Nagpur earned the distinction of becoming the country’s first city with electric fleet of 200 electric vehicles, including taxis, buses, e-rickshaw and autos. “Promoting electric vehicles is our priority. We want electric buses, autorickshaws and other vehicles to ply in the country. We are engaged in initial talks with SoftBank for loans at low interest rate for a green project.

Ola and Mahindra have partnered with the Government of India in a first-of- its-kind programme to build an electric mass mobility ecosystem in Nagpur which will bring about a transformational change in the automotive and transportation landscape in the country.

Aimed at promoting eco-friendly vehicles, the government will be ready with its electric vehicle policy by December, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said.

Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on Saturday said that electric buses, cars and scooters, besides ethanol- and bio-CNG buses would be visible on roads next year onwards. Addressing students at the convocation ceremony at the Dr DY Patil Vidyapeeth in Pimpri, Gadkari stated that the 7 lakh crore litre crude oil being imported into the country was affecting the economy.

A concept note on vehicle scrapping policy has been sent to the Committee of Secretaries (CoS) for consideration and approval, government said. In the first phase, the policy aims at scrapping commercial vehicles which have completed 15 years.

JSW Group is planning to diversify into electric car manufacturing, according to reports as the government boosts support for non-polluting vehicles. Electric vehicles that use expensive batteries have failed to take off in cost-conscious and power-deficient India etc.

Sajjan Jindal’s steel-to-power JSW Group plans to diversify into electric car manufacturing, two sources said as the government boosts support for non-polluting vehicles.

The annual conventions of ACMA and SIAM asserted the automotive industry as an engine of growth for the Indian economy.

The Indian automobile industry’s turnover is poised to grow over four times to Rs 20 lakh crore in 10 years and has the potential to occupy the top slot globally, according to Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari.