Motown India February 2021

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VOL-11 • ISSUE-5 • FEBRUARY 2021 • `300/-

INDIA

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2021-22 UNION BUDGET ANY BENEFITS FOR THE INDIAN AUTO INDUSTRY?

E FIRST DRIV

ALL-NEW TATA

REVIEWS : MAHINDRA XUV 300 PETROL AUTOSHIFT / TATA ALTROZ iTURBO BMW 3 SERIES GRAN LIMOUSINE / BS6 TVS RADEON / OKINAWA DUAL E-SCOOTER

KERALA GOD’S OWN COUNTRY

HEARTS! TO U C H I N G

W W W.K ERA LA HOUSE B OATONLINE.COM For bookings call: +91- 9895809251 Artwork created by MPPL team

EDITOR

PUNNOOSE THARYAN (ROY)

ptharyan@motownindia.com -----------------------------------------News Coordinator - Jisha P Sr. Correspondent - Farhan Khan, Aki Paul Video Editor - Ramesh Kumar Content Manger - Vrinda Desai Digital In-charge Naveen Kumar Web Correspondents - Avdesh Kumar, Seema Paul Photo Journalist - Afsar Baig -----------------------------------------FOR EDITORIAL CONTACT editorial@motownindia.com, editorial.motown@gmail.com -----------------------------------------FOR MARKETING & SALES CONTACT Head-Operations - Jisha P jisha@motownindia.com, +91-9958125645 advertising@motownindia.com, advertising.motown@gmail.com -----------------------------------------FOR ACCOUNTS CONTACT Ankit Sharma, ankit@motownindia.com -----------------------------------------FOR CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTION CONTACT subscription@motownindia.com / +91-9958125645 -----------------------------------------Office Executive - Ravinder -----------------------------------------EDITORIAL DELHI OFFICE 145 B/9, First Floor, Kishangarh, Next to United Free Church, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070 -----------------------------------------EDITORIAL CONTENT The publisher makes every effort to ensure that the contents in the magazine are correct.

However, he can accept no responsibility for any effects from errors or omissions.

Any unauthorised reproduction of Motown India content is strictly forbidden.

-----------------------------------------Motown India is owned by Motown Publications Private Limited and published from 4058 / D-4, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi-110070. Motown India magazine is printed at Pearl Printers, C-105, Okhla Phase - 1, New Delhi - 110020 -----------------------------------------This issue of Motown India magazine contains 68 pages including both covers.

-----------------------------------------EDITORIAL ADVISORS Alexander T. & Annie Jacob

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P. THARYAN (ROY) s the Indian auto industry is slowly emerging out of the woods, post the havoc caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent nationwide lockdown, new car launches are happening more frequently in the country.

In this edition we are carrying several car and bike reviews. Some of the vehicles reviewed

include the Tata Safari 2021, the BMW 3 Series Gran Limousine, the Mahindra XUV petrol Autoshift, Tata Altroz iTurbo, Honda H’ness CB 350 and the Okinawa Dual electric scooter among others.

Tata Motors launched its iconic SUV, the Safari, albeit in a modern avatar. The six and seven seater SUV is now built on the legendary Land Rover D 8 platform. The vehicle offers some very exciting features, has some great styling and despite being a 4x2, performs pretty well. The BMW 3 Series Gran Limousine is a new 3 series with a lot more space. We write about what this luxury car offers in its extended version.

We have also written about the Honda H’ness CB 350 motorcycle, the first real challenger to the Royal Enfield 350cc motorcycle. An interesting product launched by the Okinawa Autotech is the Okinawa Dual electric scooter. We have reviewed the product extensively and have highlighted its pros and cons.

This issue also carries an in-depth report on the Union Budget 2021-22 and explains why the auto industry is happy despite the fact that the Finance Minister has given no direct sops to the industry. The only exciting feature of the Budget is the announcement of a Vehicle Scrapping Policy. The government will soon be firming up this policy. The industry feels that this policy, once implemented, will retire old vehicles, which are more polluting, and spur the growth in demand for new vehicles. The industry hailed several indirect measures the government has announced in the Budget. They are confident that this Budget will pave the way for an Atma Nirbhar Bharat, which translates to a “self reliant India”.

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CONTE NTS VOL 11 | ISSUE 5 | FEBRUARY 2021

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09 CAR NEWS:

10 WHEELZ & ROADZ:

BIKE NEWS:

2021 MG ZS electric car launched

2021 TATA SAFARI 4X2 SUV

New Yamaha FZ series

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Mahindra XUV300 Petrol Autoshift

New BMW 3 Series Gran Limousine

30 WHEELZ & ROADZ: Tata Altroz iTurbo

44 WHEELZ & ROADZ : TVS Radeon BS VI

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34 WHEELZ & ROADZ:

HONDA H’Ness CB 350

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Okinawa Dual Electric Scooter

48 WHEELZ & ROADZ:

Royal Enfield Interceptor BS VI

52 COVER REPORT:

Union Budget 2021-22 www.motownindia.com

CAR NEWS

2021 MG ZS electric car with a 419km range launched at `20.99 lakh onward ZS EV is now available across 31 cities in the country MG Motor India has launched the new ZS EV 2021 priced at Rs. 20.99 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi).

The updated version comes with a best-in-class 44.5 kWh Hi-Tech battery and has a certified range of 419km, though a user can get 300-400 km range in most situations, the company claimed. Equipped with new 215/55/R17 tyres, the vehicle and batterypack ground clearances have been increased to 177 mm and 205 mm respectively. Having expanded the charging ecosystem across the country with its partners, the ZS EV 2021 has now been made available for bookings in 31 cities. The car was initially launched in 5 cities during its launch in January 2020. The MG ZS EV comes with 143 PS power and 350 Nm torque and can reach from 0 to 100 kmph in 8.5 seconds. It is available in two variants – Excite & Exclusive.

RENAULT KIGER joins crowded sub 4-metre compact SUV segment in India Groupe Renault globally premiered the Renault Kiger compact SUV in India.

This sub4-metre compact SUV has been designed and developed for India before making its international debut.

Renault Kiger has been designed with a host of sporty and muscular elements.

Renault Kiger will be powered by a new turbocharged 1.0L petrol engine. This engine will ensure a Sporty drive and will be complemented by multi sense drive modes. The Kiger’s design was inspired by the Kiger show-car that was unveiled at the end of 2020.

With the CMFA+ platform DNA, just like the Triber, it offers segment leading roominess, cabin storage and cargo space.

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CAR NEWS

2021 JEEP COMPASS launched at `16.99 lakh onward

Launched in 11 variants offered across 4 trims FCA India has officially announced the prices of its Jeep Compass. The new made-in-India Jeep Compass will be priced in the range of Rs 16.99 lakh to Rs 28.99 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi / Mumbai). Customer test drives and vehicle deliveries of the 2021 Jeep Compass will begin from February 2, 2021.

The new Jeep Compass has been launched in 11 variants offered across 4 trims – Sport, Longitude, Limited (O) and Model ‘S’. Apart from this, Jeep brand’s celebratory 80th Anniversary Edition has also been introduced in 3 variants.

There will be choice of 7 colours--3 new colours that include Techno Metallic Green, Galaxy Blue and Bright White. The 2021 Jeep Compass has an all-new interior packed with connected features across the range. Model ‘S’ is a new Global variant introduced as top-end trim. A 20-inches digital screen is being offered in Model ‘S’. Two trims - Limited (O) and Model ‘S’ will come with a panoramic sunroof. A 7-speed DDCT has been introduced in Sport trim incorporating customer feedback.

World premiere of all-new SKODA KUSHAQ in March 2021

SUV will be powered by 1 litre, 1.5 litre engines; 3 gearbox options Skoda Auto has announced that the all-new Skoda Kushaq sports utility vehicle will celebrate its world premiere in March 2021. With the launch of the Skoda Kushaq – a car that has been specially developed for the Indian market – Skoda Auto is entering the subcontinent’s rapidly growing mid-size SUV segment for the first time, and joins the Kodiaq and Karoq in the Skoda Auto India line-up Based on the MQB-A0-IN vehicle architecture, the Skoda Kushaq has a long wheelbase of 2,651 mm and offers interior room for five occupants. With a large boot capacity there is ample room for luggage too.

The all new Skoda Kushaq is powered by TSI engines that transfer power to the front wheels. The engines on offer will be a 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre TSI. Three gearbox options will be offered, depending on the model: a 6-speed manual, a 6-speed automatic and a 7-speed DSG.

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BIKE NEWS

India Yamaha unleashes new FZ series with new features India Yamaha has introduced an all-new range of FZ Series in the country. The new FZ series with 149 cc, fuel-injected, BS VI engine have become more lighter, and will flaunt attractive body style in 1 new colour for FZS FI --Matte Red. The new FZ series is also beefed up with “Side stand engine cutoff switch” while the FZS FI model additionally get Bluetooth-enabled “Yamaha Motorcycle Connect X”. The price of the new FZ FI starts from Rs.1,03,700 Ex-showroom Delhi and new FZS FI starts from Rs. 1,07,200 Ex-showroom Delhi.

The new FZ series comprising of FZ FI models will have two colours – Racing Blue and Metallic black while the FZS FI models has five coloursMatte red (new), Dark matte blue, Matte black, Dark knight & Vintage Edition.

The light weight of the body, reduced from 137 kgs to 135 kgs will further help riders in maneuvering along with an improved comfort of handling. All models in the new FZ (149CC) series are powered by single channel ABS, gets LED headlight, 140 mm wide rear radial tyre, two level single-piece seating and a durable 149 cc FI engine in BS VI.

TVS iQube Electric scooter in New Delhi at `1.08 lakh TVS Motor Company has launched their TVS iQube Electric scooter in New Delhi. TVS iQube Electric is now available in select dealerships across the national capital, at an on-road price of Rs 1,08,012 (post FAME & Delhi state subsidy).

TVS iQube Electric is a green and connected, fun to ride urban scooter powered by an advanced electric drivetrain and next-gen TVS SmartXonnect platform.

The TVS iQube Electric was launched in Bengaluru in January 2020 and has seen an enthusiastic response from customers despite the pandemic. The TVS iQube Electric is equipped with 4.4 kW electric motor to deliver high power and efficiency with no transmission loss. The scooter has a max speed of 78 kmph and traverses 75 kms in full charge. The TVSiQube Electric accelerates from 0 to 40 kmph in 4.2 seconds.

TVS iQube Electric scooter is equipped with proprietory next-gen TVS SmartXonnect platform and comes with an advanced TFT cluster and TVS iQube app.

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QUICK SPECS - 2021 TATA SAFARI ENGINE Kryotec 2.0 L (1956cc )Turbocharged Diesel BS6, In-Line 4-Cylinder TRANSMISSION 6-Speed Automatic MAX POWER 168hp@5000–5500rpm PEAK TORQUE 350Nm@1750-2500rpm TYRES 235/60 R18 Alloys

(Spare wheel - 235/70 R16)

FIRST DRIVE

2021 TATA SAFARI 4X2 SUV

A SMOOTH

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Report: Roy Punnoose Tharyan / Photography: Afsar Baig

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ot to be content with the good looking Harrier, Tata Motors has now got along a sibling in the form of the new 2021 Safari. Similar to the Harrier, this SUV too combines the Tata Motors’ Impact 2.0 design language and the capability of OMEGARC, architecture derived from the D8 platform from Land Rover.

But there has got to a different between the two. Well, there are several, despite the fact that they share the same powertrain and transmission. The new Safari will be available in 6 and 7 seater options.

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The new Tata safari will be powered by the Kryotec 2L turbocharged diesel engine, and will have a choice of a 6-speed manual transmission as well as 6-speed automatic transmission. We got the automatic version for a test drive and this was a six-seater with captain seats.

EXTERIOR Coming to the exterior, the new Tata Safari has a sleek, yet muscular frame with an equally muscular bonnet. In front you get to see signature grille with the signature tri-arrow chrome motif encased by the

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humanity line. Just below that is the dual tone bumper. The SUV gets Xenon HID projector headlamps, dual function LED DRLs with turn indicators and front fog lamp with cornering function.

The side profile of this vehicle is unique and interesting. It gets a stepped roof, roof-rails, flared wheel arches, and protective side cladding. The vehicle sits on 18” machined alloy wheels. It comes with a shark fin antenna.

The rear of the vehicle too is good looking with its integrated spoiler, the signature twin light LED tail lamps and the rear fog lamps. It has a high mounted stop light too. The vehicle will be available in Royale Blue, Orcus White and Daytona Grey colours. The one we were reviewing was in Royal Blue.

INTERIOR Once you step inside the vehicle you are treated to signature oyster white interior colour scheme, signature ashwood dashboard, premium oyster white perforated leather seat upholstery and door pad inserts.

The Safari also has satin chrome pack soft touch dashboard with anti reflective ‘nappa’ grain top layer. The steering wheel is leather wrapped and so is the gear shift knob. The knob has a bejewelled kind of surface. The steering wheel with mounted controls comes with tilt and telescopic adjustment. You get a USB and Aux in slots in front.

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The new Safari gets a Majestic Skydome, which is basically a best-in-segment panoramic sunroof.

The sunroof automatically closes when the ignition is turned off and the vehicle is parked with doors locked. It has an anti-pinch for passenger safety. It also has a rain sensor closure to prevent rainwater from getting into the cabin.

The cabin comes in six and seven seater option.

The Automatic version we had was a six-seater with three seating rows. The middle row had captain seats. We got the model with the captain seats.

While the front seats are comfortable with adequate bolsters, thigh support and lumbar support, the driver seat is 6-way powered with adjustable lumbar support.

The front co-passenger does not get this luxury and has manual adjustments. The front arm rest for the driver is broad and comfortable with storage space.

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The captain seats are very broad with individual arm rests. The one diagonally behind the driver seat has the option to shift the front seat forward and backward with a lever on the side of the front left seat.

Tata Motors calls it the Boss mode. The second row seats which are reclining too gets exclusive AC vents on either side on the B pillars.

Then you have pockets on the rear of the front seats for storage. The door panels too hold ample storage space for bottle and knick knacks.

Reading lights, hooks, two USB slots and grab handles make up the rest of the features for the second row passengers.

The third row seat offers comfort for adults with its abundant kneeroom and headroom for a stretch, though thigh support is lacking.

Getting in and out of the third row is from the space between the two captain seats and not from the side of the captain seat. Since the captain seat is not a tumble down seat, unlike in the seven seater where the second row seat is a bench seat and the same can be tumbled down, here the seat can only be reclined a bit and pushed in

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The 2021 Tata Safari with a monocoque construction is very unlike its earlier sibling by the same name. This one is sleek, has tons of comfort features as well as technology brilliance. Whether it is the safety features, or the technology features associated with comfort and utility, this SUV is loaded to the brim with brilliance. front and the space so created is too narrow for anyone to get in, unless one squeezes in.

glided over potholes and some rough patches very smoothly.

The third row occupants have access to two USB slots, cup holder, mobile holder, a netted area to keep knick knacks, exclusive AC vents on the C pillars and reading lamps.

The Electronic Parking Brake with Auto Hold is a great function. Each time the vehicle is switched off, the EPB gets activated as a default setting and one can lift off from stationery by simply engaging the Drive mode and pressing the throttle. Of course, you need to wear your seat belt also. But you can also manually deactivate this electric parking brake by stepping on the brake pedal and releasing the switch. This EPB is like your hand brake and in the Tata Safari it is electronic.

It has a rollover screen with a black coating on the glass side that helps with heat dissipation and keeps the cabin cool.

There is plenty of storage space in the vehicle from those in the door panels, front arm rest, in the glove compartment, and on the sides of the third row for bottles, cups, mobile holders, etc.

Other cabin features include ambient mood lighting, fully automatic temperature control, AC vents for all three row passengers, push button start, automatic headlamps, rain sensing wipers and electrically adjustable and foldable outer mirrors.

No interior is complete without an infotainment system and a colourful instrument cluster. The vehicle gets floating island touch screen infotainment system with 8.8” display, JBL Audio with 9 speakers (4 Speakers+ 4 Tweeters+ 1 Subwoofer) and external Amplifier. It has Android Auto & Apple Car Play Connectivity. The vehicle has an instrument cluster with 7” coloured TFT Display, media, phone & navigation mirroring between Infotainment and Instrument cluster,

video playback and view images through USB, Voice Recognition & SMS Readout, Voice Alerts for Driver assistance, Bluetooth Audio Playback, etc. The Intelligent Real Time Assist provides a plethora of functions through an app which you need to download into your smartphone. The SUV also comes with a whole set of voice command features and the button to initiate this is mounted on the steering wheel.

ENGINE & PERFORMANCE The Kryotec 2.0 litre turbocharged diesel engine produces 168hp and 350 Nm of peak torque. The turbocharger is an advanced electronically controlled variable geometry turbocharger (eVGT) for good low end torque and linear power delivery. We got a 6-speed automatic to drive.

The new Tata Safari comes with engine drive modes (Eco, City, Sport) and all these modes are fine tuned to the ESP Terrain Response Modes like Normal, Rough & Wet. These terrain modes can be engaged by turning the rotary knob on the centre console. On either side of this knob are buttons for Hill Descent Control and engaging your ESP and disengaging it.

Though we did not get the time to test out these features, we surely enjoyed the driving in the different modes, the sport mode being the most aggressive and responsive.

The front suspension and hydra bush have been carried over from D8 and have been tuned for Indian conditions. The rear twist blade suspension has been designed

by Lotus Engineering of the UK to suit Indian conditions. All this was quite evident in the ride and handling of the six-seater SUV as it

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Just adjacent to the EPB is the Auto Hold button. Now this is a very handy feature. Once you start the vehicle, you need to activate this function by first pressing the Auto Hold button, You need to wear your seat belt while doing this. The message in tiny letters displays on the instrument panel in white with the words “Auto Hold”. Now as you move the vehicle forward or backward, the letters turn green which means this function is activated. What it does is that while driving in traffic or a hilly tract or anywhere, when you apply brakes, the vehicle holds in that position and does not roll back or forward even if you lift your foot off the brakes. This vehicle has all disc brakes. The vehicle comes with a plethora of safety features that include the likes of ABS, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, Corner Stability control, roll over mitigation, tyre pressure monitor system, 6 Airbags, autodimming IRVM, child seat ISOFIX anchor points, reverse parking camera, etc.

The 2021 Tata Safari with a monocoque construction is very unlike its earlier sibling by the same name. This one is sleek, has tons of comfort features as well as technology brilliance. Whether it is the safety features, or the technology features associated with comfort and utility, this SUV is loaded to the brim with brilliance. Maybe having a 4x2 makes more sense at this stage than bringing in a 4x4 and making it a lot costlier for the star stuck Tata Safari fans.

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FIRST DRIVE NEW BMW 3 SERIES GRAN LIMOUSINE

SP EC I F ICAT IO NS ENGINE 1998cc, BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, In line / 4 cylinder / 4 valves

TRANSMISSION 8-Speed Steptronic sport MAX POWER 258hp@5000rpm PEAK TORQUE 400Nm@1550-4400rpm FUEL TANK CAPACITY 59 litres PRICE `51.50 lakh - BMW 330Li Luxury Line

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WIDE option Report: Roy Punnoose Tharyan / Photography: Afsar Baig

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e all know this beautiful phrase in Hinglish, “Dil Maange More”. Well I am sure a lot of BMW 3 series customers would have wanted more from their BMW 3 series models in terms of space, the rest I am sure is almost perfect. So BMW India has brought in a long wheelbase version of the BMW 3 Series exclusively for the Indian market. It goes by the name of BMW 3 series Gran Limousine.

The car is available in both petrol and diesel variants.

The diesel variant is BMW 320Ld Luxury Line and two petrol variants are BMW 330Li Luxury Line and BMW 330Li M Sport First Edition. We drove the petrol Luxury Line. The ex-showroom price of the BMW 330Li Luxury Line is Rs 51,50,000.

Longer wheel base means it is a longer car and more space for the occupants. We shall come to that but let’s talk about this new BMW 3 series Gran Limousine. So how different is it from the regular BMW 330i?

The new 3 series sedan, and I am talking about the BMW 330i which was launched sometime back, was already 76 mm longer than its predecessor at 4,709 mm, 16 mm wider at 1,827mm and just 1 mm taller at 1,442 mm. The

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car’s wheelbase too was longer by 41mm at 2,851 mm and increased track widths (front: + 43 mm, rear: 21 mm).

Now this Gran Limousine has a length of 4819mm as compared to the 330i’s 4709mm. It’s width is just the same as the 330i at 1827mm and is 1mm shorter at 1441mm compared to the 330i’s 1442mm. Coming to the wheelbase, the Gran Limousine has a wheelbase of 2961mm as compared to the 330i’s 2851mm. The Gran Limousine has a turning radius of 11.8metres.

The Limousine version and regular 3 series petrol models have the same two-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that produces an output of 258 hp @ 5000rpm and maximum torque of 400

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Nm at 1,550 – 4,400 rpm. The engine is mated to an eight-speed Steptronic Sport Automatic transmission. While the regular 3 series accelerates from 0 – 100 km/h in 5.8 seconds, this one does in 6.2 seconds.

The BMW 3 Series Gran Limousine will be the longest and most spacious car in its segment. In the front you get to see the large BMW kidney grille with single surround for the two elements and LED headlights with extended features. It has short overhangs, a long bonnet and a set-back passenger compartment.

There is a distinctive spoiler and slim three-dimensional L- shaped LED taillights along with two large freeform

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tailpipes. ‘T’ shaped air intakes add an eye-catching design flourish to the front and rear.

The rear doors are 110 mm longer than those of the BMW 3 Series sedan.

EXTERIORS Since it’s not much different from the 330i, let me quickly take you through the exterior features and design elements. The Luxury Line model has the large BMW kidney grille with vertical slats in chrome. Then there are entry sills with BMW designation. There are exclusive design features in chrome at the rear and front. Like in the BMW 330i here too the active air stream kidney grille knows when engine, brakes and other components need air and automatically opens the air vents. If no further air intake is required, it closes them again. The car also has smooth underbody paneling, air deflectors on the front wheel arches and vertical aeroblades, which form a unit with the rear spoiler tip to channel the airflow around the rear of the car to best effect.

The alloy wheels here are surprising only 17 inches, though the 330i has 18 inches wheels. The 225/50 R17 tyres are runflat.

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INTERIORS Among the high points of the interiors are the very comfortable seats both in front and rear. Since the car is longer than the normal 3 series, it results in an extra 43 mm of legroom in the rear compartment. Mind you, these rear seats have been newly designed.

Practical stowage areas further enhance the comfort and convenience factor. The luggage compartment can swallow 480 litres of gear, including as many as three golfbags. Automatic operation of tailgate allows for handsfree opening / closing.

The driver and the front passenger seats have electrical seat adjustment with memory function for driver. It has newly designed headrest and central armrest and the roomy map pockets are integrated into the front seat backrests. The Limousine version gets panorama glass sunroof.

The car comes with automatic 3-zone air conditioning with rear AC vents and controls. With regards to BMW ConnectedDrive, you get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, telephony

with wireless charging and the Harman Kardon surround sound system with 16 speakers.

The BMW Virtual Assistant in the BMW 3 Series Gran Limousine gets a lot of job done through voice commands. Now ordering your car around has become a vogue of sorts. Uttering the short prompt “Hey/ Hi/Hello BMW” allows drivers to access various vehicle functions and obtain information simply by speaking. Saying “Hey BMW, I’m cold” will prompt the car to adjust the temperature inside. One unique feature over other digital assistants is that drivers can give this one a name of their choice (for eg, “Hey Charlie”).

There are a plethora of verbal commands that this car follows.

You also get rear view camera with park distance control for both front and rear, parking assistant with lateral

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parking and reversing assistant, surround view cameras with 360 degrees view, etc. The micro-activated carbon particulate filter ensures clean and fresh air inside the cabin.

The cockpit comprises a fully digital 12. 3 inches instrument display, a 10.25 inches control display, navigation function, touch functionality and also voice control. The 10.25-inch highresolution Control Display is centrally mounted, touch-sensitive and angled towards the driver. There is exclusive chrome trim in the centre console area.

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ENGINE & PERFORMANCE The car is powered by a BS-VI 2-litre 4-cylinder engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology.

This engine is mated to an eight-speed Steptronic sport transmission. The unfortunate part is that speed limits on city roads are abysmally low at just around 50 kms per hour on most of the roads, hence tapping the accelerator a bit too much would have landed us in a bit of trouble with the law.

But whatever high speeds we managed on our cobbled roads, we did realise the comfort the car offered. The new BMW 3 Series Gran Limousine features updated shock absorber technology to make low speed driving more comfortable and dynamic driving more stable.

The lift-related dampers are part of the car’s standard chassis. The new suspension and damping system ensures that your ride and handling is top notch.

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The driver can choose between different drive modes and these are Comfort, Eco Pro, Sport and Sport +. Each mode brings out the best in the vehicle in terms of performance.

But whatever mode you choose, please do keep an eye out for the speed cameras dotting out country roads. And that is precisely the

reason why we were not tempted by the Launch Control which can help you achieve maximum acceleration with optimised traction from a standstill. The car comes with steering wheel paddle shifters and cruise control with braking function.

But when you are seated at the back, you do not have to bother yourself with such trivialities. You just stretch your legs and enjoy the virtues of a limousine. The car comes with a host of safety features like six airbags, Attentiveness Assistance, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) including Cornering Brake Control (CBC), electric parking brake with auto hold, side-impact protection, electronic vehicle immobiliser and crash sensor, ISOFIX child seat mounting, etc. These are all the more reason for you to relax in the rear seat and enjoy your journey in the new BMW 3 series Gran Limousine.

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FIRST DRIVE

SHIFT MAHINDRA XUV300 PETROL AUTOSHIFT

to Power Report: Roy Punnoose Tharyan / Photography: Afsar Baig

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t’s been around SPECIFICATIONS two years since the Mahindra XUV300 ENGINE 1.2 L Turbocharged MPFI (1197cc) has been launched. It was launched with both TRANSMISSION 6-speed AutoSHIFT a 1.2 litre turbocharged MAX POWER 108.62hp@5000rpm petrol engine and a 1.5 litre turbocharged diesel PEAK TORQUE 200Nm@2000-3500rpm engine. While, the petrol PRICE `9.95 lakh onward (ex-showroom engine had only an option Mumbai for W6 model) of a six-speed manual transmission, the diesel engine had an additional Mahindra XUV300 has becomes option of a six-speed automatic Global NCAP’s first five-star car in transmission or AutoShift. This is an Africa. The XUV300 had achieved a Automated Manual Transmission or five-star rating for the Indian market an AMT. in 2020. Global NCAP’s Indian and African programmes share the same Now finally, the petrol engine gets assessment protocols and following an option of an AutoShift for the a production compliance review, the W6 and W8(O) trim levels, the latter rating has been confirmed for the trim also gets the BlueSense Plus model’s roll out in Africa, said Global Connected technology.

Ncap in a press note.

In this report we shall we shall be elaborating upon the capabilities of the AutoShift and the features related to the BlueSense Plus Connected technology. But before that it’s important to note that the

AUTOSHIFT NOW IN PETROL VARIANT Now let’s get back to how efficient is the automatic transmission in the petrol model. AutoShift has been developed by Mahindras in

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collaboration with transmission experts, Marelli. Unlike other automatic gear shifts where you need to shift the gears to the different modes by shifting its position to either N or R or D, here you need to simply tap the lever to the mode you want to engage. The interesting part of this gear lever is that it is designed to function like the rolly polly doll. Yes, no matter where you slot it or tap it, the lever comes back to the centre position. This is something unique and very unlike the conventional gear lever of an automatic transmission.

Thus you can, with a single tap of the gear shifter, shift to Auto, Reverse or Manual modes.

Rule No. 1 of slotting the gear shift in an automatic transmission is that you need to first put your foot on the brake pedal and then move to the desired mode. The Auto Mode is the best mode where everything runs automatically. You also get an option of a Manual Mode. This mode is ideal when you want to shift the gear all by yourself, especially if you want to drive a bit more aggressively. A prior knowledge of a manual gear shift comes very handy here, though a small arrow on the instrument panel does guide you to upshift or downshift.

Another interesting safety feature is that while driving in drive mode at speeds above 5 kmph, if you were to accidentally try shifting to the reverse or vice versa, the system does not allow you to do it.

A warning message comes up on your instrument panel screen.

Both the Automatic as well as Manual mode get a ‘Creep’ function. This function is best experienced when you are in a very slow traffic and you are either moving up a hill or in a bumper to bumper traffic. It not only works in the forward movement but also in the reverse. You can actually keep your foot off the accelerator pedal throughout such a situation where the creep feature is engaged.

This creep function also comes with a safety net. Before you start your car and slot you car into Drive, with the Auto or Manual mode, and if your car door is open, the creep function is disabled. It prevents the car from moving ahead if the door is open. That’s a great safety feature.

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This vehicle also now comes with a Hill Start Assist which prevents a roll-back, especially when you are stranded on an incline position with the car.

Now let’s head straight for the drive experience. Everybody wants a punchy engine and the Mahindra XUV300 does not disappoint you here. It’s got something called the kick down shift which ensures a very punchy pick up during overtaking or for quick acceleration.

And to make matters easy for you while driving in different situations, whether it is uphill or downhill or on straight roads or in thick traffic, the Mahindra XUV300 comes with Adaptive Pedal Response. The company claims this is an advanced system which chooses the most appropriate shift map from the 600 unique calibration points which are mapped for Indian driving conditions. Automatic gear shift map selection is based on accelerator inputs and driving requirements ranging from comfort drive to sporty drive, uphill to downhill. What more can one ask for in one’s car. You have the punch and you have an advanced pedal response too.

The Mahindra XUV300 is also equipped with Electronic Stability Control or ESC which ensures stability and control of the vehicle in critical driving situations by using the function of antilock braking system and traction control system.

With the brief driving experience I got this Mahindra XUV 300, I was impressed by its new AutoShift transmission. It is a perfect mate to the petrol engine and it did not disappoint me when it came to speed and performance. It’s loaded with features that will surely make you drive comfortably and in a thrilling way too. And talking of features, the XUV300 comes with so many, besides a neat cabin and a smart exterior. Features that are bound to excite you include front parking sensors, dual zone AC, auto dimming IRVM, all 4 disc brakes, a very decent steering system, 7” infotainment, Android Auto & Car Play, among others. The sunroof will be a standard feature on the AutoSHIFT transmission in both the W6 and W8(O) variants.

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BLUESENSE PLUS CONNECTED TECHNOLOGY The Mahindra XUV300 top model in petrol AutoShift now gets an app based BlueSense Plus Connected SUV Technology.

App based technologies are today being offered by many car and even two-wheeler manufacturers for the younger generation of buyers. Every manufacturer has its own proprietary app to offer.

I shall tqake you through the steps needed to get the BlueSense app up and running.

The first thing you do is to download the app from your Playstore. Since I had an Android based smart phone I downloaded the BlueSense app for Mahindra XUV300 from the Playstore which took me hardly any time as there was a 4G service available at the spot where I stood.

Once I downloaded this app, I had to pair my phone to the car’s system. For that I had to ensure that my Bluetooth is switched on in my smartphone. After that I searched for Bluetooth devices through the infotainment screen functions. Also simultaneously, I went to my Settings in my phone, then to Bluetooth and searched for any compatible devices. My phone located Mahindra and once I clicked on it, the two systems, my phone and the Mahindra XUV systems sent each other a code which I had to accept at both ends.

Now my phone was paired to Mahindra XUV300 through Bluetooth and I was ready to use the App. It’s as simple as that.

The BlueSense app provides great in-car experience of convenience, accessibility, and information to the driver as well as the passenger. Like I mentioned earlier, it’s more of a younger generation fad.

find my XUV300, geo fencing, route deviation alert, share vehicle location, share a location, save places & routes, pitstop, turn-by-turn navigation and vehicle information & alerts.

These features are ideal to keep a tab on your loved ones and make sure they are safe. This app also provides features like low fuel alert, check distance to empty, parking lamp On alert, vehicle start stop alert, check tyre pressure, check door lock status, check odometer, check AC information, engine idle alert, besides safety & security alerts.

Now if you are the tech savvy, gadget freak then these functions will definitely bring a broad smile to your face. A piece of advice, make sure that while driving you keep your eyes on the road and not get distracted with your phone or its various features. But at the end of the day, there are more than a handful of features to play around with in this BlueSense app from Mahindra & Mahindra.

This BlueSense app has got 40+ features including remote vehicle control features, location based features, vehicle information & alerts, safety & security alerts, in-car controls which keep your worries at bay so that you can enjoy the drive of the AutoShift with your loved ones.

Remote vehicle control features include remote door lock/ unlock, remote hazard lamp On/ Off, Search My XUV300, remote park lamp Off, location-based features, etc. Then you can also activate live vehicle tracking;

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FIRST DRIVE

TATA ALTROZ iTURBO

Turbo Thrill S P EC I F I C AT IO NS ENGINE 1199 cc (1.2 L) i-Turbo Petrol, 3 Cylinders TRANSMISSION 5-Speed MT MAX POWER 108.50hp@ 5500rpm PEAK TORQUE 140Nm@1500 –

5500rpm

FUEL EFFICIENCY 18.13kmpl TYRES 195/55 R16

Spare Tyre Size: 165/80 R14

PRICE `8.85 lakh (ex showroom India)

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I

Report: Roy Punnoose Tharyan / Photography: Afsar Baig

t’s been more than a year since Tata Motors has launched the Tata Altroz i-Turbo hatchback. It has sold more than 50,00 units in the first year of launch since January 2020, despite the covid times. The vehicle came with a 1.2 litre petrol Revotron petrol engine and a 1.5 litre tubocharged Revotorq diesel engine.

The petrol engine could only churn out 85hp@6000 rpm and a peak torque of 113Nm at 3300 rpm. With the turbo petrol

engine, this power has been bumped up to 108.5hp@5500rpm and the peak torque has been bumped up to 140Nm and that too at a decent rpm range of 1500 to 5500.

The iTurbo petrol engine will be available in variants XT, XZ and XZ+. We got the XZ+ for a short drive and this is the only iTurbo variant that also comes with some new technology features. The XZ+ i-Turbo variant is priced at Rs 8,85,500 ex showroom. Tata Motors has also introduced a new Harbour Blue colour

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for the Altroz which is available in all variants from Altroz XM+ upwards. We too had a harbour blue colour Altroz for our review.

Now let us quickly take you through some of the significant additions in the new Tata Altroz intelligent turbo or iTurbo. This 1.2 litre turbo engine is mated to a five speed manual transmission.

Now to dodge the speed cameras and find a decent stretch with no cameras and no speed limits is virtually impossible in a city like Delhi.

But we did manage to find that and we simply floored the accelerator pedal on that short strip. This variant gets multi-drive modes, sport and city. Even city mode has tons of juice in it to take you at high speed. This machine moved as though it was on Red Bull. The way it accelerated it was proof enough that the Altroz has truly grown wings. This new iTurbo is an enthusiast’s delight.

The car handled well, the ride quality we experienced was brilliant and the

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brakes too were precise and confident.

Now coming to the other changes, the new 2021 Altroz i-Turbo also sports a new Black and light Grey interiors with perforated leatherette seats. This makes the car interiors look and feel premium.

On the technology front the XZ+ variant gets an intelligent Real Time Assist or iRA. This is an app based technology which offers a plethora of functions. It offers 27 features with 5 layers of connectivity.

It has remote commands like lock and unlock. This function, however, refused to work with us. Then there are commands like remote headlights on/ off, hazard lights, remote horn, etc.

We tried many of them and they all worked. Then there are Vehicle Security Intrusion alert, Location Based Services, Gamification and Live Vehicle Diagnosis. Also keep in mind, this app cannot be downloaded and used by any tom, dick and harry but is meant for

only those who buy the Altroz. In order to download the iRA app on phone, one must Click on register in iRA app home screen, then enter the vehicle chassis number. An OTP will be sent to the registered mobile number, the one that you shared at dealership while buying the vehicle. Once you enter the OTP, you need to set a 4 digit login pin to secure the app. After that one needs to enter one’s personal details.

The vehicle also now comes with natural voice tech, through which the car understands and processes voice commands not only in English or Hindi, but also in Hinglish. Interesting feature, as you can give out more than 70 commands.

A new feature called What 3 Words too comes with this variant. It’s basically a precise and simple way to reach your locations. What 3 Words is a technology that has assigned each 3m square in the world a unique 3 word address. They are easy to say, share and are accurate too.

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So, what else is new in this car? It gets an Xpress Cool feature which helps cabin to reach comfort temperatures quickly by optimally setting the air conditioning to maximum cooling. There was no way this feature made sense right now to us as the temperature outside was freezing in Delhi and the fog had set in when were out testing the vehicle.

Other new features include personalised wallpaper on your infotainment screen, one shot up power windows and 2 additional tweeters by Harman which is again only in iTurbo.

Now that we are through with the new features of the Altroz iTurbo, let me reiterate on some of the existing features of the car which I thought is really cool.

Tata Altroz is the first product on the ALFA architecture and is India’s safest hatchback with a 5 star rating from Global NCAP. It comes with dual front airbags, advanced ABS 9.3 with EBD and corner stability control, reverse parking sensor and a reverse camera that has dynamic guidelines.

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In front you have dual chamber projector headlamps and LED DRL, while this variant sits on R16 laser alloy wheels which are dual tone. This model also has black contrast roof. The car gets superior quality wiper blades. Then there are these c pillar mounted rear door handles. Incidentally all doors open

90 deg which is so welcoming.

You get keyless entry, thanks to a remote lock and key, you also get a skeleton kind of key which helps you get inside if the remote key batteries are dead. You also have a stylish wearable key which allows

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you to drive around just by strapping this contraption around your wrists. No need of carrying any other key with you as this allows you to lock, unlock and drive this car.

Inside there are a lot of interesting and practical features like the 15 litre cooled glove box with a retractable tray in glove box.

This box is so voluminous that it can even turn into a snack bar of sorts.

Then there is this open sun glass holder on top. There is plenty of storage for bottles in front and rear doors and there is even an umbrella holder in front doors.

That’s so unique.

The car gets a flat bottom steering

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wheel. The steering wheel and gear lever are leather wrapped. You get steering mounted infotainment control, cruise control and steering mounted cluster control. The steering wheel is tilt adjustable. For the driver, the front arm rest is sliding and it has a small storage space too.

The car gets a 7 inches TFT digital instrument cluster and a 7 inches floating dashboard infotainment system by Harman with 4 speakers and 4 tweeters. There is mood lighting in driver and co driver side footwell area as well in the dashboard area.

The driver gets a foot rest even though this is a manual. This will ensure that he moves his foot off the clutch and keeps it to rest, in the process avoiding riding the clutch by

mistake when you are not using it.

As for the seats, they are comfortable with the driver seat being height adjustable. The rear seats come with an arm rest and an almost flat floor at the centre so that even the person sitting in the middle at the rear is able to keep his feet planted on the floor quite comfortably. At the rear, there is plenty of leg and knee room. You get rear ac vents with a scroll button to adjust the blower speed. Then there are front and rear power outlets.

When it comes to fun driving and a car that is ideal for a family or youngster, the new Tata Altroz with an iTurbo gets a lot more powerful and offers a wide range of convenient technologies to experience.

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WHEELZ & ROADZ A riding experience

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A riding experience

FIRST RIDE

HONDA H’NESS CB350

ROYAL CHALLENGE Report: Roy Punnoose Tharyan / Photography: Afsar Baig

L

et me reiterate that the Honda H’ness CB350 was launched in October 2020 and comes in two variants DLX and DLX Pro. We rode the DLX Pro which costs roughly around Rs 2.26 lakh on-road in Delhi.

charm kind of look. This Pro model has a dual-tone fuel tank. The Pro has exclusive features like the dual tone, the chrome plated double horn units and HSVCS or Honda smartphone voice control system. We shall come to the latter feature later.

EXTERIOR

The good part of this motorcycle is that it is equipped with Y shaped alloy wheels. In front you have 100/90-19 tubeless tyre, while at the rear the bike comes with 130/70-18 tubeless tyre. It is equipped with dual channel ABS with a 310mm large disc brake in front and a 240mm disc brake in rear.

The motorcycle has a length of 2163mm, a width of 800mm and a height of 1107mm. It has a wheelbase of 1441mm and a ground clearance of 166mm. The bike has a kerb weight of 181kg and a seat height of 800mm.

The impression that I got when I had a first look at this Honda roadster was--”well this one is surely going to give the Royal Enfield 350 bikes a lot of tough competition”. This one has got a macho look, a great sound and some great features. The thumpy exhaust note does sound commanding. The sound incidentally comes out from the specially designed exhaust system that comes with a large tailpipe of 45mm. The exhaust pipes are double skinned to prevent heat discoloration.

The bike has a very classic old-world

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The bike has round shaped LED headlamp and taillamp with fire ring type LED winkers.

It is a full LED setup in front & back.

The motorcycle gets a segment first engine start/stop switch and segment first hazard switch. These are on the right side of the handlebar. Near the speedometer is the mobile charging slot which is type C. On the left side of the handlebar you get buttons to change settings (settings can also be changed by pressing the top button on the side of the round dial). The other buttons

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SP EC I F ICAT IO NS ENGINE 348.36cc, 4 stroke SI TRANSMISSION 5-Speed MAX POWER 20.79hp@5500rpm PEAK TORQUE 30Nm@ 3000rpm FUEL TANK CAPACITY 15 litres PRICE `1.92 lakh - H’ness CB350 DLX Pro (`2.26 lakh on-road price)

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on the handlebar include those for the high beam, low beam, horn and indicator. The pass lever switch is behind this cluster.

The motorcycle is built on a half duplex cradle frame in steel pipe.

The company says that the load allocated to the front is optimised by mounting the engine at low position to lower the centre of gravity, which immensely impacts the overall riding feel and maneuverability / handling of the motorcycle.

The side stand comes with an engine inhibitor. You really do not have to look down to see if the side stand is still engaged, you can simply glance at the meter. The side stand sign is quite clear. In case you try moving to the first gear, the engine will be cut off. That’s a good safety feature. The bike has a fuel tank capacity of 15 litres.

Now let’s come to the large classic round shaped speedometer. It is basically a Digital-Analogue Speedometer. The speed is conveyed through an analogue meter and within the round space you get a small yet bright TFT screen which gives you digital information on average mileage, real time mileage, battery voltage meter, gear position indicator, distance to empty, etc. Incidentally, if the fuel goes below a certain level, the low fuel indicator bulb starts blinking. At that time, you can also note the distance to empty. You have roughly around one litre of petrol left in the tank and it is advisable to fill up the tank immediately.

Outside the round dial, on the right of the instrument cluster, you get to see small tiny lights which indicate the Honda Selectable Torque Control or HSTC whether it is enabled or disabled. Other lights are for headlamp, side indicator whether on or off, Neutral position ‘N’ and ABS. And if you are more of a non aggressive rider, you will get to see more of the ECO sign pop up as you ride along. This means you are riding efficiently, conserving fuel all along.

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The CB 350 gets a Honda Smartphone Voice Control System (HSVCS). Now in order to get this going you need to download the Honda RoadSync app into your smartphone which will keep you connected to the HSVCS. You need to simply keep the smartphone in your pocket and connect the wire to the type C slot in the motorcycle handlebar. HSVCS offers riding interface installed on your smartphone which supports major features such as navigation, phone calls, incoming messages, music playback, weather information and volume adjustments. Riders can toggle through the information using buttons on the left side of the handlebar as per the feature accessed and the information will be communicated through the headset which is embedded in your helmet. Please remember, nothing is really displayed on the TFT screen, except for the Bluetooth sign if it is activated or if you in navigation mode, an arrow will be displayed etc. It is here that the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 scores where it has a dedicated navigation dial with constant arrow displays, navigating you to your destination. Here in order to make full use of the HSVCS features, you need a helmet with an inbuilt headphone and mic.

Though this feature may sound very exciting, one must be careful that any distraction of such nature can have very dangerous consequences, leading to accidents. Use of mobile phones while riding is a safety risk. Visual displays are far better than audio interface. The dual seat comes with good cushioning.

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RIDE AND PERFORMANCE The 348.36cc, 4 stroke SI engine produces around 20.79 hp @ 5500rpm and a peak torque of 30Nm@3000rpm. The engine is mated to a five speed gearbox. This motorcycle is ideal for both daily commute as well as long rides.

An Enfield motorcycle could tire you a bit with its heavy weight, but the Honda CB 350 at 181 kg is a lot easy to maneuver even in crowded traffic situations.

Before I go any further, l have a question for Honda, why is the gear shifter so broad? This type of shifter with a toe and heel application needs to be short in length so that both your toe and heel can operate with ease while downshifting and upshifting. I found this a bit out of place.

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Coming back to performance, the second and third gears in particular have long legs and you can really get a lot of juice here to move the bike well past the 70kmph speed. Peak torque too is attained at a relatively low rpm.

But on highways or uninterrupted traffic, this bike has the ability to cross the 100kmph mark very easily. The only thing that can stop you from revving up further is the wind blast that hits you at that speed, or unless you have a speed camera lurking in the vicinity. But since this bike is not a race bike but a roadster, meant for the hard tarmac, it’s a perfect vehicle Also, learning from its off road experience, the company has safety features like the Honda selectable torque control or HSTC in the CB350. This is a segment first feature. The job of the HSTC system is to sense any imminent loss of rear wheel traction so as to reduce the torque to allow the rear tyre to grip. Honda’s off roading bike African Twin comes with an advanced Selectable Torque Control.

But if you want to deactivate this feature, all you have to do is to switch on the ignition and press the lower button on the side of the round dial. Next to the round dial on the right side you will see the sign of a T with a slash across it.

This indicates that the HSTC system is disengaged. You can do this if you want some fun out of your bike while riding.

The HSTC system is always on when you switch on the ignition every time. When the ignition switch is turned on, the torque control setting always resets to the default value. This mode assures safe riding by suppressing rear wheel slip during acceleration, even on wet cobblestone streets or other slippery road surfaces.

The bike has a rather decent suspension, the front comprising telescopic while the rear having twin hydraulics. With dual channel ABS, braking is precise and confident. Dual channel ABS prevents wheels from locking when brakes are applied in emergency or when operated on slippery roads.

The motorcycle also comes with a slipper clutch which in essence reduces the effects of engine braking, preventing sudden forces to damage the transmission hence improving its longevity while downshifting.

VERDICT All in all, the Honda H’ness CB 350 is one of the most refreshing motorcycles to hit the 350cc roadster motorcycle segment in India for a long, long time. By its looks and its performance, the Honda H’ness is definitely a Royal Challenger to its nearest competitor.

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DUAL FIRST RIDE

OKINAWA DUAL

Purpose E-Vehicle

O

kinawa Autotech has launched Dual, an electric scooter that is aimed at both the B2B as well as the B2C segment.

Since its speed is restricted to 25kmpl, the Okinawa Dual will not need any government registration and neither will one need a driver’s license to ride it.

The Dual will be offered with a choice of 28Ah, 35Ah and 55Ah lithium-ion battery. The prices of these models will be Rs 58998, Rs 69,999 and Rs 79,998 respectively (all ex showroom).

Unfortunately, this e-scooter does not qualify for incentives under the Government’s FAME II scheme (which in force from April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2022) despite the fact it has an advanced lithium ion battery because it does not meet the condition of “registered vehicles”.

The e-scooter comes in fire red and sunshine yellow colours. We got a sunshine

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Motown India Bureau

yellow coloured vehicle for review with a 55Ah lithium-ion battery..

Let me come straight to the product. If you see its side profile, you will get to see a wide u shaped kind of metal frame. This frame is rock solid. It is like the chassis of the vehicle. The real purpose of making such a strong vehicle is to ensure that it is able to carry out the functions that it is built for in the B2B segment.

And to make things easier for those operating in the last mile delivery business, the company is also offering a whole host of accessories for carrying goods of various nature. These include strong metal delivery box carriers for

the front and rear, delivery boxes of different sizes, stackable crates carrier, water bottle carrier, gas cylinder carrier, food delivery box with carrier, medical diagnosis box with carrier, etc.

We got our Okinawa Dual electric

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scooter with two large boxes made of thermocol material with a lock and key in one. Each of the accessories we got was of top notch quality and was quite impressive. While this small sized machine is able to carry a lot of load and do some remarkable work in the B2B segment, it’s a smart looking twowheeler for the personal segment too.

Once you remove the rear carrier, you can attach a pillion seat. The rear carrier is attached to the scooter with

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the help of three nuts while the one in front is attached with the help of four nuts. All these can be removed with considerable ease with the help of a spanner. For attaching the pillion seat only the rear carrier needs to be removed. The rear seat comes with a decent back rest.

So what makes the Okinawa Dual a great product for both the segments? It’s because of the large number of utilities it offers for both

these segments.

DESIGN, STYLING & FEATURES The Okinawa Dual is not an embarrassingly low scooter like the Yulu product. It’s a lot bigger and riding it will not make you feel uncomfortable.

I am 5 10 in height and I found it very comfortable riding it. It has a long foot board where you can keep some of your stuff and ensure their safety with the help of hooks on either side, one under the seat and one below the handlebar.

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WHEELZ & ROADZ A riding experience The best part is, unlike narrow electric scooter with narrow footboards, the Dual comes with foot pegs for the rider. This is something very unique and will be a rider’s delight.

The rider has other reasons to cheer too. He or she gets a very durable mobile holder which is operated manually for safety reasons. Once you unlock a small clip behind the mobile holder, you can start adjusting the thin rotary knobs to fit in your mobile phone perfectly. Once your rotary knob adjustments are completed to your satisfaction, you can push down the clip at the rear and ensure that the rotary knobs do not move. The mobile phone is now safe in its position. The rider also has access to a USB slot to keep the phone on charge when he is on the move. A small cavity on one side is where you can place the mobile phone.

The Okinawa Dual gets other features like an all LED lights. The headlight is LED with DRL, while the remaining tail light, and the front and rear winkers are LED too. The lights, I must say are very bright. The Dual also gets a very comfortable and cushiony seat.

Then it has a main stand as well as a side stand. The side stand comes with a sensor. It gets stylish aluminium wheels, while the brake lever is aluminium alloy. It gets 3.00-10 tubeless tyres for front and rear.

The Okinawa Dual gets a bright LCD instrument panel with all information in digital form. The screen displays the charging level in bars, while it is also shown digitally in numerical form. You also get an odometer display and vertical slide showing the Mode. Since the H mode is not activated in this e-scooter, there is no further information about the same.

We shall talk about this mode a little later. Then there is a large ‘P’ sign displayed on the screen which you get to see the moment you start the scooter with the key.

The ‘P’ is a very good safety feature, since it ensures that the vehicle does not move even when you tug at the throttle. It is the Parking mode. It’s only when you press the red button with a letter P on it, which is on the right hand side of the handlebar that the ‘P’ vanishes and you are able to move forward.

Coming to the buttons and switches on the handlebar, on the right it gets L/H switch. Since this e-scooter is meant for a max speed of 25 kmph, the H is not applicable. It only rides on L mode.

In future, the company plans to introduce a high speed variant of this model. Then the H switch will come in operation. For the time being you can simply ignore this H switch. On the right you also have the switch for the DRL and the main headlight. The role of the red button with the letter ‘P’ written on it has already been explained.

The left side of the handlebar has switches for high and low beam, indicators and horn.

Now before we get into riding this e-scooter, let us see what is under its floor board. That’s

SPECIFICATIONS Motor Power: 250 Watts Battery: 48V 55 Ah - Detachable Battery with Locking mechanism | 28Ah Max Speed : 25 Km/hr Range 120 -130 Km/Charge | 60 Km/Charge Tyre: 3.00 - 10 Tubeless(Front/Rear) Charger : Micro Charger with Auto Cut Charge Time: 4-5 hrs | 2-3 hours Loading capacity 150 -200 Kgs | 150 kg

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the area where the lithium ion batteries are parked. The Okinawa Dual is offered with two battery options, a 48V 28 Ah and 55Ah battery. We got the latter inside our e-scooter. The floor board is made up of very good material and in order to open it, there is a key slot with a plastic cover on it. Once you slide this cover to one side, the key slot is exposed. The key opens a horizontal bar kind of lock which once raised will allow you to open the cover of the floor board. It’s easy to do that. Under the floor board is kept the battery which can be taken out by pulling its handle. The battery handle thankfully has a rubber surface and your hand does not hurt when you pick up the heavy battery. In this floor area also lies the MCB or the miniature circuit breaker which can be switched off and on as you desire. Thus, when you leave the e-scooter

to go somewhere you can always switch off this MCB. The only hitch to this entire floor design is the horizontal bar which we found was not staying put at a 90 deg position.

If that was possible, taking out the battery and placing it back would have been a lot easier. The company has already assured us that this anomaly would be fine tuned in the production model.

While the 28 Ah battery gives a range of around 60km plus, the 55Ah battery can give a range of 130km plus. It takes 2 to 3 hours to fully charge the 28AH battery while it takes 4 to 5 hours to fully charge the 55Ah battery.

The former, when fitted in the scooter, can carry a total load of 150 kg, while the latter can carry up to 200 kg+. The batteries can be taken out and charged in office or home with the help of a charger, plugged in at one end to the battery and the other to a

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A riding experience

6 amp socket on the wall. Or you can directly plug the charger to the battery and the other end to the wall socket.

The vehicle has a micro charger feature with auto cut.

RIDE & PERFORMANCE The Okinawa Dual has a 250W motor and has a length of 1770mm, a width of 800mm and a height of 1075mm. The wheelbase is 1290mm. It has a ground clearance of 150mm. The vehicle comes with electronic assisted braking system with regenerative braking. In front you have telescopic suspension, while at the rear you have dual tube spring type hydraulic shockers.

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You get two sets keys with the e-scooter. One set is for starting the scooter and riding it, the other is a remote lock with features of its own.

The ride quality of the Okinawa Dual is surprisingly very good. It seems that the company has worked a lot on the suspension. Even though the speed is at 25 kmph, it does not feel uncomfortable even on some badly built roads. The acceleration too is very impressive. What makes this electric scooter very appealing is that it is a good looker and is backed by great quality and performance.

The Dual brakes are also adequate with disc in front and drum at the rear. These brakes will come a lot handy when people begin to carry

heavy products like gas cylinders and stacks of water bottles on them.

VERDICT Since storage comes easy for the e-scooter, even in the B2C segment, one can make use of the huge carrier in front. And with the ease of riding this bike offers, it is surely a great buy. Smart switches, foot pegs for the rider and the pillion and a smart mobile stand, all add up to making the Okinawa Dual an attractive proposition.

I would say that Okinawa has raised the bar in the electric scooter segment in areas of design, styling, features and performance with their new product, the Okinawa Dual.

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REVIEW

TVS RADEON BS VI

Smart Workhorse I

f you have seen the Hindi blockbuster movie Sholay, you will be familiar with the word “Dhanno”. Dhanno was Basanti’s trusted horse and it took her from one place to another, carried travelers in the little carriage and even galloped like crazy when Gabbar Singh’s men chased Basanti on their horses. In today’s world, a vehicle like the TVS Radeon is the Dhanno of the common man, a trusted and faithful machine that takes you from point A to point B, day in and day out without any fuss. No slipper clutch, no ride by wire technology, no disc brakes and no fancy feature to boot, yet millions can afford it to commute daily.

The TVS Radeon now comes with a BS-VI 4 Stroke Duralife engine with a displacement of 109.7 cc with an Eco-Thrust Fuel Injection technology. This engine boasts of a 15% more mileage, the company claims. The outgoing Radeo BS IV had a fuel efficiency of 69.3kmpl as per the World Motorcycle Test Cycle of WMTC. Thus, if we got by the company’s claim that this new model has 15pc more mileage, then we can safely assume that the new BS VI model has a mileage of 79.70kmpl.

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Motown India Bureau This motorcycle comes in a base edition that has a self mechanism with alloy wheels, it also has a Commuter Bike of the Year edition with self and drum brakes and there is also a Commuter Bike of the Year edition with self and disc brakes. We got the commuter bike of the year edition with drum brakes. The bike has a convenient all gear self start.

EXTERIOR DESIGN & FEATURES The motorcycle has a length of 2025 mm, a width of 705 mm and a height of 1080 mm. The wheel base is 1265 mm. This particular model has a kerb weight of 116 kg.

This model costs Rs 64 287, exshowroom Delhi.

Let’s get straight to what’s new in this BS VI model. Well, it’s not got a new robust thigh pad, a petrol tank cushion, the seats are cushiony and are premium, there is an option of a disc brake in the top model, then there are these new metallic clutch and brake levers and new chrome mirrors. Usually levers are made of some alloy and are prone to breaking when it bike hits the ground by mistake.

The TVS Radeon now gets a car like speedometer. A USB charging spot, a full chrome metal exhaust, chrome bezel headlamp with led drl, solid suspension with chrome shrouds and pillion grabrail with carrier are the other features offered in this bike.

There is also a lady pillion handle with a hook. For keeping you mobile phone, you can get a petrol tank cover but that is part of the accessory that you need to buy separately. The TVS Radeon BS VI gets new refreshed premium graphics too.

The side box opens up with your ignition key and you can find your tool kit there. The maintenance free battery is also placed there. Not to be missed are the new refreshed premium graphics of Radeon. The Radeon gets a side stand indicator with beeper. But the beeper is not part of standard fitment. The turn signal mounting is kind of unbreakable and is quite flexible for longer life.

PERFORMANCE Commuter bikes really do not come with fancy features, especially up market safety features. But as mentioned above, they do come with a lot of practical features.

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SP EC I F I C AT IO NS ENGINE 4 Stroke Dura-life, 109.7 cc EFI

system

TRANSMISSION 4-Speed MAX POWER 8.08 bhp@7350 rpm PEAK TORQUE 8.7 Nm@ 4500 rpm FUEL EFFICIENCY 79.70kmpl PRICE `64,287/-

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WHEELZ & ROADZ A riding experience

The TVS Radeon is powered by a 4 Stroke Duralife engine with a displacement of 109.7cc. This BS VI engine has Eco-Thrust Fuel Injection and delivers a maximum power of 8.08bhp@7350rpm and a peak torque of 8.7 Nm @ 4500 rpm. Compared to the BS IV model this new bike has retained the peak torque, while peak power has marginally come down by around 0.20 hp. The engine is mated to a 4-speed gearbox. Here you do not have to engage the first gear by pressing the gear lever down with your foot, rather all the four gears are engaged with an upward movement, achieved when you press down with your heel.

This is a very practical feature for a commuter bike which is constantly in and out of traffic.

The Radeon gets both an electric start switch as well as a manual foot kick. That’s again a convenient feature in a rush-rush commuter segment. The bike sits on large 18

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inches high performance dura grip tubeless tyres, both in front as well as in rear. The front measures 2.75 x 18, while the rear comprises 3.00 x 18. It has 5-spoke alloy wheels. The model we rode did not have disc brakes. But it has synchronised braking technology (SBT) for shorter braking distance.

Though it has a robust 4 stroke dura-life engine which had more than adequate mid range torque, the braking was a slight let down.

I would have loved if all the trim levels of this model had got disc brakes. In today’s crowded and erratic world of traffic, disc brakes along with ABS need to be part of very day riding.

While the engine performance of the TVS Radeon BS VI is very impressive, its ride and comfort too is very good. The motorcycle has telescopic oil damped suspension in front and 5 step adjustable hydraulic suspension at

the rear. These offered more than adequate comfort on Delhi’s pot holed roads. With a ground clearance of 180 mm, the bike stays clear of all bumpy hurdles.

This bike has super strong box iron chassis, a unique impact resistant (UIR) design that keeps it safe from scratches and breakage.

VERDICT Unlike race bikes and cruiser bikes that are judged by their fancy up market features and their high dose of technology related features, the commuter bikes are judged more by their practical and affordable features. The TVS Radeon has a plethora of practical features and while providing them, the company has largely not compromised with performance and safety for the commuter.

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WHEELZ & ROADZ

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WHEELZ & ROADZ A riding experience

REVIEW

ROYAL ENFIELD INTERCEPTOR 650 BS VI

UNPARALLELED

TWIN!

R

oyal Enfield, for long, was content with making single cylinder motorcycles. These motorcycles are strong, good looking and very affordable for its size and performance. But all that changed when, at the Eicma show in Milan (Italy) in November 2017, it showcased two twin-cylinder motorcycles, the Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650. While the former is a roadster, the latter is a café racer.

Mind you, this motorcycle was not built in someone’s backyard or a makeshift workshop, but was developed at Royal Enfield’s UK Technology Centre in collaboration with the engineering and design teams in Chennai, India. The entire platform, including the engine and chassis, underwent rigorous testing and validation process during the development programme at world-class proving grounds with professional riders.

We got the 648cc parallel twin powered BS VI Interceptor and we wanted to know everything about the bike, its pros and cons.

EXTERIOR- FEATURES & DESIGN The classic tear-drop shaped fuel-tank,

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Motown India Bureau

the twin chrome exhausts on either side of the motorcycle, the gleaming, hand-polished aluminum engine, the diamond quilt pattern single seat that can accommodate the rider and a pillion comfortably and the wide braced handlebars, all of them contribute to the good looks of the roadster.

screen which gives fuel and odometer readings. We felt that the readings could have been in a larger font and clearer, as one is unable to read clearly while riding.

There is no gear shift indicator provided on the instrument cluster. Besides, this motorcycle does not get a hazard switch, which I feel is very handy in a roadster.

Speaking of the handlebar, its positioning is ideal for the rider, not just for city riding but also long highway rides. The dedicated steel-tube cradle chassis helps make this motorcycle solid and versatile. The chassis was earlier developed ground up by the team at Royal Enfield’s UK Technology Centre, and Harris Performance. It has 18 inches Pirelli tyres in front and rear (both with 36 spoke aluminum alloy rims) with twin shock absorbers, along with front and rear disc brakes with ABS. The motorcycle has a ground clearance of 174mm and a seat height of 804 mm.

On the right hand side of the handlebar you get an integrated engine kill switch and a start switch. The left side of the handlebar has switches for indicators, high and low beam and the horn. Just behind this module, you get the pass switch.

The Interceptor 650 gets classic round shaped halogen headlamps, though there is a small LED inside the headlamp units and at the rear also you get halogen. Two analogue dials in twin round casings make up the speed and tachometer gauges.

The one on the left has a small digital

Coming down to the foot pegs, especially the ones for the rider, you need to get used to it, apparently. The positioning of the foot pegs feels very awkward and inconvenient. Because of the bulging design of the engine area, there seemed to be no way the foot pegs could be fixed a bit further ahead. Rather, the moment you place your feet on either sides, the foot pegs hit your shin or calf, depending on where you have placed your feet. Ideally while placing your feet down, your legs need to be in front of the foot pegs because in case you want to move your feet back or forth to roll your stationery bike, these foot pegs fold

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S P EC IFIC ATIO N S ENGINE 4 stroke, single overhead cam, air-oil cooled, 648 cc parallel twin TRANSMISSION 6-Speed MAX POWER 47Bhp@7150rpm PEAK TORQUE 52Nm@5250rpm TYRES Front: 100/90-18 Rear: 130/70-18

PRICE `2.66 lakh (ex-showroom)

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WHEELZ & ROADZ

A riding experience

inwards as there is a spring in it.

Similarly, while engaging the sidestand too, these rider foot peg gets in the way, proving to be very irksome. It’s all about getting used to it, I presumed.

ENGINE & PERFORMANCE When you start the engine, the first thing you hear is the very royal sound.

The sound from the exhaust has a very perfect beat. And both while idling as well as on the go, you also realise there is hardly any vibration.

The Interceptor 650 is powered by the first modern Royal Enfield 650 twin engine. This new platform is a single overhead cam, 8 valve, air/oilcooled, 648cc parallel twin, producing 47bhp and 52Nm of peak torque. The engine has a strong low and mid-range performance, retaining the Royal Enfield character of accessible torque

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through the rev range. This was quite evident when he hit the almost empty roads. This mid range torque is what is important in real life situation traffic.

The Interceptor 650 has a six-speed gearbox which has been especially developed for this motorcycle. The gearbox gets a ‘slip/assist’ clutch that facilitates easy riding in traffic with a light feel, and prevents wheel-hop when downshifting gears. This was also a first when this bike was first introduced in its BS IV avatar.

VERDICT

A good portion of the engine torque is available at a relatively low rpm level of 2500 RPM. That gear throws too are not inconveniently short and one can rode along without frequently changing gears. Braking too is top notch with the twin piston ByBre (By Brembo) callipers on 320mm floating disc in the front and a 240mm one at the rear along with Bosch dual-channel ABS.

Royal Enfield has been constantly raising its bar on build and quality of its motorcycles, besides performance.

From a single cylinder 350cc technology, expanding its range to 650cc parallel twin cylinder technology and that too with a six speed gear box, is quite commendable. The Interceptor 650 with its competitive pricing will make the world of powerful roadsters a lot more accessible to eager riders. As for its performance, with its parallel twin engine, it offers unparalleled fun! It’s best to call it an Unparalleled Twin!

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COVER STORY - UNION BUDGET 2021-22

UNION BUDGET 2021-22 & INDIAN AUTO INDUSTRY

INDIRECTLY PERFECT Report: Roy Punnoose Tharyan

T

he Union Budget 202122 presented by Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of Finance may have got a standing ovation from the punters of the Indian stock market, but for the Indian auto industry, the direct benefits are miniscule.

Indirectly though, the benefits seem to be quite a few.

concern and is likely to increase cost of manufacturing automobiles, wherever indigenisation is yet to happen.

SOCIETY OF INDIAN AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS:

For those in the electric vehicle industry, they got nothing as a sop directly. The most meaningful sop for the auto industry was the announcement of a voluntary vehicle scrapping policy that will phase out old and unfit vehicles, and provision for fitness tests for vehicles in automated fitness centres. In case of personal vehicles the time period for scrapping will be 20 years, while it would be 15 years for commercial vehicles.

The Budget also proposed innovative PPP models to run more than 20,000 buses that will boost the automobile sector, provide fillip to economic growth and create employment opportunities for the youth. The Minister also proposed that the duty on certain auto parts be increased to the general rate of 15%.

But it must be remembered that

one man’s meat is sometimes another man’s poison. While the Automotive Components Manufacturers Association (ACMA) noted that the increase in basic customs duty on select auto components will encourage local manufacturing of such items, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) noted that the increase in customs duty on auto parts / lithium ion cell parts is of

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Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of Finance.

Picture Courtesy: PIB

Calling it a visionary budget, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) President Kenichi Ayukawa said the budget focusses on three broad themes. First, it is a remedy for the current challenges post-Covid with its focus on human health and asset reconstruction. Second, it gives a major impetus to infrastructure with a 5-year roadmap for fiscal consolidation. Third, it takes bold measures for enhancing efficiency and competitiveness like privatisation, competition in power distribution companies, City Gas Distribution (CGD) expansion in 100 more districts and takes into account enablers like infrastructure financing.

“A good macro-economic growth will translate to good demand for auto sector also,” said SIAM. The announcement of major highway projects with sizeable increase in infrastructure outlay will help revive demand for both commercial vehicles and private vehicles. The allocation for procurement of 20,000 buses will

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COVER STORY - UNION BUDGET 2021-22

AUTO SCRAPPAGE POLICY The Finance Minister announced a voluntary vehicle scrapping policy to phase out old and unfit vehicles. Fitness tests have been proposed in automated fitness centres after 20 years in case of personal vehicles, and after 15 years in case of commercial vehicles.

Immediately after the announcement, Union Minister for MSME and Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari welcomed the Voluntary Scrappage Policy announced in the Union Budget, and said that declaration of the details of the policy will be done within 15 days from this day of Budget announcement.

In his post-budget interaction with the media at his residence, Gadkari said

that the scrappage policy will lead to new investment of around Rs.10,000 crores, and create as many as 50,000 jobs. The Minister said the policy would cover an estimated 51 lakh light motor vehicles (LMV) that are above 20 years of age, while another 34 lakh LMVs are above 15 years. It would also cover 17 lakh medium and heavy motor vehicles, which are above 15 years, and currently without valid fitness certificates. These vehicles are estimated to cause 10-12 times more pollution than the latest vehicles. Outlining the benefits of the policy, Gadkari said it would lead to recycling of waste metal, improved safety, reduction in air pollution, reduction in oil imports due to greater fuel efficiency of current vehicles,

and stimulate investment.

Gadkari also welcomed the increased outlay for the highways sector, to Rs. 1,18,000 crores, with the highest-ever capital investment of Rs.1,08,000 crores. While welcoming the increased allocation, the Minister said that the Ministry’s increased stress on monetization of highways will help in expanding the road network in the country.

While many in the auto industry hailed this proposal, the Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training ( IFTRT ) warned that there would be a huge backlash in the country among small fleet owners , who may in reality go jobless as mandatory scrappage

policy is unwarranted and irrational from socioeconomic structure of trucking business and that of the developing country like India.

“Since as stated in Union Budget that vehicle scrappage policy is going to be voluntary wef 1.4.2022 and vehicles ( CVs of 15 year age and PVs of 20 year age ) shall go through automated maintenance and inspection test ( special mechanical computerised fitness test )which now does not exists , then there would be minimal scrappage in real terms of trucks, buses, vans , cars etc,” said SP Singh, Sr. Fellow, IFTRT. Singh said that with the proposed scrappage policy, the government was only playing into the hands of the auto industry.

Picture for representation purpose only.

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COVER STORY - UNION BUDGET 2021-22

The reduction in customs duty on some steel grades, and revoking of countervailing duty and anti-dumping duty on certain steel products is a welcome step.

Since platinum, palladium and rhodium are not available in India and are essential for emission control, their duty could have been made Nil,”

Kenichi Ayukawa, President, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM)

~ KENICHI AYUKAWA, President, SIAM

directly benefit the industry. The addition of 100 new districts to the city gas distribution network for natural gas will help clean, efficient and affordable mobility for the country.

Budget papers outside Parliament.

Picture Courtesy: PIB

“While SIAM awaits the details of the Vehicle Scrappage scheme, it hopes and requests that fitness testing and certification should be much earlier

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and at frequent intervals to ensure safety, environment friendliness and fuel saving,” it noted.

available in India and are essential for emission control, their duty could have been made Nil, SIAM noted.

The reduction in customs duty on some steel grades, and revoking of countervailing duty and anti-dumping duty on certain steel products is a welcome step. Since platinum, palladium and rhodium are not

The increase in customs duty on auto parts / lithium ion cell parts is of concern and is likely to increase cost of manufacturing automobiles, wherever indigenisation is yet to happen, said Kenichi Ayukawa of SIAM .

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COVER STORY - UNION BUDGET 2021-22

Deepak Jain, President, ACMA

agriculture credit growth will have long-term positive impact on rural demand for vehicles”, added Jain.

add fillip to much needed revival of Commercial Vehicles especially M&HCV segment.

Jain further mentioned, “Increase in basic customs duty on select auto components will encourage local manufacturing of such items.

It is also heartening that the budget outlay for the MSME sector has been doubled compared to last year. The auto component industry is dominated by MSME and this will provide them the necessary succour as the industry recovers.”

He also said that the Government’s reduction of customs duty on steel products to 7.5% will benefit Auto OEMs. But he added that, “While we expected disposable income for individuals to increase with enhancement of IT slabs and depreciation benefit on vehicles for individuals, the same has not been taken into consideration.”

AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION:

FEDERATION OF AUTOMOTIVE DEALERS ASSOCIATIONS:

Deepak Jain, President, ACMA, said, “The vision of an Aatma-nirbhar Bharat enshrined in the Union Budget, coupled with the ‘Sankalp’ of ‘NationFirst’ will be the bedrock to propel us further as we redefine our economy in a post-pandemic world. Significant outlay for vaccination in the country will add to the confidence of a resurgent India.”

Vinkesh Gulati, President of the Federation of Automotive Dealers Associations (FADA) hailed the scrappage policy announced by the Finance Minister. “If we take 1990 as base year, there are approximately 37 lakhs CVs and 52 lakhs L PVs eligible for voluntarily scrappage. As an estimate, 10% of CV and 5% of PV may still be plying on road. We still need to see the fine prints to access the kind of incentives which will be on offer and thus have a positive effect on retail,” he said.

“Announcements with regards increased spend on road infrastructure, voluntary scrappage policy, Research & Development and PLI among others, augur well for the automotive sector. Further, continued focus on building rural and agricultural infrastructure and prioritising

He further added that the 6,575 km highway work proposed in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam and another 19,500 km work of the Bharatmala project will definitely

Vinkesh Gulati, President, Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA)

Nikunj Sanghi, Chairman, Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC)

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AUTOMOTIVE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL: Nikunj Sanghi, Chairman, Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) said that the Union Budget 2021 has given due importance to skilling and education which is a welcome move in today’s skill-driven industry. The government’s focus on supporting local manufacturing, skill development, and a heightened emphasis on job creation will lead to greater opportunities for the youth of the country.

“In addition to that, the partnership with the United Arab Emirates and Japan to promote industrial & vocational skills, techniques, and knowledge is a major boost for the sector. Also, since automotive is the biggest organised employer in the country, hence the realignment of the existing scheme of national apprenticeship training scheme for providing post-education apprenticeship training of graduates and diploma holders in engineering over 3000 crores is also a positive sign for automotive skilling,” he noted.

ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN FORGING INDUSTRY: Vikas Bajaj, President, Association of Indian Forging Industry (AIFI) said this year’s Union budget is positive, as well as a progressive one with a strong drive towards the country’s socio-economic growth. It focuses on the Railways, Power, Health Infrastructure, Banking, Insurance and Agriculture sectors. The

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COVER STORY - UNION BUDGET 2021-22

The significant increase in overall allocation towards capital expenditure has been complemented with comprehensive measures to catalyse multiple levers- focus on rural, infrastructure investment, impetus to manufacturing, social welfare, entrepreneurship and digital - to enable overall holistic development, ” ~ GUENTER BUTSCHEK, CEO & MD, Tata Motors

positive step of reduction in customs duty uniformly to 7.5% on semis, flat, and long products of non-alloy, alloy, and stainless steels would certainly contribute to better raw material prices and reduced input costs.

to manufacturing, social welfare, entrepreneurship and digital - to enable overall holistic development.

He too acknowledged the Finance Minister’s announcements on voluntary vehicle scrapping policy, augmenting public transport system in urban areas, continuing focus on adoption of cleaner fuels, and enhancing outlays for developing road infrastructure and expanding the Swachh Bharat Mission

“The increased government attention on the highways and infrastructure sector would definitely contribute to a significant impact on the manufacturing and Auto industry and help in employment generation which is the most critical need to revive the economy,” he added.

MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA: Martin Schwenk, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India that though his company welcomes the policy stability that the budget provides to the industry by no new announcement of direct taxes, “we would have liked some reduction in compensation cess. It’s good to see some positive movement through the scrappage policy and we also expect the capital expenditures to indirectly help the industry. The decision to

TATA MOTORS: Guenter Butschek, CEO & MD, Tata Motors said that the significant increase in overall allocation towards capital expenditure has been complemented with comprehensive measures to catalyse multiple levers- focus on rural, infrastructure investment, impetus

Guenter Butschek, CEO & MD, Tata Motors

spend more on infrastructure despite of the high fiscal deficit, will boost the overall economic revival and we should see positive impact on the PV market.

However, the increase in the rise in auto component duties is unexpected in such revival period, and it will increase the production cost, leading to higher cost for consumers. There could have been further push towards e-mobility by lowering import duties on EV.”

ASHOK LEYLAND: Vipin Sondhi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ashok Leyland, SAID THAT THE Finance Minister has unveiled a well thought out budget anchored by six key pillars. This could set out a virtuous cycle for Growth and Job creation spearheaded with a thrust on Public investment in Infrastructure and Health. The key will be in effective implementation.

He said the commitment to augment the country’s road infrastructure with projects for building 8,500 km of highways and economic corridors augurs well for surface and road transport.

The Rs 18,000-crore scheme to augment public transport in urban areas with the addition of 20,000 new buses in a PPP model would ensure cleaner and efficient public transportation and ease congestion.

Martin Schwenk, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India

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He also termed the voluntary scrappage policy as a positive announcement. “The thrust on R&D for National Priority Projects and the PLI scheme will be key enablers to

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COVER STORY - UNION BUDGET 2021-22

We would have liked some reduction in compensation cess. It’s good to see some positive movement through the scrappage policy and we also expect the capital expenditures to indirectly help the industry. The decision to spend more on infrastructure despite of the high fiscal deficit, will boost the overall economic revival and we should see positive impact on the PV market. However, the increase in the rise in auto component duties is unexpected in such revival period, and it will increase the production cost, leading to higher cost for consumers. There could have been further push towards e-mobility by lowering import duties on EV, ” ~ MARTIN SCHWENK, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India

It is important to keep in mind that even in the coming financial year, the passenger vehicle market is unlikely to reach the level of 2018 and the muchrequired rationalisation of GST and cess to aid the auto industry was missing. Additionally, the increase in customs duty on certain auto parts to 15% will further increase input costs and prices for cars which depend on specialised components which cannot be manufactured locally due to unviable volumes.” ~ GURPRATAP BOPARAI, MD, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited

attain our Prime Minister’s vision for Atmanirbharta in the manufacturing sector,” he added.

Boparai pointed out that, “It is important to keep in mind that even in the coming financial year, the passenger vehicle market is unlikely to reach the level of 2018 and the much-required rationalisation of GST and cess to aid the auto industry was missing. Additionally, the increase in customs duty on certain auto parts to 15% will further increase input costs and prices for cars which depend on specialised components which cannot be manufactured locally due to unviable volumes.”

Vipin Sondhi, MD& CEO, Ashok Leyland

SKODA AUTO VOLKSWAGEN INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED: Gurpratap Boparai, Managing Director, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited said the Budget augers well to create capacity for developmental and growth in the country. “Increased outlays in the road sector, infrastructure development and introduction of the voluntary vehicle scrappage policy will not only create a safer and environment-friendly auto sector but also drive replacement demand in the sector. The support announced for the rural economy and farm sector will be a big boost for wealth creation in the non-urban markets and increase the scope for

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Gurpratap Boparai, Managing Director, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited

VOLKSWAGEN PASSENGER CARS: auto demand in these regions. While further details of the prior announced PLI scheme is awaited, the same is expected to help the Indian auto industry to improve production efficiency and become self-reliant “atmanirbhar’,” he said.

Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars said the Budget has the potential to revive the economy at large. “The focus on the six pillars, with greater impetus on healthcare, infrastructural and connectivity development and rural

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Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars

economy which is on path to recovery.

“Rightly, there is a huge emphasis on infrastructure, which will help revive economy as well as generate employment. Finally the much awaited scrappage policy has been announced, which is a welcome step. This will increase sale of new vehicles and in turn boost tyre demand. Refocus on healthcare and skill building is very critical for a healthy growth of Aspirant India. The key, however, is faster implementation of the various important measures announced, which will have a meaningful impact on economy,” he said.

GREAVES COTTON: economy will have a positive impact on the businesses. With respect to the auto sector, increase in custom duty on certain auto parts would impact the input cost, although we’re yet to assess the financial impact. On the voluntary scrappage policy, strict governance on the fitness test would determine the benefit on the environment and pollution reduction,” he added.

JK TYRE & INDUSTRIES LIMITED: Dr. Raghupati Singhania, VicePresident JK Organisation and Chairman & Managing Director of JK Tyre & Industries Ltd, said the Minister had presented a ‘pro-growth’ budget in these unprecedented times, which will give a boost to the Indian

Nagesh Basavanhalli, Group CEO & MD, Greaves Cotton Limited noted that the government’s resolve to support manufacturing and infrastructure sector is commendable. The emphasis on government spending in building pan-India transport and allied infrastructure should have a positive

Nagesh Basavanhalli, Group CEO & MD, Greaves Cotton Limited

Dr. Raghupati Singhania, Vice-President JK Organisation and Chairman & Managing Director of JK Tyre & Industries Ltd

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impact in reviving consumer demand for vehicles. The allocation of a sizeable sum towards the PLI scheme will help the industry create jobs and boost economic growth. While the auto sector would have liked to see more direct measures in the budget, the Scrappage policy is certainly a step in the right direction, he added.

SOMA COMSTAR: Sunjay Kapur, Chairman, Soma Comstar said though the initial reaction of the Budget is a positive one, over the next few days, as the interpretation kicks in, the implications of the Union budget will gain clarity.

Giving it a thumbs up for now, Kapur said that a significant emphasis on healthcare and infrastructure is very positive. “The highlights for me include, the positive step towards the roll out of scrappage policy with a defined 20 years for private vehicles and 15 years for commercial vehicles.

There is an increase in custom duty by 15% on certain auto parts. The LIC IPO in 2022 was a long-awaited announcement. Along with that, a PSU bank, one Insurance company, and other disinvestment plans will lead to liquidity for the government. Air India, BPCL, SCI, CONCOR disinvestments to head to the finish line. And Niti Ayog structuring a next list of disinvestments is the government getting back to business is an upswing.

The FDI limit increased significantly shows a promise to further India’s presence on a global platform, 49% to 74% in the Insurance sector is a good leap in the positive direction. Removal of GST anomalies shows that they are fine tuning the GST implementation.

An important announcement was the vaccine roll-out. In never dealt before situation, the Rs 35000 crore expenditure on vaccination is a much-needed step to bring confidence in our country to find a semblance of normalcy. The announcement of spending on infrastructure (Rs 118,000 crore for Ministry of Roads) is strategically well-allotted funding via the set- up of a professionallymanaged Development Finance Institution (DFI). As the network of public transports solidifies across Tier II cities, the usage of metros and public buses leads to an inevitable increase in job opportunities,”, Kapur stated.

JBM: Nishant Arya, Executive Director, JBM Group said that the allocation

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COVER STORY - UNION BUDGET 2021-22

of Rs 18,000 crore for the public bus transport services has come as a sigh of relief for the bus makers who have been caught in the doldrums from 2019. The proposed PPP model will in turn help the sector to create employment as well and overcome the adverse effect of the pandemic. “We, as an industry player, are now looking forward to the details of the vehicle scrappage scheme which will be an added advantage for the auto sector.

The heavy and medium commercial vehicle sector will also have a boost in demand as a sum of Rs 5.54 trillion has been allocated for infrastructure development. The 2.5-5 percent reduction in the customs duty on some of the semi-finished and finished steel products will have a positive impact on the automotive industry,” he said.

CUMMINS INDIA: Ashwath Ram, Managing Director, Cummins India said that at a first glance, it appears to be a progressive budget. “There is a focus on the socio-economic development of the country with an emphasis on Railways, the Power sector, infrastructure, healthcare, and enhanced digital connectivity. The voluntary policy on the scrapping of vehicles will have a positive impact and will drive the commercial vehicle and auto sector forward. The industry wanted an incentive-based scheme so we are still seeing the details. In addition, MSMEs and other user industries have been severely affected by the recent sharp rise in iron and steel prices.

The industry will definitely receive a push by the decision to double the allocation of MSME and reduce the customs duty on some of the steel products. The focus on highways and the infrastructure investment plan will definitely give the necessary impetus to the CV and construction equipment businesses,” he added.

KPMG: Waman Parkhi, Partner, Indirect Tax, KPMG in India said that the “customs duty rates on certain auto

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counts. The Budget has announced a massive infrastructure boost with huge outlay for Railways and privatising airports. Along with this, measures that will increase consumer spending and make India more self-reliant are a step in the right direct. Fitness testing for both PVs and CVs is a positive move that will not only generate employment opportunities but also ensure a cleaner environment. Our sector has got a favorable boost in form of FM’s voluntary vehicle scrappage policy announcement.”

Ashwath Ram, Managing Director, Cummins India

parts such as safety glass, electrical lighting and signaling equipment, windscreen wipers, etc. has been increased from 15% from the current rate of 7.5%/10% with an objective of promoting Indian manufacture of goods. 13 PLI schemes for various manufacturing sectors will also positively support such manufacture.

Voluntary vehicle scrapping policy besides contributing to lower emissions and improving safety on road would also generate demand for vehicles for the Auto sector”.

NIPPON PAINT INDIA: Sharad Malhotra, President – Automotive Refinishes and Wood Coatings, Nippon Paint India said that with an expansionary Budget that focuses on growth, the Finance Minister “has delivered on major

Harsha Kadam, CEO, Schaeffler India and President, Industrial Business

SCHAEFFLER INDIA: Harsha Kadam, CEO Schaeffler India and President, Industrial Business said that this budget has the ingredients to deliver long term growth. “The

The government is bullish on public spending and we are encouraged by it. We were certain that Budget 2021 would surely consider the gloom that hovered over the Indian auto industry and it is reassuring to see that it did. The infrastructure boost will surely benefit the heavy and medium commercial vehicle segment, which was much needed. The voluntary scrappage policy implementation is surely a step in the right direction keeping in mind the environment and auto industry at large. ” ~ HARSHA KADAM, CEO Schaeffler India and President, Industrial Business

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government is bullish on public spending and we are encouraged by it. We were certain that Budget 2021 would surely consider the gloom that hovered over the Indian auto industry and it is reassuring to see that it did. The infrastructure boost will surely benefit the heavy and medium commercial vehicle segment, which was much needed. The voluntary scrappage policy implementation is surely a step in the right direction keeping in mind the environment and auto industry at large. We have been awaiting it for a while and this is a step forward for sure. In fact, the announcement regarding the PLI scheme investments is going to play an accelerator for the manufacturing sector, which has seen really tough times along with the auto industry. This gives reason for double celebration as it will encourage global manufacturing firms and also provide incentives for local manufacturing firms to expand. This is a huge step in terms of creating jobs and opportunities for the youth. This budget has been very progressive for the railways as well, an important sector for us. The decision of commissioning dedicated freight corridors which will not only improve the overall movement of goods but also spur economic activities in the long run. The continued push for investment in railway with the additional allocation towards MetroLite and MetroNeo for smaller cities for bodes well in the long run. The only caution here is to look at the inflating fiscal deficit.”

CARS24: Ruchit Agarwal, Co-founder and CFO, CARS24 noted that “The 2021 Union Budget is a big booster for spearheading the economy’s growth. We are glad the Government has announced investment in road infrastructure coupled with announcement of scrappage policy.

These will bode well for the auto industry as they will help it achieve the twin objectives of boosting demand whilst recycling old and polluting vehicles in our country. While we look

forward to the minute details of the policy, ensuring seamless execution will be key.”

Agarwal further stated that with the government allowing one man companies and increasing the threshold for the definition of small companies, “we expect and hope that used car dealers in India will consider shifting from sole proprietorship to companies. This will make them further organised and open up different forms of financing markets for them.

Extension of one year tax holiday will also prove to be a welcome move for start-ups in India. We are sure that the announcements made under 2021 Union Budget will help sustain the pace of growth witnessed in the last few months in the auto industry.”

COOPER CORPORATION: Farrokh Cooper, Chairman & MD, Cooper Corporation Pvt. Ltd found the Budget 2021 optimistic, “driving the country towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat by putting significant stress on Railways, Power sector, infrastructure healthcare, banking, insurance, and agriculture, which will not only enable the country to revive its economy but will also stimulate growth.”

He too lauded the voluntary policy on the scrapping of vehicles and said this would have a positive effect and will move the commercial and automobile industries ahead. The industry would definitely be encouraged by the decision to double the allocation of MSME and to reduce the customs duty on steel. Focusing on highways and the investment plan would certainly give the CV and construction equipment the requisite impetus. The government’s increased focus on the infrastructure sector will certainly bring in positive impact, he added.

CREDR: Sasidhar Nandigam, CoFounder & CSO, CredR, India’s largest omni channel used two-wheeler consumer brand, said post Covid Budget has been

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Farrokh Cooper, Chairman & MD, Cooper Corporation Private Limited

balanced given the situation where the entire economy is struggling.

“There are few good steps taken by the government. But we were expecting more. Most importantly, they have not taken any measures on relief in the direct taxation as this would have had a direct impact on consumerism and the ability to purchase private automobiles or apply for a personal loan. We welcome the steps taken in the scrappage policy and extension of tax holiday for start-ups. For startups, this comes as a breath of fresh air to the struggling startup ecosystem. With the pandemic disrupting business and earning this year, the amount saved from this tax holiday will help startups to reinvest this money into building business,” noted Nandigam.

SKF INDIA: Manish Bhatnagar, Managing Director, SKF India note that the this Budget is “one of a kind” and has aimed at the revival of the economy. “Along with bringing cutting edge technology, increasing the demand for new commercial vehicle and passenger vehicles, creating new jobs, schemes like the PLI and voluntary scrappage policy are likely to nurture and boost the Indian manufacturing industry to become an integral part of the global supply chains. Furthermore, ensuring liquidity in the economy and unhindered flow of capital, the package for roads and railways infrastructure

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is bound to give an impetus to the covid-hit economy. The robust push to infrastructure including economic corridors, manufacturing and MSME’s collectively, is likely to help boost demand for heavy and medium duty CV’s,” stressed Bhatnagar.

PUMPUMPUM: Tarun Lawadia, Founder & CEO, PumPumPum, the only

company in India to offer used car leasing in corporate and retail segment, said the voluntary vehicle scrapping policy will certainly strengthen India’s fight against pollution across cities and promote fuel efficient vehicles and EVs in the country. “A capital investment of Rs 5.54 trillion in developing road infrastructure around the country is expected to

boost the sales and demand for commercial vehicles giving some relief to the auto sector.

But increasing customs duties on some auto parts to 15% will put more pressure on the already struggling auto manufacturing sector of the country. Auto industry has always been a key contributor to India’s economic growth and job creation. We expected the Union Budget to be

a game-changer for the worsthit auto sector. In the near future, we have high hopes from the government to encourage the startup ecosystem for new consumer trends such as used car leasing, car rental, car subscription models etc. which are going to be the promising industries of the future and can boost the growth of Indian auto sector,” he said.

Buzz in the Electric Vehicle Space The Union Budget 2021-22 presented by Nirmala Sitharaman may not have given a single sop to the electric vehicle industry but those in this electric vehicle space are upbeat over the indirect measures in the Union Budget 2021-22 that could eventually lead to the growth of the Indian EV industry.

The scheme could strengthen the EV industry if more number of e-buses could be supported through the scheme. We urge the government to mandate procurement of e-Buses under the scheme which would help us fight the issue of air pollution,” ~ SOHINDER GILL, Director General, SMEV

SOCIETY OF MANUFACTURERS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Sohinder Gill, Director General, Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV) while hailing the scrappage policy said the he hoped it would be designed in such a way that would automatically push the adoption of electric vehicles.

For clean air, setting aside an amount of Rs 2,217 crore for 42 urban centres with a million-plus population is a good move. The fund could be utilised to spread awareness about the benefits of using e-vehicles to the environment and its contribution to make the air clean, he said.

He also said that the government’s plan for

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Sohinder Gill, Director General, Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV)

number of e-buses could be supported through the scheme.

We urge the government to mandate procurement of e-Buses under the scheme which would help us fight the issue of air pollution,” he added.

TATA TECHNOLOGIES:

strengthening the public transport sector under PPP models with an outlay of Rs 18000 crore for operating 20000 buses is encouraging for the EV industry. “The scheme could strengthen the EV industry if more

Warren Harris, CEO and MD, Tata Technologies, said “With the much-needed Vehicle Scrappage policy, the government of India has finally set the tone for recovery of Auto Sector which has been significantly impacted by the pandemic.

This will not only help boost the demand for production of Commercial vehicles but also support the entire transportation ecosystem. Also, while it would have been good to see some

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The EV industry needs to not only ‘Make in India’, but also ‘Design in India’, so we look forward to the details of the Rs 50,000 crores Innovation and R&D outlay that was announced, as well as the PLI scheme and how they can benefit the sector, as these will be key enablers in making EVs take off in the country. This will help create manufacturing global champions for an AtmaNirbhar Bharat, boosting start-ups to achieving a USD 5 trillion economy,” ~ CHETAN MAINI, Chairman & Co-founder, SUN Mobility

more initiatives to promote Electric Vehicles in this budget, we are glad that the government has noted India’s critical role in the global automotive supply chain post COVID 19. Specific initiatives through production linked schemes, creation of infrastructure for R&D and enabling skill development in new-gen technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) will help drive investment in engineering and research”.

Chetan Maini, Chairman & Co-founder, SUN Mobility

SUN MOBILITY: Chetan Maini, Chairman & Cofounder, SUN Mobility, noted “The Budget is focussed on speeding up recovery post-COVID, while also providing solid direction to do so, over the next few years, which is excellent. When it comes to electric mobility, the main expectation was a firmer commitment from a policy standpoint by the government for accelerating e-mobility and enabling charging and battery swapping infrastructure in the country for the same. One of the key measures for doing so would have been to fix the inverted duty structure for components such as batteries from 18% to 5%, and for charging/swapping infrastructure services from 18% to 5% as well.

While this was not mentioned

during the Budget, we look forward to the GST Council taking this up, and implementing it soon.”

He, however, said that the announcement of the outlay of Rs 18,000 crore to support augmentation of public bus transportation services is a welcome announcement, along with the deployment of ‘MetroLite’ and ‘MetroNeo’ services for ease of mobility across Tier 2 cities and peripheral areas of Tier 1 cities. This opens up the possibilities of providing last mile connectivity in and around these locations via electric vehicles like e-autos and e-rickshaws, provided adequate support is given by the government for setting up charging and swapping infrastructure.

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Similarly, he noted that the implementation of the scrappage policy is a good move, which can be further enhanced by providing additional incentive for replacing old vehicles with electric ones, instead of other ICE vehicles, for driving mass EV adoption.

“The EV industry needs to not only ‘Make in India’, but also ‘Design in India’, so we look forward to the details of the Rs 50,000 crores Innovation and R&D outlay that was announced, as well as the PLI scheme and how they can benefit the sector, as these will be key enablers in making EVs take off in the country. This will help create manufacturing global champions for an AtmaNirbhar Bharat, boosting start-ups to achieving a USD 5 trillion economy,” he affirmed.

OKINAWA AUTOTECH: Jeetender Sharma, Founder & Managing Director, Okinawa Autotech said the Budget 202122 effectively sets the roadmap for the next five years with a slew of measures for overall economic growth. He said the increase in customs duty on automobile parts will rightly encourage domestic manufacturing. He

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ecosystem may not propel in 2021-22 as expected. The industry was also anticipating a transitory relaxation in GST rates on vehicles, which could have catalysed demand. The absence of these key measures has dampened the demand outlook for the auto sector, Sharma noted.

Jeetender Sharma, Founder & Managing Director, Okinawa Autotech

CROSSLOOP: Tarun Mehta, Co-founder & CEO, Ather Energy

said the industry was expecting the government to look at reducing the GST and reconsider the current taxation framework applicable on raw material and the final product in case of EVs which could have provided the muchneeded impetus to the industry.

ATHER ENERGY: Tarun Mehta, Co-founder & CEO, Ather Energy said, “The voluntary vehicle scrappage policy announced to phase out old and unfit vehicles will encourage the sales of new vehicles. It is good to see that the government is looking at addressing the concerns regarding GST inverted duty structure. We look forward to more details on the inverted duty structure and the Production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme announced by the Finance Minister.”

BRICKWORK RATINGS: Tanu Sharma, Director Ratings, Brickwork Ratings too believed that the voluntary vehicle scrappage policy to curb vehicular pollution and oil imports is likely to boost demand for new passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles by phasing out older vehicles.

This could indirectly also benefit electric vehicles (EVs).

The budget announced an outlay of Rs 18,000 crore to support the acquisition, operations and maintenance of over 20,000 buses via a public private partnership model, which in turn would create demand in the commercial vehicle segments.

As there was no specific announcement on EVs the EV

Sameer Katole, CEO, Crossloop said the Finance Minister laid major emphasis on enhancing domestic manufacturing of electronic equipment. The Union Budget 2021 has a strong focus towards the revival of the economy and extensive plans for Atmanirbhar Bharat. It shows extreme commitment towards a strong comeback for the sectors which faced major backlashes in 2020. The budget covered several demanding issues faced by the economy earlier and with an attention concerning startup community, the extension of tax holiday for start-ups by one more year is an important decision made. This will encourage the survival of startups and give them the required support for bounce back. Further, the increased spending on PLI for electronic manufacturing schemes is a positive sign. The 2.5% taxation on manufacturing of smartphone parts is also

“The voluntary vehicle scrappage policy announced to phase out old and unfit vehicles will encourage the sales of new vehicles. It is good to see that the government is looking at addressing the concerns regarding GST inverted duty structure. We look forward to more details on the inverted duty structure and the Production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme announced by the Finance Minister,” ~ TARUN MEHTA, Co-founder & CEO, Ather Energy

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Sameer Katole, CEO, Crossloop

2020. Many domestic players were badly affected and expecting some strong moves by the government. The thrust on automobile sustainability by introducing voluntary scrappage policy will lead to progress in the auto sector significantly and curb pollution issues and soaring crude oil bills.

EARTH ENERGY EV: Rushi Shenghani, CEO & Founder, Earth Energy EV said that the focus on the Atma Nirbhar package will lead to sustained recovery for indigenous brands. “We are pleased to know that after keeping the scrappage policy unclear for so long, the government is placing voluntary scrapping policy ahead this year- the industry is going to get a major boost and it will create demand for energy efficient vehicles,” said Shenghani.

a vital decision as it will boost the inclusive growth of the country and further bring major changes in the consumer electronic and domestic manufacturing segment, Katole noted.

DETEL: Yogesh Bhatia, Founder, Detel, a company that deals in Detel Easy, an electric two wheeler and a range of electronic products, said that he appreciated the Government’s vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat post the most unprecedented year of

Rushi Shenghani, CEO & Founder, Earth Energy EV

EULER MOTORS:

Yogesh Bhatia, Founder, Detel

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Saurav Kumar, Founder and CEO, Euler Motors, a young EV company that targets the last mile delivery market with its eLCV fleet, said that this year’s budget is a directional push to move towards clean energy and transition towards a green economy. The outlays to tackle air pollution and boost to

Saurav Kumar, Founder and CEO, Euler Motors

non-conventional energy sectors will be key to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and power the industrial sector and electric transportation. The announcement of the Hydrogen Energy Mission is a step closer for generating power through green sources and fulfil charging requirements of EVs in the future, he said. He also welcomed the scrappage policy.

“In the commercial segment, there are large numbers of old vehicles and the scrappage policy will boost adoption of low emission and energy efficient vehicles, by phasing out old models. We also look forward to Government’s continued infrastructure push with focus towards improving roadways in India. These will provide an impetus towards modernisation and drive more consumption in the auto segment,” he noted.

FIXCRAFT: Vivek Sharma, Founder and CEO, Fixcraft. a network of car body shops, pointed out that “Vehicle fitness control has always been a

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Vivek Sharma, Founder and CEO, Fixcraft

must. With the new scrappage policy people are going to benefit while the process also gets accelerated at the same time.

This will also fast track the entry of EVs into the market which the government has been pushing for so long.”

GOZERO MOBILITY: Ankit Kumar, CEO, GoZero Mobility, said the new Budget has shown

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that the government is looking to make great strides in promoting its indigenous EV industry. “First is the Voluntary Vehicle Scrapping Policy, with the intention to phaseout vehicles that are poor in fuel efficiency off the roads. This policy would incentivise owners of old vehicles, which are usually the ones that fit the bill, to voluntarily give up their vehicle for scrap and look towards newer vehicles and more innovative mobility solutions. This policy would definitely push the EV industry more into the limelight as the public now has more reason to evaluate the economic feasibility of EVs and e-micro mobility options like e-bikes.

“Second, Rs. 2217 crore have been allocated to tackle the plaguing issue of air pollution, targeting 42 cities that have a population of more than a million. This mission would definitely entail the promotion of sustainable transportation, as vehicular emissions constitute

a major share in our cities’ air pollution. Also coupled with the Vehicle Scrapping Policy, the auto industry can be optimistic about seeing the rise of charging infrastructure, and bicyclists and e-bikers could see their dreams of bicycle friendly streets being fulfilled.

“Third, the National Hydrogen Mission with the proposal to draw energy from renewable sources ensures that the entire value chain in energy consumption, including for electric vehicles, would be as carbon neutral as possible. The auto and micro-mobility industry are still holding out hope for more reforms relating to tax structure and import duties on raw materials and components to become friendlier in following announcements in the coming months. Seeing the pledge taken by the government in this Budget, the industry believes that its hopes would be fulfilled this year,” Kumar explained.

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