 2020. ZS EV is locally assembled in India with components brought in as CKD units.
      ZS EV is powered by a 44.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack paired to an electric motor which produces an output of 143 PS and 353 Nm of peak torque. It offers a claimed range of 340 km at a single charge. Its current prices start at Rs. 20.88 lakh for the base trim and go up to Rs. 23.58 lakh for the fully loaded trim (both prices are ex-showroom).
      It is not clear what this new sub Rs 20 lakh car from MG will be. It could be a new variant of the ZS electric itself, which is already on sale in India. With advanced battery tech, higher localization it is quite possible MG manages to increase the range of their ZS EV, and at the same time reduce its cost.
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      Sony Electric Car Starts Public Road Testing – 1 Year After Its Reveal

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      Sony Electric Car
      Vision-S electric car features a technology that alters the temperature of the cabin depending on the driver’s behaviour

      Electric vehicles are the new normals in the automotive world. Every now and then we hear about a new electric car being developed and tested around some corner of the world. But when we hear a name like Sony being attached to a car, everyone sits up to take notice of it.
      Yes, Sony indeed has been developing an electric car which the world came to know about a year ago when it was unveiled at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2020 as Vision-S electric car concept. A new video from the Japanese tech giant shows that a prototype of the car has taken to the roads for testing.
      The video shows a prototype of the EV wearing a camouflage-style wrap and a number plate being tested on the snowy roads of Austria with alpine woods covered in snow. The company has its engineering center in Graz, Austria.
      After its maiden appearance at CES in January 2020, the prototype moved to Tokyo in July 2020 for advancing its sensing and audio technologies. Though testing on public roads has already begun, the EV does not go on sale anytime soon.
      [embedded content]
      Specs- No lag in performance surely
      Information about the Vision-S electric car has been scarce. The specs announced on the concept car included a dual-motor with an all-wheel-drive setup generating an output of 536 bhp, 0-100 kmph acceleration time of 4.8 seconds and a claimed top speed of 240 kmph. At the time of its unveiling, Sony admitted that the Vision-S concept was developed as a means to showcase the company’s in-car entertainment and autonomous driving systems.
      Features and Technologies galore on Sony Vision-S
      As expected, the tech giant has packed the prototype with high-end technologies including camera sensors and more. Speaking of technologies, Sony has equipped the Vision-S prototype with 40 sensors both inside as well as outside instead of the originally intended 33 claimed at ACE last year in order to enhance its autonomous driving capabilities. These sensors include Solid State LiDAR for day and object detection and night-time vision and CMOs image sensors which help in object detection, colour identification and road sensing.
      Elaborating further on the technology part, the most eye-grabbing moment is a large widescreen encompassing the entire dashboard. The cabin also features cameras which continuously monitor driver and passenger facial expressions, gestures, and lip reading.
      Sony Electric Car Dashboard
      Another highlight is 360 Reality Audio which offers an immersive audio experience. The infotainment system also offers a 5G connectivity which also allows one to play your favourite game on PlaySation.
      Currently, the prototype has been equipped with Level 2 autonomous driving technology with features such as adaptive cruise control, automatic lane changing and a self-parking system. However, with improvement in technology in the coming future, Sony intends the final production car to be equipped with Level 4 ability which means full self-driving capabilities.
      Other details
      Some of its technology on board seemed to have been developed in association with its partners including Blackberry, Bosch, Magna Steyr, Nvidia and others. In terms of dimension, the Vision-S prototype measures 4,895 mm in length, 1,900 mm in width and 1,450 mm in height. It offers a wheelbase of 3000 mm and stands at a ground clearance of 120 mm (up to 135mm). If and when this car actually hits the road, it will be nothing less than a spectacle. More

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      Tata Nexon EV Becomes No 1 Selling Electric Car In India For 2020

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      New Tata Nexon Electric
      Tata Nexon EV is the best selling electric car in India

      As Tata Motors gets set to celebrate 1 year of the launch of the Nexon electric compact SUV in India, the company has announced sales of 2600+ units for the year 2020. It may be remembered that while the Nexon EV was launched on 28th January, 2020, sales only took off from March after which the lockdown was immediately announced.
      This ‘Made in India’ electric car then slowly saw its sales increasing from May 2020 with sales at 78 units. It noted a significant increase each month thereafter to 1,253 units between the months of October to December 2020, thus taking total to 2,602 units. December proved to be the best month of sales with 418 units sold. The Nexon EV is the best selling electric car in India.
      Tata Motors had also introduced a Subscription Plan for the Nexon in August 2020. The company further brought down monthly subscription rates in September and December, thus making the Nexon more appealing to a new segment of customers.
      The subscription plan is currently on offer in Bengaluru, Pune, Mumbai, Delhi-NCR and Hyderabad. The plans now begin from Rs.29,500 per month and offered only on the mid spec XZ+ variant.
      Electric Car Sales 2020. MS = Market Share
      Sales of Other Electric Cars
      In terms of rivals, Nexon has no real rival in the price segment it is offered. In terms of sales, electric vehicles such as the Mahindra eVerito and Hyundai Kona electric are no match. It is only the MG ZS EV that offers some competition to the Nexon with sales at 1,243 units sold from Feb to Dec 2020.
      The Kona EV has seen sales of around 200 units with buyers wary after hearing of issues of fire risk and breakdowns. Tata Nexon will soon meet with some challenges with the new Mahindra eKUV300 poised for launch later this year. The Mahindra eKUV300 will come in at around Rs 9 lakhs with a FAME II subsidy.
      Sales of the Nexon EV were also boosted following orders received from EESL for 150 units of the Nexon EV and 100 units of the Hyundai Kona EV. EESL stated their preference for the XZ+ variant of the Tata Nexon at Rs.14.86 lakhs and the entry level Premium variant of the Kona EV priced at Rs.21.36 lakhs, ex-sh. Current market price of these two are Rs 15.25 lakhs and Rs 23.75 lakhs. Kona MY2020 is being offered with Rs 1.5 lakh discount.
      A refreshed Tata Tigor EV is also doing the test rounds ahead of launch. The Tigor EV is expected to launch sometime in mid-2021 while later this year and the Tata Altroz EV is also set for launch with prices lower than that of the Nexon which could boost EV sales for the company. More