OCTOBER, 20258TOP STORIESTOP STORIESGOVT LAUNCHES DRIVE TO EXPAND PUBLIC EV CHARGING NETWORKTVS MOTOR BUYS ENGINES ENGINEERING TO BOOST GLOBAL R&DThe federal government has issued implementation manuals for the launch of some 72,300 public electric vehicle (EV) charging outlets across the country, along with a subsidy bridge of 2,000 crore from the 10,900 crore PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Excellence (PM E-DRIVE) framework.The manuals adopt a multi-tiered subsidy approach to help develop EV charging stations at multiple locations. Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) will be the project implementation agency (PIA) for the rollout. The subsidy will be paid in two rounds based on satisfactory compliance and performance milestones.As long as the chargers are made available to the public at no cost, government-owned buildings, such as workplaces, apartment buildings, hospitals, and educational institutions, will be eligible for a 100 percent subsidy on both upstream infrastructure and EV charging equipment.In the case of charging stations in urban areas (such as in city streets, shopping malls and market complexes) and on highways/expressways, the government will subsidise 80 percent of the upstream infrastructure costs. This subsidy rate would also apply to battery swapping and battery charging stations set up anywhere.Per the guidelines, eligible entities (like central ministries and state or Union Territory governments) will be required to identify nodal agencies to aggregate demand for public charging stations (PCSs) and submit application(s) to the Ministry of Heavy Industries. According to TVS, Norton's pipeline of high-performance bikes would be strengthened by the increased engineering depth, further solidifying the company's standing as a contemporary premium brand.Since Sudarshan Venu assumed leadership on August 25, this is also the first significant acquisition. In addition to being responsible for the company's transformation into the biggest two-wheeler EV player in just five years following the launch of the TVS iQube in January 2020, which increased total sales to 600,000 units, Venu is credited with establishing a new global brand identity through the 2020 acquisition of the venerable British brand Norton Motorcycles. Last month, Venu announced that Norton will be showcasing a few of its six upcoming new cars on November 4 at EICMA 2025 in Milan.From being merely a powerful domestic manufacturer, TVS has advanced significantly. With notable growth in Africa and Latin America, the company's two-wheeler exports increased by22.8 percent in FY25 to 1.09 million units.Engines Engineering is known for prototyping, innovation in high-performance motorcycles, and deep experience in MotoGP racing. "The acquisition reflects TVS Motor's commitment to strengthening its design and engineering base to accelerate the creation of next-generation mobility platforms," the company said. In order to establish its Global Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Design and Engineering in Bologna, Italy, TVS Motor Company plans to pay five million euros to purchase Engines Engineering S.p.A., a company that specializes in automotive design and engineering.The company's long-term goal of providing high-end, cutting-edge mobility solutions in worldwide markets is in line with the global CoE for Design. This project will allow TVS Motor to increase design flexibility, shorten product development cycles, and add new electric mobility platforms, high displacement bikes, and sophisticated scooters to its premium lineup.
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