India’s carmakers to jointly develop hybrid and electric vehicles

India’s carmakers Tata Motors Ltd., Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd. and Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. are working on a shared technology basis to develop hybrid and battery-powered vehicles at lower costs. In the first phase, they are aiming to demonstrate their fleet of vehicles for the Commonwealth Games to be held in 2010 in India. Under the initiative of the Department of Heavy Industries, Government of India and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, these companies will work in key areas such as transmissions, electronic controllers, battery and motors. Details are still being worked out, officials said. However, the focus is likely to be on high-powered lithium ion batteries, which can be used together with a gasoline or a diesel engine. Maruti Suzuki will demonstrate the technology on its passenger car models while Mahindra will showcase the technology on its sports utility vehicles and Tata on its heavy vehicles like buses. Each company is expected to demonstrate the technology on a fleet of 10 vehicles. (May 16, 2009)