Electric cars are going to be the future. However, manufacturers still face some major challenges before emissions-free electromobility becomes a reality, especially heavy batteries, which change the vehicle construction and design.

The sale of PVs declined by (-) 17.07 per cent in April 2019 over the same month last year, whereas the overall CVs segment registered a decline of (-) 5.98 per cent in April 2019

India is lagging behind in terms of innovation and the country is still dependent on foreign machines to manufacture forgings.

Automotive industry has been an early adopter of robotics for application such as welding, painting, glue dispensing, etc.

At this year’s Hannover Messe 2019 trade fair, Yaskawa showcased prototype of a new and larger Motoman HC20 collaborative robot (cobot), which would hit the Indian market in near future.

To tap the electric vehicles segment, Automotive Axles Ltd (AAL) - a joint venture of Kalyani Group and Meritor Inc, USA - is gearing up to launch a solution called eAxle.

For passenger car players, there is a huge opportunity in terms of sales. Also, many international players have plans to set up their manufacturing units in India to cater to domestic and international markets.

There is a significant shift in the patterns and consumers are looking at EVs as a serious and safe alternative to petrol vehicles, informs Nagesh Basavanhalli, Managing Director & CEO, Greaves Cotton Limited.

Safety and emission norms such as CAFE, BNVSAP, etc., have driven manufacturers to improve the standard of their products.