As part of the agreement, NLCIL will provide financial assistance of ?21.4 lakh to the Foundation for the procurement of four electric vehicles. The vehicles would be procured through the Government e-Market (GeM) Portal within the next 45 days, a release here said.

Switzerland Expert On How Noida Airport Used Climate-Friendly Cement

The Noida International Airport at Jewar has achieved a significant milestone by becoming India’s first large scale civil engineering project to build with low carbon Limestone Calcined Clay Cement or LC3.

The buses will run on four key routes in Noida, including Botanical Garden to Greater Noida West, Noida International Airport, Surajpur Collectorate, and New Bus Adda in Ghaziabad.

India is gaining momentum for extensive EV adoption, and the country’s policies are rapidly being defined and aligned to match that ambition. Yet among all the dimensions being debated, including incentives, tariffs and manufacturing mandates, one area stands above the rest when viewed through the consumer’s lens: the establishment of an efficient, effective and robust public charging infrastructure, including the deeply complex question of grid stability. Range anxiety remains an important concern from end users’ point of view, and while technologies that help increase range are steadily evolving, having an extensive, affordable and reliable public charging infrastructure would be a genuine piece of mind and a true catalyst for accelerating EV adoption to meet the 2030 goals laid down by the Government of India.

The scale of the challenge is stark. As of now, the scale of charging infrastructure is much less than what is currently required or envisaged for the near future, and whatever is available also isn’t reliable for high uptime. As a ball park, India needs almost 50x of charging stations compared to what it has today and that too highly reliable ones. Strengthening this has to be an outcome of several dimensions, requiring close coordination and policy alignment between equipment manufacturers, charging point operators, energy distribution companies and ministries like the power ministry and road transport and highway ministry, alongside policy think tanks and innovative technology companies that can leverage contemporary technologies like AI/ML, big data and analytics. Technology intervention is a must to create the required intelligence that can build a nationwide, data-driven intelligent ecosystem, one that is able to offer a countrywide integrated and reliable public charging infrastructure.

Underneath the charging network lies an equally urgent question: who makes the components? One of the major bottlenecks for the Indian industry has been its heavy reliance on imported semiconductors. With a major transition towards EV adoption underway, the need for such components will be extensive, be it for batteries, Battery Management Systems (BMS), EV electronic components, public charging infrastructure or smart grids and smart metering, just to name a few. Unless these needs are majorly fulfilled by local manufacturers, this could lead to a massive surge in imports. Localization and semiconductor manufacturing will therefore play a very critical role in the success of the EV market and EV future as a whole. It is something that must be taken up in a mission critical mode. It will help reduce import dependencies as well as drive affordability. The government is already providing the required help and working in close association with the industry for making India a global hub for chip manufacturing in the near future.

None of this, however, will matter if the vehicles themselves aren’t safe. Thermal management and battery safety are the very basic and very important aspects that are a must for accelerating EV adoption. India witnessed some odd incidents of EVs catching fire in the recent past. While such incidents have happened with fossil fuel-run vehicles also, anything new that is coming up causes more concern and draws higher attention. Utmost attention in terms of policies, manufacturing, quality control and operational and charging safety needs to be institutionalized at all levels to eliminate any such problems that can be a speed breaker in EV adoption. At a policy level, the government has already mandated strict norms like AIS-156, which focus on battery safety, thermal management and more reliable battery management systems. At a field level, more attention needs to be paid in terms of do’s and don’ts, proper training for safety, battery handling, charging, replacing, over-loading and short circuits in a more formalized and safe manner, instead of a ‘jugaar mindset’.

Taken together, charging infrastructure at scale, domestic semiconductor capability and uncompromising battery safety form the foundation of something far larger: India’s credible bid to become a global hub for EV manufacturing and innovation by 2030. An added advantage is that India is already a preferred global hub for automobile manufacturing. The entire ecosystem being envisioned through government-driven policies in terms of chip manufacturing, battery-related innovations, EV production, power sector reforms and infrastructure growth can surely take India closer to this goal. A lot is happening at the global level too on these subjects, which can be considered as macro-level environmental risks. Localization, innovation and efficient execution will be the critical factors to accomplish this target and the way the EV momentum is going, it is a high possibility that India turns out to be exactly that.

India, 14^th May 2026: As the IPL hits its most-watched stretch of the season, BGauss Electric Scooters X Rajasthan Royals stepped into one of India’s largest youth and entertainment ecosystems, signalling a clear shift in how EV brands are choosing to show up.

The collaboration reflects a broader trend within the electric mobility category, where brands are moving beyond product-first messaging toward cultural participation and lifestyle relevance.

At the heart of the partnership is the “BG-PinkE” a one-of-a-kind branded scooter concept created as the symbolic mascot of the collaboration. Inspired by the iconic Royals pink, the BG-PinkE serves as a bold visual expression of fandom, individuality, and contemporary youth culture, embodying the spirit and energy of the association rather than a commercial product offering. More than a branding asset, it represents a fresh approach to sports-led storytelling in the EV space, where cultural relevance and mobility intersect. 

If the Pink Scooter is the partnership’s visual signature, “BG Bhai” – A Sound for the Streets and the Stands is its sonic identity. Built in the spirit of stadium chants and Bollywood-meets-street-beat anthems, the track is designed for the IPL moment punchy, repeatable, and unmistakably “Royals pink” in attitude.

India’s electric two-wheeler market crossed the 1 million annual sales mark in FY24, growing nearly 40% year-on-year, with Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities now driving a significant share of registrations. The next wave of EV adoption is being shaped by younger consumers urban commuters, first-time buyers, and digitally native audiences who evaluate mobility not just on functionality, but on identity, aspiration, and lifestyle fit.

At the same time, the IPL continues to command one of the highest concentrations of youth attention in India, reaching over 500 million viewers across TV and digital, with rapidly growing engagement from mobile-first audiences in metro and non-metro markets alike.

For BGauss, the Rajasthan Royals partnership is more than a visibility play it’s a signal of the brand’s next phase: from challenger EV player to a nationally relevant, culture-connected mobility brand. 

Commenting on the partnership, Priyanka Kabra, Brand Director, BGauss, said: “The EV category in India is entering a new phase. Consumers aren’t just evaluating products functionally they’re engaging with brands through relevance, identity, and culture. Rajasthan Royals is far more than a visibility opportunity for us. They embody a youthful, fearless, future-facing mindset that mirrors how we see both the category and the BGauss consumer evolving.”

She added: “The insight behind the BG-PinkE came from a simple truth fandom today isn’t passive. Consumers want to participate, personalise, and express the communities they belong to. Rather than slap branding onto a vehicle, we set out to create something emotionally resonant and culturally visible bold, confident, youthful, and instantly distinctive.” 

As part of the IPL integration, BGauss has activated 180 dealerships and 350 retail touchpoints as fan engagement zones across key markets turning EV retail from transactional spaces into immersive brand experience hubs. It’s a deliberate move in a category where physical discovery, familiarity, and consumer education still meaningfully shape purchase decisions. The BG-Rap song was created more in sync with the ‘josh’ of Halla Bol (RR theme song) and encouraged fans to win tickets for matches dancing to the tune and testing the PinkE. 

The Royals partnership builds on BGauss’ growing sports strategy, following its earlier association with the Pro Kabaddi League. Where PKL helped the brand strike grassroots and regional resonance, the IPL broadens that footprint into a national, youth-and-culture-led ecosystem letting BGauss participate across multiple layers of India’s sporting landscape.

Looking ahead, BGauss plans to continue building long-term engagement through integrated sports, youth, and culture-led platforms that align with the aspirations of India’s next-generation consumers.

The newly inaugurated charging plaza is equipped with two advanced DC fast chargers, including a 60 kW fast charger and a 120 kW ultra-fast charger, designed to support a wide range of electric vehicles. The infrastructure is capable of efficiently charging heavy-duty electric vehicles including electric trucks, buses, and commercial fleets, along with passenger EVs, ensuring faster turnaround times and enhanced operational convenience. This station is also equipped with an AC Charger for electric 2 wheelers.

The inauguration ceremony was graced by Tejpal Nagar, MLA of Dadri Vidhan Sabha, who commended the initiative for its role in modernizing the region’s green infrastructure. Highlighting the project’s significance for local development and environmental progress, the event also saw the presence of Prabhutva Tiwari, AGM PR & Marcom at Servotech, Dinesh Arora, Marketing Head at Servotech, Tanmay Bali, Sr. BDM, INCHARZ, Meghna Dosi, GM at NPCL, and Nikhil Garg, Deputy GM at NPCL. Their collective participation underscored the vital synergy between public representatives and industry leaders in building a robust, sustainable mobility framework for Greater Noida.

Speaking on the occasion, Prem Prakash, CEO, Incharz, said, This EV Charging Plaza reflects our commitment to building future-ready charging infrastructure that supports both passenger and heavy-duty electric vehicles. This collaboration with NPCL is another step for Incharz to deliver high-speed charging solutions at strategic urban locations, accelerating EV adoption and reinforcing confidence among fleet operators and individual users alike.

Praveen Goyal, Sr. Vice President, NPCL, added, At NPCL, sustainability remains a core focus for us and partnering with Incharz for this EV Charging Plaza aligns with our vision of delivering cleaner mobility solutions while supporting the region’s transition towards low-carbon transportation.