1. EV battery manufacturing gets a boost in Budget 2025.

The Union Budget 2025, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, has drawn positive reactions from India’s electric vehicle sector. A key highlight of the budget is the focus on reducing EV battery cost by exempting custom duties on materials used in battery manufacturing. The Finance Minister stated: "To the list of exempted capital goods, I propose to add 35 additional capital goods for EV battery manufacturing. This will boost domestic manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries."

The decision to waive custom duties on 35 capital goods necessary for making EV batteries is going to lower manufacturing costs and the trickle down effect will see EVs becoming more affordable.

To further support domestic EV battery production, the Finance Minister announced tax incentives on key materials like cobalt powder, lithium-ion battery waste & scrap, lead, zinc and twelve other critical minerals.

2. Ola Electric unveils Gen 3 electric scooters.

Ola Electric unveiled its upgraded portfolio of ‘Gen 3’ electric scooters. Ola Electric now has 4 models, which are subdivided into 8 variants. These eight variants are spread across the S1 X, S1 X+, S1 Pro & S1 Pro+ models. The new Gen 3 range starts from Rs 79,999 for the S1 X (2 kWh battery variant) and goes up to Rs 1,69,999 for the S1 Pro+ (5.3 kWh battery variant).

The Ola S1 X is Ola Electric’s entry-level range of scooters and will be available in three variants based on the battery. Prices for the new Ola S1 X start at Rs 79,999. The three variants mainly differ on the size of the battery, which also affects the range. The entry-level S1 X with the 2 kWh battery offers a claimed range of 108 km, while the mid-spec S1 X with 3 kWh battery offers a range of 176 km. The S1 X with 4 kWh battery has a range of 242 km.

The Ola S1 X+ is available in a single version with a 4 kWh battery which offers a range of 242 km. It is priced at Rs 1,07,999.

The Ola S1 Pro, which was the top-spec model in Gen 2, is not the top variant anymore. The S1 Pro will be available in two sub-variants. The S1 Pro with 3 kWh battery offers a range of 176 km. The S1 Pro with 4 kWh battery offers a range of 242 km. Prices start at Rs 1,14,999.

The Ola S1 Pro+ is now the top-spec model of Ola’s electric scooter series. It will be available in two variants: 4 kWh & 5.3 kWh. The all-new 5.3 kWh battery variant offers a claimed range of 320 km!

Ola Electric’s Gen 3 platform introduces the category-first ‘dual anti-lock braking system’ and patented ‘brake-by-wire’ technology, which dynamically modulates the type of braking between regenerative & mechanical braking. The company claims that this new tech offers better safety, control and efficiency by increasing energy recovery by 15%. Ola also claims that the Gen 3 lineup offers a 20% increase in peak power and a 20% boost in range compared to its predecessor, the Gen 2.

3. More electric car launches expected in 2025 as compared to fuel-powered cars.

India is expected to see more electric car launches in comparison to petrol/diesel car launches in 2025. 18 out of 28 planned car launches this year will be electric. This is a considerable increase from 4-5 electric car launches in the country in the last 2 years. Some of the major electric cars expected in 2025 include Maruti Suzuki e Vitara, Tata Harrier EV, VinFast VF6 & VF7, BYD SEALION 7, Skoda Enyaq EV, MG Cyberster EV, etc.

4. Electric two-wheeler sales witness a handsome growth in January 2025.

India’s electric two-wheeler market grew by 24% month-on-month (MoM) in January 2025. Total registrations increased from 73,651 units in December 2024 to 91,264 units in January 2025, according to recent Vahan dashboard data. Ola Electric leads the pack with a 76.4% MoM growth, selling 24,336 units and increasing its market share to 25%. This comes after Ola Electric had lost the lead to Bajaj Chetak in December 2024.

January’s performance positioned Ola ahead of competitors such as TVS & Bajaj. TVS registered a 37.4% MoM increase to 23,809 units, while Bajaj registered 21,310 units, growing by 16%. Ather’s sales increased by 23% MoM to 12,906 units.

5. Kazam introduces 'Driver Tariff' feature in its CMS.

Kazam has introduced a new addition to its CMS, the Driver Tariff feature, which has been designed to enhance pricing transparency & flexibility for EV drivers. The new tool enables real-time tariff visibility while offering a customizable approach to tariff assignment.

EV charging networks cater to a diverse range of users, including individual EV owners, fleet operators & corporate entities. Managing EV charging costs across different user segments has always been a challenge. With Kazam’s new Driver Tariff feature, ‘custom pricing models’, tailored to specific driver groups, can be created, making EV charging optimized.

Key features of Driver Tariff include:

Driver Groups: Divide drivers into groups and assign tariffs to chargers accordingly.
Unique Tariff Assignment: Assign specific tariffs to different driver groups based on contracts, memberships or special agreements.

The new Driver Tariff feature is designed to provide greater flexibility, reduce pricing disputes and create a seamless charging experience.

For complete energy management & EV charging solutions, explore the Kazam website and reach out to us at business@kazam.in