Featuring a 102kWh battery pack, the Spectre promises a WLTP cycle range of 530km. Charging from 10 to 80 percent can be accomplished in 34 minutes with a 195kW charger, or in 95 minutes with a 50kW DC charger. Powered by two electric motors—one on each axle—the Spectre generates a combined output of 585hp and 900Nm, propelling the 2,890kg vehicle to 100kph in just 4.5 seconds.

Built on Rolls-Royce’s Aluminium Spaceframe Architecture, known as the Architecture of Luxury, the Spectre shares its foundation with current models like the Phantom, Cullinan, and Ghost, having been engineered for electric capabilities from its inception. The vehicle boasts a 30 percent increase in stiffness compared to previous Rolls-Royce iterations, featuring active suspension and four-wheel steering.

Inspired by contemporary yacht concepts, the Spectre showcases a striking design, highlighted by its widest-ever grille with aerodynamic efficiency in mind, boasting 22 LEDs for soft nighttime illumination. The Spirit of Ecstasy emblem has also been aerodynamically optimized, contributing to the Spectre’s remarkable drag coefficient of 0.25, making it the most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce to date.

The introduction of the Spectre marks a significant milestone in Rolls-Royce’s ambition to transition to an all-electric brand by 2030. Serving as the sole coupe in the lineup following the conclusion of Dawn production, the Spectre represents a pivotal step in the luxury automaker’s electrification journey.

Ola aims to expand its service centers footprint across the country to cater to growing after-sales service needs of its customers. To celebrate this milestone, Ola Electric also organised an all-day free scooter health check-up for all Ola S1 owners at the service centre in Prayagraj.

Ola Electric now has 450 dedicated service centres nationwide to prioritize customers’ needs to offer after sales service.

Ola Electric also launched an 8 year/80,000 km extended battery warranty for the entire range of products at no extra cost, a move Ola Electric believes addresses one of the barriers for EV adoption by extending the lifespan of the vehicles. Besides, the company announced plans to ramp up its fast-charging network. The company also introduced a portable fast charger accessory of 3KW and is available for purchase at INR 29,999.

With the deployment of these vehicles, Ola will have the largest EV 2W fleet in the country, and the company will double down and scale up the e-Bike services throughout India by the end of this year.

With prices as low as INR 25 for 5 km, INR 50 for 10 km, INR 75 for 15 km, the Ola eBike service will be the most affordable, sustainable, and convenient solution to commute within the cities.

Commenting on the launch, Hemant Bakshi, CEO, Ola Mobility, said: “Electrification is the biggest lever to unlock affordability in the mobility space.  At Ola, driving affordable mobility through electrification is our priority and in line with our vision to serve 1 billion Indians.  Following the massive success of our Bangalore e-Bike taxi pilot, we have proven its sustainable value proposition for all ecosystem participants – the consumer (lower price), the driver (higher earnings), and Ola (new category and revenues), and now look at mass deployments across Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad and build a larger market for e-Bike taxis in India. With our focus on innovation, and accessibility, our e-Bike taxi initiative will also serve as a multi-work opportunity for gig-economy workers on the Ola platform and pave the way for the future of commerce.”

In September 2023, Ola revolutionized urban mobility in Bangalore with a pilot launch of the e-Bike taxi service. The pioneering move offered the most affordable electric two-wheeler rides in India, and a substantial 40% market expansion in the category within three months. To date, it has accomplished more than 1.75 million rides. In addition, Ola also set up 200 charging stations in Bangalore to service its ebike fleet. It will also set up an extensive charging network in all markets it operates in.

Ola recently announced that its India Mobility Business has turned EBITDA positive in FY 23, one of the few Indian internet companies to achieve this feat. The company announced an aggressive growth focus on ride-hailing, financial services, logistics, and e-commerce. With a vision to serve a billion Indian consumers and empower 10 million partners economically, Ola is all set to reimagine and redefine mobility.

India, there are currently no domestic lithium supplies, although recent reserves have been discovered in regions such as Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand. However, commercial availability of these reserves is expected to take time. Consequently, India relies entirely on lithium imports, which have been increasing year by year. In the fiscal year 2022-2023, India’s lithium import bill amounted to $33.05 million, representing a 49% increase compared to the previous fiscal year. Additionally, the import of lithium-ion batteries grew by 56.84%, reaching $2.87 billion in the same period.

To mitigate the risks associated with heavy dependence on lithium and the competitive race for lithium mines in countries like Chile, Argentina, and Australia, India is exploring other minerals and chemistries for battery manufacturing. One notable mineral being studied is sodium, which is paving the way for sodium-ion batteries, albeit on a smaller scale. Sodium-ion batteries have the potential to be a game-changer due to the limited availability of lithium. Furthermore, India is investigating alternative technologies such as aluminum-air batteries, vanadium batteries, and flow batteries.

India is actively implementing strategies to diversify and enhance its battery sector. In addition to exploring domestic reserves and sourcing lithium from other countries, the government has initiated a production-linked incentive scheme targeting “niche” batteries. This scheme aims to promote research and development in newer chemistries for batteries. Battery companies are also aligning their efforts by developing batteries based on alternative chemistries.

In conclusion, India recognizes the need to diversify its battery manufacturing sector beyond lithium to overcome potential supply constraints and reduce dependence on imports. The government’s initiatives, coupled with ongoing exploration of alternative minerals and chemistries, highlight the country’s commitment to fostering a robust and sustainable battery industry as part of its energy transition and electric mobility objectives.

The FAME II scheme, with an original outlay of Rs 10,000 crore over a five-year period starting from April 1, 2019, aims to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and support the development of a thriving electric mobility ecosystem in the country. The scheme encompasses subsidies for various types of electric vehicles, including 7,000 electric buses, 5,00,000 electric three-wheelers, 55,000 electric cars, and 10,00,000 electric two-wheelers. Additionally, it facilitates the establishment of charging infrastructure, further promoting the growth of electric mobility.

Recognizing the progress and potential of the FAME II scheme, the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) conducted a year-end review in 2023 and revealed that electric vehicle manufacturers have received subsidies worth Rs 5,228 crore for the sale of over 11.53 lakh electric vehicles by December 1, 2023.

Several transportation entities, such as state transport undertakings, city transport undertakings, and municipal corporations, have actively participated in the FAME II scheme. They have placed orders for 3,390 electric buses, out of which 3,037 units have already been deployed. Additionally, a total of 3,472 electric buses are being processed through Convergence Energy Services Ltd (CESL) under the aggregation model of NITI Aayog. Among these, 454 buses have been deployed, ultimately resulting in a planned deployment of 6,862 electric buses across different states under the FAME II scheme.

Moreover, the scheme has also facilitated the installation of 148 EV public charging stations to cater to the growing demand for charging infrastructure.

Notably, on March 28, 2023, the Ministry of Heavy Industries sanctioned Rs 800 crore under the FAME II scheme to PSU oil marketing companies, namely Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum. This allocation will be used to establish 7,432 public fast charging stations across the country.

In summary, the second phase of India’s FAME scheme has played a significant role in promoting the adoption of electric vehicles by providing substantial subsidies and supporting the development of charging infrastructure. With nearly 11.53 lakh electric vehicles incentivized and an encouraging deployment of electric buses, the scheme demonstrates the government’s commitment to fostering sustainable and eco-friendly mobility solutions.