Category: Auto Tech

Another new entrant in the ever expanding electric space comes in the form of EVeium Mobility. This is a new Indian startup backed by Ellysium Automotives which is the automotive branch UAE based company META4 Group. However, we could not find any website for Eveium and the phone number listed on their Facebook page is also the number used for One-Moto. The last update from One-Moto was more than a year back but online reports state that the Eveium range will be open for bookings from 8th August. This does raise a few eyebrows. That said, let’s divulge deeper into the three new electric scooter products.

Eveium Cosmo

The most affordable among the three Eveium electric scooters is this one. Priced at Rs 1.44 lakh, the Cosmo is a retro looking scooter and doesn’t have any sharp edges, cuts, or folds. This is the brand’s entry level offering. The Eveium Cosmo has a 72V, 30Ah Lithium-ion battery. This powers the 2kW BLDC motor and the rated top speed is 65kmph. Claimed range is about 80km. The manufacturer states that it takes 4 hours to fully charge the battery. The braking duties on the scooter are done by front disc brake and rear drum brakes. The scooter is also offered in five stylish colours: Blue, Bright Black, Cherry Red, White, Lemon Yellow, and Grey.

Eveium Comet

The slightly more modern looking Comet comes with a bigger 3kW motor and this helps bump up the top speed to 85 km/h. The scooter also features a larger 72V, 50ah Li-ion battery and gets a claimed range of 150 km. Wine Red, White, Royal Blue, Shiny Black, Matt Black, and Beige are the colour options for the Comet. This one is priced at Rs 1.92 lakh, pretty steep for the specs.

Eveium Czar

Finally, the top-of-the-line Eveium Czar electric scooter. This is the flagship offering from the brand and does carry over typical retro Italian lines. It has a 72V, 42Ah lithium ion battery which powers the 4000W motor. Top speed is rated as 85 km/h and the claimed range is same as Comet – 150km. The battery takes 4 hours for a full charge up. Glossy Black, Matt Black, Glossy Red, Light Blue, Mint Green, and White are among the subdued hues offeres in the Czar. Price stands at Rs 2.16 lakh.

Features

In terms of functionality, all the three Eveium electric scooters have three drive modes: Eco, Normal, and Sport. This is in addition to the scooter’s other features, which include an LCD instrument cluster, keyless entry, regenerative braking, find my car, overspeed alarms, and more. Additionally, the Comet and Czar offer a reverse driving option. The scooters may be reserved at EVeium dealerships in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, and Kozhikode for Rs 999 in booking fees. We feel the likes of the new Ather 450x Gen3, Ola S1 Pro and Simple One will offer stiff competition to the Czar and Comet.

Mahindra Electric is all set to showcase their future electric offerings for India and international markets next month. The virtual webcast event will take place on the 15th of August and the recently uploaded teaser video hints at as many as five different products. While these may take time getting to the showroom floors, a lot of us are waiting see more updates on these upcoming Mahindra Electric SUVs.

To be sold under the ‘Mahindra Electric’ umbrella, all of the products have been developed fresh from the ground up. This means the platforms of these e-SUVs have been designed keeping electric mobility in mind. This is much better as compared to just modifying a normal petrol / diesel product into an EV offering. A pure EV platform also takes care of battery set-up and placement, electric motor housing and does away with the need of components like an exhaust, fuel tank etc. This in turn can lead to better space management on the inside, sorted weight management, low overall weight and possibly better safety standards. This also means these SUVs will have a clear edge over other such offerings in the Indian market.

The teaser video that went online on Mahindra Electric’s social handles showcases a faint silhouette of five electric SUVs. These products vary from a full sized 3-row offering to a sportier, couple styled SUV. The former could the flagship product, as large as the XUV700 and the latter could be the EV versions of the XUV Aero showcased at the Auto Expo several years back. Officially, there is no word yet on the specs, sizes or launch time frames as of now. However it is fair to assume that the Mahindra Electric SUVs will be showcased the Auto Expo that will take place in early 2023 next year. The company will also divulge deeper into specifications, features, price range and other important information.

The new Mahindra Electric SUVs will be showcased at the Mahindra Advanced Design Europe (MADE) studio in Oxfordshire, UK, headed by chief designer Pratap Bose. There will be a live webcast event though physical appearance of the SUVs will take place next year only. As of now, the only thing we know about are the C shaped LEDs, both at the front and the rear. Mahindra currently sells electric vehicles in the commercial space – these include the eVerito, eSupro, Treo, eAlfa and e2oPlus.

These all-new SUVs could give Mahindra a clear edge over other electric cars in India. Watch this space for more!

It is a fact that online shopping is a trend that is becoming a part of our daily routine. From groceries to meals, mobiles to clothing, some of us are even experimenting with purchasing vehicles online. Bounce Infinity understands this new way of life and from today onwards, you can buy their electric two-wheelers from Flipkart. This service will be available to customers residing in New Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Telangana and Maharashtra. However, the delivery process won’t be fast – it will take as many as 15 days for the delivery to happen at the customer’s house.

The delivery process from Flipkart will be done by the company’s dealership in the above mentioned states. At a later stage, this new initiative might be extended to other parts of India. Once an order for Bounce Infinity scooter is placed on Flipkart by a customer, he will be contacted by the brand-authorised dealer for formalities. These include RTO registration, insurance, and delivery of the scooter; all within 15 days of booking. Customers will also have the option to reach out to Bounce Infinity Customer Experience Team to get real time tracking updates on the order.

Vivekananda Hallekere CEO & Co-Founder said, “The electric vehicle industry in India is at the cusp of an innovation and we’ve been at the forefront of offering customers the best-in-class EV solution in the form of Bounce Infinity e.1. We firmly believe that Electric Scooter distribution will be an omni channel play and e-commerce will play a crucial role in its geographical expansion and bringing customer delight. We are delighted to make our products available on Flipkart as we find synergies in our vision of fulfilling customers’ evolving requirements in a seamless manner.”

Worth A Read : Ather launches Gen3 450X

The company currently sells the E1 electric scooter. It is the only of its kind in India that comes with dual options in swappable battery – Scooter with Battery-as-a-Service [BAAS] and Scooter with battery and charger. BAAS option – the first-of-its-kind in the Indian market, pushes the running costs of the scooter down substantially by as much as 40% as compared to conventional scooters. The Bounce Infinity E1 is also offered with the battery, which can be removed from the scooter and charged by customers at their home or office or wherever convenient. Effective pricing for the scooter starts from as low as Rs 45,099 depending on the plan you pick – see this for more details.

Maruti Suzuki today showcased its entry into the world of mid-size SUVs. Developed in partnership with Toyota, this new vehicle will be sold via Nexa showrooms. Pricing has not been announced yet and deliveries will also take a month or two. That said, we have access to the version line up and the list of features that will make it to the SUV. If you want a technologically advanced, the Maruti Grand Vitara Hybrid should be on your cards. Here is a quick look at what all it offers

Intelligent Hybrid Set-up

This is not a ‘mild’ set-up like we see in some of the regular Maruti / Nexa offerings, but a proper strong hybrid that allows the user to drive the car on pure EV mode only. Yes, the regular Smart / Mild Hybrid will be offered but users will have the option to pay more for a strong hybrid model. This has a dedicated battery for an electric motor that can power the car alone, or in conjunction with the petrol motor. The result is an astonishing claimed mileage of almost 28 kmpl.

All-Grip AWD

Like the Toyota Hyryder, the Grand Vitara also offers optional AWD or all-wheel drive with the smart / mild hybrid engine. This set-up is clever enough to send power to each wheel as and when required. Users can also pick modes like Snow, Sport, Lock or Auto as per the demanding situation. This can be done from the rotary dial located behind the gear lever. Having power going to all the four wheels can come in handy when driving off the road, in snow or slippery conditions.

360 view camera

We have seen this in other new Maruti offerings lately – including the new Brezza. This driver aid, for sure, is now becoming a common feature in the mid-size SUV space. The Maruti Grand Vitara Hybrid too will offer this. This 360 view system makes use of four cameras, each placed on all four sides of a vehicle. Such a set-up is very useful while parking into tight spots or negotiating through congested streets. The display for this set-up comes on the infotainment screen.

Head up display

An increasing number of cars are now coming with this driver aid feature. The HUD or head up display pops out in between the steering wheel and the windscreen. Drivers can adjust the HUD as per their height. The glass display ends up projecting a lot of important information for the driver. This ensures you don’t have to move your eyes down to the speedometer console, thereby aiding safety. The switch to operate the HUD is placed on the right side of the steering wheel. However this will be only be available on the strong hybrid model.

Other Features

Apart from the above mentioned tech features, the Maruti Grand Vitara Hybrid (depending on the version) will also offer features like

• As many as Six Airbags
• Vehicle Stability Control
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
• Wireless Charging
• Paddle Shifters
• Ventilated Seats
• Segment leading panoramic sunroof
• LED lights all around

The future of mobility is electric and we Indians are embracing this with open arms. The two-wheeler space has witnessed a lot of action in the last one year and the recent update comes from Ather. They have been one of the first ones to offer a proper electric solution on two wheels and the 450X has been a runaway success. The company today launched an updated version – its called the Gen 3 promises to up the ante further. Here is all that you need to know about the new Ather 450X Gen 3 e-scooter.

Bigger Battery

By far, the biggest hurdle that comes in the way of purchasing an electric scooter is range anxiety. Happy to report that the new 2022 Ather 450X Gen 3 comes with a 25% larger capacity battery. This means, on paper, it has gone up from 2.9 kWh to 3.7 kWh. Do note it is still less than what the upcoming Simple One electric scooter offers. Apart from going up in size, Ather also claims that the new battery will offer a 20% longer life.

Longer Range

A bigger battery surely means a longer riding range. The certified range has gone up to 146km now and Ather claims the Gen 3 model can cover 105km in real world riding conditions. This has improved but again, is less than what the Simple One offers. The Ather 450X Gen 3 continues to come with four riding modes of Eco, Ride, Sport and Wrap. The real world riding range in these modes is 105km, 85km, 75km and 65km respectively.

Better Tyres

This has been a surprise move by Ather. This is no performance machine but happy to see better (grippier) tyres on offer. The company claims these have been developed in partnership with MRF and offer as much as 22% higher grip levels. This will surely aid rider confidence, specially given the amount of torque available from the word GO. The 450x is also a nimble scooter and extra grip will come handy! Further, better grip also results in better braking in real world riding conditions.

Added Features

The 2022 Ather 450X Gen 3 gets a host of add-ons. These include better and wider rear view mirrors. These improve the amount of visibility you get at the back. The same is depicted via the image you see here. Further, Ather is also offering TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring system) as an official accessory on the scooter.

The new model also gets an updated interface with extra memory which in turn ends up offering more features. These include offline maps, multi language support, richer graphics, voice commands et al. Another update is the new side step which has been designed in a classy, clean manner. We like the way it looks when in use and hides away when not needed – see for yourself!

Value For Money

The new Ather 450x Gen3 is marginally more expensive than the outgoing version. For example, as per their website, the difference between older and new model is just about Rs 1,000! See the city wise prices above!

Yes, we have ridden the much awaited electric scooter from Simple Energy. Our review will be out on the 22nd July as that is when the embargo lifts off. However we can share ample information about this Ola S1 / Ather 450 rival that a lot of us have been waiting for. We rode the trial production units and although a few things were not upto the mark, officials have confirmed the delivery units will have everything sorted and rectified. Deliveries, by the way, start in September. Let’s have a closer look at the technology that this scooters brings to the table.

Dual Battery Set-up

Yes, you read that right and this seems to be an industry first. The Simple One electric scooter will come with two battery packs. The first is the main unit that is housed under the floor board. This has a capacity of 3.3 kWh. The second unit is portable and has a capacity of 1.5 kWh. This unit can be accessed from under the seat and taken to your home / office for a charge up. Ofcourse you can charge the scooter directly also via the socket on the left side of the handle. When you do so, both the batteries end up getting charged.

Impressive Riding Range

With a total battery capacity of 4.8 kWh (3.3 + 1.5), Simple Energy claims that the scooter will do more than 200km on a single charge. The certified range however is 236km which gives the Simple One a clear edge over its rivals. However do note, range depends a lot on your riding habits, weight of the rider etc. Plus of course the mode you use – these modes are discussed below

4 Riding Modes

Simple One e-scooter will come with four different rides modes as standard. These control the amount of power and torque that will be send to the rear wheel. The four modes are Eco, Ride, Dash and Sonic. The Eco mode has a limited top speed of 45 km/h but offers a range of as much as 200km. The ride mode is what most users will use and gets you to 65 km/h. Range however drops to about 150km. The Dash mode opens up performance and you can hit 85 km/h. Acceleration also improves a lot but range drops to about 100-120km. The Sonic mode is full power and given the right conditions, you will be able to hit a top speed of 105 km/h. That said, range reduces drastically and this mode will not work when the battery level is less than 40%.

Smart Connectivity

As expected, the scooter will come with Bluetooth connectivity and a touch screen panel for the rider info. Simple Energy will offer over the air updates from time to time. Users will also get on-board navigation, call alert and other features like document storage, remote telemetry, fast charger location etc. Owners will also be able to ‘Geo Fence’ the scooter and will be alerted if the machine leaves a pre-set fencing. Other features include TPMS (Tyre pressure monitoring system) and cruise control

Key Highlights

• Sunroofs have become highly desirable in modern cars, even in affordable models like compact hatchbacks and SUVs
• The term “sunroof” is often used generically, but there are actually different types of glass roof panels available in cars
• The article aims to explain the distinctions between various types of glass roof panels, including the difference between a sunroof and a moonroof

Out of all comfort and convenience features, a sunroof has become the most sought-after thing in a modern-era car. At one point in time, only high-end luxury cars had the novelty of a sunroof. Due to the increasing love for sunroofs among affordable car buyers, even compact hatchbacks and SUVs now come with this feature. Also Read | MG Comet EV Vs Tata Tiago EV Vs Citroen eC3 Budget Electric Car Comparison: Which Is The Best?

While the presence of a glass panel on the roof is generalized as a sunroof, there’s more element to the story. There are multiple types of sunroofs available in cars nowadays, and people often mistake a moonroof for a sunroof. Here, we have described the differences between different types of glass roof panels in cars sold in the modern era:

Sunroof

Contrary to what most people believe and even what carmakers promote nowadays, a sunroof is essentially an opaque panel. This panel is present on the roof of the vehicle, which matches the color of the vehicle and can be either tilted open or taken off wholly.

Moonroof

It is the actual sunroof that matches the perception of most people. It is also a type of sunroof, but it is a glass panel present on the roof of a vehicle. This glass panel can tilt open or slide between the roof panel and the headliner of the vehicle. For added protection and aesthetics, a moonroof also comes with an additional sliding panel. Almost all modern cars now come with a single-pane or a panoramic moonroof. An example of a car with a moonroof is the new 2022 Brezza.

Also Read | Upgrading To Electric Cars? Top Upcoming Electric Cars Under Rs. 10 Lakh In India In 2023

Panoramic roof

While some carmakers are yet to offer a single-pane sunroof in their popular models, a few have edged ahead by offering panoramic sunroofs. As the name suggests, a panoramic sunroof gives a panoramic view of the skies above. It is possible by a larger glass panel covering more than half of the roof panel. An example of an SUV with a panoramic sunroof is the Tata Harrier.

This glass panel generally has two halves. While the glass panel above the front row can slide and open, the other half glass panel above the rear rows has a fixed design. However, in some cars, there is a single large glass panel as a panoramic unit, which partially slides or opens up. A panoramic unit is more effective in making the cabin feel airier and brighter when compared to a single-pane sunroof.

In recent times, SUVs like Hyundai Creta, MG Hector, and Mahindra XUV700 have popularized the concept of panoramic sunroofs. Single-pane sunroofs have made their way in most sub-compact SUVs and even hatchbacks like the Hyundai i20 and Honda Jazz.

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