More stories

  • in

    Pure EV Electric Scooters To Get Lithium-Ion Batteries That Can Resolve Defects Automatically

    Pure EV Electric Scooter
    PURE EV’s ‘BaTRics Faraday’ System can address the issues in defective battery right from the customer’s residence

    PURE EV is a electric vehicle startup which was incubated at IIT Hyderabad. Now, it has come up with an Artificial Intelligence backed update that can address any issue of defects in the lithium-ion battery pack of electric vehicles. This system does not need to vehicle to be brought to any service center for rectification but can be done at the customer’s residence itself.
    Called ‘BaTRics Faraday’ System, it remotely checks defects in a series of batteries using Artificial Intelligence with no need of any manual intervention. The team of researchers has designed Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-based algorithms that can identify various series of batteries and rectify the defects to their best electro chemical potential of cells.
    Next Gen AI Solution
    The lithium-ion battery pack, which is the most vital component of any electric vehicle, consists of multiple lithium ion cells, welded together in series and parallel arrangements so as to comply with voltage and ampere hour capacities.
    Any defect in any cell series in these batteries leads to downtime. It is also a mammoth task to detect which are the defective series of cells and to get them replaced. Hence via this new AI driven hardware, this task is made easy which allows for external detection and rectification thus saving man hours in the manual replacement of series of cells.
    Pure EV Electric Scooter Batteries with next-gen AI tech
    Testing of the ‘BaTRics Faraday’ system has been completed and can be used on all 5 electric scooters launched by PURE EV in India. These e-scooters are already in sale in India, these include the Epluto 7g, Etrance Neo, Etrance, Egnite and Etron+. The system will come into effect from Q1 2021.
    As on date, ‘BaTRics Faraday’ System from PURE EV is based out of its factory. However, the company plans to set up company owned Battery Diagnostics and Repair workshops across many regions in India where demand is high. These workshops will ensure lower ‘Turn Around Time’ (TAT) for battery repair.
    Pure EV Electric Scooter
    PURE EV – CISR Collaboration
    Earlier last month, PURE EV also announced collaboration with CSIR – Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI), headquartered at Karaikudi, with an extension center in Chennai. Through this alliance, the company plans on indigenizing lithium-ion battery technology for electric vehicles and a MoU to this effect has also been signed. This will allow for indigenous Lithiou-Ion technology and will help in boosting electric vehicle demand along with stationary and storage applications.
    The Hyderabad based PURE EV startup operates from a dedicated factory spread over an area of 70,000 sq ft. It manufactures high performance lithium batteries and has access to R&D facilities from IIT Hyderabad along with technological support. Funding was via Hyderabad-based pharmaceuticals visionary Shri V.C. Nannapaneni, Chairman and Managing Director, NATCO Pharma Ltd, and the startup currently has a valuation of USD 35 Million. More

  • in

    Bajaj Dec 2020 Sales Report – Highest Ever Exports; Pulsar, Boxer, Platina, CT

    Bajaj Pulsar
    Bajaj Auto has become the most valuable two-wheeler company in the world – with a market capitalization of Rs. 1 lakh crore

    The Indian automobile industry struggled through the entire first half of 2020 due to the pandemic striking early in the year. However, it showed signs of recovery in the latter half after July/August and by the end of last year, sales improved substantially for almost every two and four wheeler in the country.
    Bajaj Auto has announced an 11 percent increase in sales in December 2020. Positive sales were noted both in terms of domestic sales and exports and where the company range of two wheelers were concerned while commercial vehicles sales dipped substantially.
    Bajaj Auto Domestic Sales and Exports
    In domestic markets, Bajaj Auto sold 1,28,642 units in Dec 20, an increase of 4 percent as against 1,24,125 units sold in Dec 19. Pulsar, Platina and CT range were the highest sellers in domestic market. Exports in the past month were at their highest at 2,09,942 units, up 31 percent from 1,60,677 units exported in Dec 19. Leading the exports were Boxer, Pulsar range. This took total sales in this segment up 19 percent to 3,38,584 units, up from 2,84,802 units sold in the same month of the previous year.
    Where commercial vehicles were concerned, domestic sales stood at 10,964 units in the past month, down by 62 percent, while exports increased marginally to 22,984 units up from 22,215 units exported in Dec 19. Total sales of commercial vehicles fell 34 percent to 33,948 units in Dec 20 down from 51,253 units sold in Dec 19.
    Bajaj Sales Report Dec 2020 – Registers highest ever monthly exports
    Year to Date Sales
    FY 2020 opened on a dismal note. Hence YTD sales of Bajaj Auto also suffered both where two wheeler and commercial vehicle sales were concerned. Two wheeler sales dipped 21 percent to 13,21,644 units in the April to December 2020 period, down from 16,75,264 units sold in the same period of the previous year.
    Exports fell 13 percent to 12,36,617 units thus taking total two wheeler sales down 17 percent to 25,58,261 units, down from 30,94,028 units sold in the April to December 2019 period. Domestic sales and exports of commercial vehicles dipped 54 percent to 2,44,989 units. Total two wheeler and commercial vehicle sales fell 23 percent to 28,03,250 units in the 9 month period, down from 36,23,251 units sold in the same period of the previous year.
    Bajaj Sales Report – April – Dec 2020
    Leading Two and Three Wheeler Maker
    Bajaj Auto Limited, a leading two and three wheeler maker recently hit its 75th year of operations. Apart from being the largest two wheeler maker in India, the company has also become the most valuable two wheeler company globally having crossed market capitalization of Rs.1 lakh crores. Share price now stands at Rs.3,479 and market capitalization at Rs 100,670.76 crores.
    The Bajaj Auto brands like the Pulsar, Boxer, Platina and RE are among the most popular across the globe. The recently launched Chetak eScooter has also found favour among buyers and the company has also made a major investment of Rs.450 crores in a 4th plant in Chakan, Maharashtra for the production of its premium range of motorcycles and e-scooters. Apart from this manufacturing facility, Bajaj also has its production units at Waluj near Aurangabad, and at Pantnagar in Uttarakhand.
    A successful partnership with KTM AG, Austria has also helped it on its journey to success and for KTM to become the largest manufacturer of premium sports motorcycles. Bajaj has also entered into an alliance with Triumph Motorcycles to develop budget friendly low capacity premium motorcycles. Plans are afoot to enter new global makers with entry to Thailand later this year and Brazil in early 2022. More

  • in

    Benelli India To Launch 7 New Motorcycles In 2021 – 250cc To 600cc Segment

    Image for reference
    Benelli discontinued all the models ever since BS6 emission norms kicked on April 1, 2020 and updated only offering in its portfolio- Imperiale 400

    Benelli has had a very quiet 2020 since the company hasn’t had much to celebrate about. It has only one product in its India lineup as of now, i.e., Imperiale 400. The Chinese-owned Italian bikemaker has now revealed its upcoming lineup for the Indian market which is going to comply with the latest BS6 emission norms.
    The company will launch seven new motorcycles in the coming few months probably starting from next month and going up to August 2021. These updated BS6 models are expected to witness a considerable price hike in comparison to their discontinued BS4 models somewhere between the range of Rs 20,000 – Rs 30,000.
    Benelli India Line-up for 2021
    The 2021 model lineup will include Benelli TRK 502, TRK 502X, Leoncino 250, Leoncino 500, 302S, 302R and TNT 600i. TRK 502 and TRK 502X are adventure tourer motorcycles with the former being more adept in handling hardcore off-road trails.
    The Leoncino brand is the Italian bikemaker’s range of scrambler motorcycles. Both models are similarly designed as street naked body styles with the smaller one equipped with a 250cc single-cylinder engine while the bigger one is powered by a 500c parallel-twin mill.
    BS6 Benelli Imperiale 400 on display at company showroom.
    Surprisingly Benelli has replaced TNT 300 with the new naked roadster 302S which will be powered by the same 300cc in-line two-cylinder engine which did its work in TNT 300. It will also be accompanied by its faired sibling- 302R which will be powered by a 300cc parallel-twin motor instead of an in-line two-cylinder unit.
    The brand’s flagship product TNT 600i will probably be the last of the lot which will be launched around August this year. The naked streetfighter will be powered by a 600cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC in-line four-cylinder motor.
    Other models in foray
    That’s not all, Benelli is also expected to widen its portfolio by bringing in other models such as its entry-level adventure tourer TRK 251 and its flagship ADV TRK 802 sometime at a later stage.
    TRK 802 was also stopped testing in foreign lands a few months ago. Retailed as SRB 750 in the Chinese market, TRK 802 will be powered by a 745cc, parallel-twin engine which is good enough for 76bhp and 67Nm of peak torque.
    Honestly, we expected Benelli’s flagship faired motorcycle- 600RR to be included in the lineup as it has been spotted testing on numerous occasions overseas. The motorcycle was revealed as ‘QJ SRG600’ in the Chinese market a few months ago. It will be powered by a 600cc in-line four-cylinder unit which kicks out close to 84 bhp and 54.6 Nm of peak torque while being mated to a six-speed gearbox. More

  • in

    Mumbai Traffic Signal With LEDs On Traffic Pole – A First In The City

    LED Traffic Lights on Poles in Worli, Mumbai
    New traffic signal at Worli Sea Face is a BMC pilot project

    A pilot project executed on Worli Sea Face in Mumbai, sees traffic lights in a new light. In essence, instead the usual setting of traffic signal lights, the current endeavour makes for improved traffic light visibility.
    The light parameter covers larger surface area as the lighting pole itself has been reworked. Fitted with LED lights means for every light change, the complete pole lights up instead of the traditional light setting overhead at intersections.
    The project was undertaken by BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation). While the project is only visible as a single unit at present, plans are on to introduce more such lights. Apart from functional benefits, the new traffic signal design is being touted for its ‘aesthetic appeal’. Challenges faced included bending the LED lights as required, and synchronising it with the traffic signal system.
    Novelty at traffic signals
    Overall, the idea behind the project tries to touch upon quite a few birds with a stone. The project idea is still being fine-tuned. An attempt is being made to turn to solar signals to make this a sustainable and environment-friendly approach. The cost effective solution does in the meantime make a larger street area glow.
    [embedded content]
    Last year, in another independent project, Hyderabad’s KBR Park junction saw new LED speed breakers installed at traffic signals across the road itself. Sadly, there’s no current update regarding what the outcome of that project has been.
    In its current stage, if the pilot proves to be successful, more such unidirectional traffic lights are expected to be introduced. Focus on Work Sea Face doesn’t end here.
    Mumbai Police with Freego self balancing vehicle
    In another development, self balancing vehicles have been introduced for area patrols in the promenade. Similar to what was earlier introduced at Marine Drive. The self balancing electric scooters have for long wowed audiences for its fun aspect. Current developments appear to be small steps being undertaken to modernise traditional practices.
    Pedestrian and road traffic safety in India
    Added visibility of the newly installed traffic lights in Mumbai would help motorists spot the signal from a distance, and thereby could improve pedestrian safety. If the theory can be backed by studies, it could provide insight into effectiveness of improved traffic signal visibility. For a nation that bears the burden of most road accident fatalities, every little bit helps.
    While the country doesn’t report the highest number of traffic accidents in a year, it does account for most lives lost owing to accidents. The extremely high human cost points to an immediate need to remedy the problem. India accounts for less than 3 percent of all vehicles, but does account for 12 percent of the world’s road deaths. World Health Organization (WHO) estimated almost 300,000 road accident deaths in India in 2018. The number of underprivileged who suffer is disproportionately high. More

  • in

    Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Cat Con Removed – Illegal Mod Gets Original Thump Back

    Meteor 350 With Almost Original Thump Gives Old Gen Royal Enfield Vibes
    Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is offered in three trims- Fireball, Stellar and Supernova

    Meteor 350 was undoubtedly one of the most anticipated launches in the Indian market in 2020. The new cruiser from Royal Enfield is the stepping stone to the brand’s new generation motorcycles as it is based on a new platform and is powered by a brand new 350cc engine.
    While it carries many traditional Royal Enfield elements from previous generation models, especially Thunderbird 350, Meteor 350 in many ways is not a traditional Royal Enfield motorcycle. The main point of focus here is the classical Royal Enfield thump which could be heard in older generation motorcycles.
    Reason for dilution in classical Royal Enfield Thump
    Ever since BS6 norms kicked in April 2020, Royal Enfield fans have complained that its traditional throaty noise from its exhaust note has been diluted to a certain extent. The conventional ‘dug dug’ sound usually associated with Royal Enfield motorcycles were suddenly seen missing. This was mainly attributed to the inclusion of a large catalytic converter which filtered most of its thump.
    With the new 350cc single-cylinder motor the traditional thump completely gives way to a nice melodious exhaust note which is pleasing to one’s ears. While it may sound pleasing to an environmentalist, a classical Royal Enfield lover might not approve of this sound. Well, here is a solution that can be into if one seriously wants his Meteor 350 to sound like an Enfield from older generation – even if it is not advisable.
    [embedded content]
    In a video uploaded by Abhinav Bhatt, the vlogger shows that by removing the collector box of a catalytic converter from the exhaust setup one can achieve an exhaust note which is somewhat reminiscent of the old Royal Enfield motorcycles. The catalytic converter is positioned at an intermediate stage where particulates of exhaust gas from the combustion chamber are filtered before passing through the muffler into the air.
    Getting the Thump back
    By replacing the stock exhaust with a straight line stainless steel pipe that connects the header to the bike’s exhaust can a throaty exhaust note is given out which though not loud will certainly be pleasing to the ears of a true Royal Enfield aficionado. Abhinav also takes a spin on this modified Meteor 350 after getting rid of the catalytic converter. Interestingly, it not only improves the exhaust note but also frees up 3.4 kg of the bike which might translate to slightly better fuel economy as well as performance.
    However, this modification is not road legal as it clearly violates the current BS6 emission norms which mandate every vehicle to be equipped with a catalytic converter. The vlogger here does not endorse the idea of removing it from the bike and is just showing the reason behind the muffled exhaust note of Meteor 350.
    Meteor 350 is powered by a 349cc single-cylinder engine which pushes out 20.2 bhp and 27 Nm of peak torque. This motor gets an overhead camshaft setup instead of a conventional push-rod setup and is paired with a five-speed gearbox. More

  • in

    Tata Nexon Electric Owner Shares Range, Battery Details – After 220 kms Road Trip

    Tata Nexon Electric
    One major concern for electric car owners is its single-charge range especially in India where charging stations are limited

    Tata Nexon Electric is the most popular electric car in the Indian market currently. The prime reason being its popularity is its affordability. Offered at a starting price of Rs 13.99 lakh and going up to Rs 16.25 lakh (both prices ex-showroom), it is the most affordable electric car out of the limited options currently.
    In a country, where EVs are still at a nascent stage with limited charging infrastructure, its single-charge range becomes extremely crucial especially for consumers who love to go on long trips out of the city. On previous occasions, Nexon EV has returned an average single-charge range in a region between 170-180 km.
    Details of Journey & Power Cosnumed
    However, in the latest case, a Nexon EV owner, Manu M has managed to obtain a range beyond 220 kms. In a post on Facebook, Manu M shares details of his journey with his family from his home in Thevalakkara, Kollam to Aazhimala temple, Trivandrum in Kerala and the return journey on the electric UV.
    On 27th December 2020, Manu went on a road trip with his parents with the total journey covering a distance of 220.6 km. Starting with a fully charged battery, the onwards journey marked the owner covering 109.7 km.
    Tata Nexon Electric Road Trip Details
    During this, battery level dropped from 100 percent to 52 percent at the end of the first half of the journey. This meant that the car consumed an average of 114 Wh/km during the first half while the owner stated that the last 5-10 km consisted of steep climbs which could have consumed more energy.
    Recharging the battery
    On his return journey, the owner covered 90.7 km before stopping to recharge Nexon’s battery which had fallen from 52 percent to 17 percent. In this part of the journey, the electric crossover consumed an average of 128 Wh/km. Using a DC fast charger, the owner juiced up the battery pack from 17 percent to 95 percent in 1 hour and 21 minutes and consuming 25.5 kWh of power. The fast charging he used, is free till 9th Feb 2021.
    Tata Nexon Electric Fast Charging
    In the final leg of the journey, the owner covered a distance of 20.1 km consuming 123 Wh/km while the battery level dropped from 95 percent to 86 percent. The owner adds that during the entire journey, the air conditioner was on and the family took 3-4 stoppages in between. These values can vary depending on driving nature, traffic and terrain.
    Available in three trims- XM, XZ+ and XZ+ Lux, Nixon EV is offered with Tata’s Ziptron EV powertrain technology which consists of an electric motor paired to a 30.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack providing a claimed range of 312 km and an output of 127 bhp and 245 Nm of peak torque. The battery pack gets an IP67 waterproof and an eight year standard warranty. More

  • in

    2010 Ford Focus SE Stars In Inspired DIY Used Car Commercial

    This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    With The Weeknd’s “Bright Lights”—okay, a cover version—blaring, a guy selling his used 2010 Ford Focus puts the emphasis on how cool you are, not the car, in a clever homemade commercial.
    The seller told Car and Driver that despite over 30,000 YouTube views and counting, the car’s still for sale. Well, the buyer pool in his town of Grand Forks, North Dakota, isn’t exactly deep.
    Still, an obvious upside is that the seller has gotten offers to make more videos for other people’s used cars.
    We’re come a long way from the days when a simple classified ad would sell your car. These days, people often share a full slate of glamour shots of the car they’re trying to offload, and clever descriptions and stories aren’t uncommon, either. But if you’ve got the time and a few friends, you can take things to the next level with a cinematic YouTube entry.
    That’s the route taken by John Thomas Goerke, who lives in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and describes himself as an old-school Dodge Viper fan. Goerke is selling his 2010 Ford Focus SE with 120,000 miles on it for $5999. That’s roughly in line with the higher end of the Kelley Blue Book prices for other used Focus SE models of that era available online, but those old Focus models don’t come with this cool two-minute video that was first spotted by our friends at Motor1.

    2008-2009 Compact Car Comparison

    Most Reliable Used Cars

    Best Used Cars Under $10,000 for Teen Drivers

    With more than 30,000 views so far, Goerke’s video has unquestionably managed to attract outsize attention for an old Ford. According to the YouTube comments, people around the world, including Russia and Australia, have been pointed toward the video by their local news outlets, but all of this attention hasn’t helped actually make the sale. Goerke told Car and Driver he still has the car, but that doesn’t mean the time spent creating the commercial was wasted.
    “More people have been interested in hiring me to make videos for them than in paying almost $6000 for a 10-year-old car,” he said. “I’m not too surprised. The car is listed on the upward edge of the Kelly Blue Book. And the actual number of people who could plausibly purchase it is pretty small, since I live in North Dakota.”

    Land Rover Disco Commercial is Martian Ad Venture

    Viral Kia Ad Scores with Music and Magic

    The plot of the ad is a bit confusing, with the main character driving riskily thanks to (simulated) drug and alcohol intoxication before stumbling out on a dirt road, but everything looks cool and the choice of song is fitting. It’s a cover of The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights,” and the video for the original song, which inspired Goerke’s ad, also featured a car driving around at night since it was basically an advertising extravaganza promoting the Mercedes-AMG GT roadster.
    For Goerke’s purposes, his ad’s honest message is revealed in the one line of narration: “No matter what you think when you see it, remember that cool comes from what’s inside the car.” That, when you think about it, could really be the tagline for 90 percent of the used cars sold each year.
    This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More