Volvo is currently not considering plug-in-hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) in its India portfolio anytime soon, as it sees the current tax structure and uncertain customer interest as hurdles to their introduction. “The regulations are not conducive to plug-in hybrids,” Jyoti Malhotra, MD of Volvo Car India, told our sister publication Autocar Professional on the sidelines of the recent EX90 launch. He also added that Volvo’s India plans remain focused on mild hybrids and EVs for now.
GST on PHEVs is 40 percent, making them less competitive than BEVs with 5 percent GST
Volvo’s India strategy focuses on mild hybrids and BEVs for the foreseeable future
PHEVs could be introduced if customer demand, economics support their future viability
India’s tax structure makes PHEVs less competitive
In India, PHEVs attract a 40 percent GST rate (plus applicable cesses bringing total taxes even higher, up to 43 percent). In contrast, pure battery EVs (BEVs) face a 5 percent GST rate and no compensation cess.
Malhotra said current tax treatment favours BEVs and makes PHEVs less competitive. PHEVs combine an internal combustion engine (ICE) with an electric drivetrain comprising an electric motor and a rechargeable battery that can be charged externally. This dual-powertrain setup adds to the vehicle’s cost. The higher tax burden further affects the final price, making PHEVs less competitive against conventional ICE models and battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
Higher costs, customer willingness to pay remain key hurdles
Beyond taxation, customer willingness to pay remains a key factor in Volvo’s assessment. Malhotra said PHEVs would be more expensive than conventional ICE vehicles because they combine two powertrains and face a higher tax burden. “Are our customers ready to pay that cost is something we are watching very closely,” he added.
He also believes incentives under the third phase of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) norms, slated to go into effect from April 2027, would not by themselves change the commercial case or the final purchase price. “I don’t think CAFE will bring much change to that. It is basically the tax structure,” he said.
Volvo’s India strategy remains focused on EVs, mild hybrids
Malhotra maintained that Volvo’s broader direction remained towards battery electric vehicles, even as the company adjusted the pace of its transition to reflect conditions in individual markets. “Our end goal is still the same, globally as well as in India, that we want to become an electric car company,” he said.
In India, Volvo offers mild-hybrid SUVs alongside BEVs, with electric cars accounting for nearly one in four vehicles it sells. The BEV portfolio includes EX30, EC40 and EX90 models, while the ICE models include the XC60 and XC90 SUVs, which come in a mild-hybrid avatar. Internationally, though, Volvo offers the XC60 and XC90 as PHEVs as well.
Malhotra said that mix also left the company well placed on CAFE compliance, allowing its powertrain decisions to be guided by market demand. Plug-in hybrids remain an option if customer demand and the economics support their introduction. “It’s not that we will bring it, but we can bring it if all things fall in place,” he added.
Mercedes-Benz India says the CLA Electric has received more than 1,000 confirmed orders, with deliveries extending into March 2027 due to limited supply. Customers are currently facing waiting periods of up to six months for the electric sedan. The strong demand comes as Mercedes-Benz recorded its highest-ever January-September sales in India, with 15,190 cars retailed in the first nine months of 2026, up 8 percent from the same period last year.
The July-September quarter also set a new sales record, with 5,422 units retailed, a 6 percent increase over Q3 2025. Growth was driven by new launches and demand for long-wheelbase models like the E-Class, GLE, GLS and V-Class. The company also said repeat purchases from existing Mercedes-Benz customers as part of the replacement cycle contributed to demand.
Mercedes-Benz sees strong demand for CLA Electric
The CLA Electric, launched in April this year, has helped drive Mercedes-Benz India’s electric car sales, which grew 16 percent in January-September 2026. Mercedes-Benz expects EVs to account for 20-25 percent of its sales next year if supply improves. The company says supply remains the main constraint on its electric car sales. Managing director and CEO Santosh Iyer said Mercedes-Benz India could have achieved 7-8 percentage points higher EV penetration this year if not for supply-side issues.
The automaker also recorded strong demand at the top end of its range. Sales of the EQS Maybach SUV grew 68 percent year on year in January-September 2026, and the company will begin deliveries of the new electrified S-Class from mid-October. The top-spec MANUFAKTUR version is sold out for the year, while a limited number of Exclusive Line cars remain available for order.
Mercedes-Benz sales rise 6 percent in Q3
The core luxury segment accounted for around 60 percent of Mercedes-Benz India’s sales in January-September, with the C-Class, GLC, GLE and long-wheelbase E-Class making up the bulk of this segment. The entry-luxury segment, comprising the GLA and CLA Electric, accounted for around 15 percent of sales and grew 4 percent during the period.
The company’s top-end portfolio grew 13 percent and accounted for more than 25 percent of sales. Mercedes-AMG sales rose 18 percent during the period. Q3 sales were also 17 percent higher than in the previous quarter.
Diesel share rises to 40 percent
Diesel models now account for 40 percent of Mercedes-Benz India’s sales, up from 38 percent, according to managing director and CEO Santosh Iyer. The increase comes as chief rival BMW has been shifting its model line-up away from diesel and towards electrified powertrains in India.
Mercedes-Benz GLC Electric bookings open
Mercedes-Benz has opened bookings for the GLC Electric in India ahead of the model’s launch on November 4. The SUV will be assembled at the company’s Chakan plant and will initially be offered in the 400 4Matic version, with a 94kWh battery and a claimed WLTP range of 715km.
The GLC Electric will join the CLA Electric, EQS SUV, EQS Maybach SUV and G580 in Mercedes-Benz India’s electric line-up.
Aston Martin has delayed the launch of its first electric car to 2033 or later, with CEO Adrian Hallmark saying the company no longer has a fixed launch date. Speaking to our sister publication Autocar UK, Hallmark said, “We only need BEVs to be compliant for legislative reasons [in certain markets] just before 2035,” adding that the timing “could be 2035, it might be 2033”. He described Aston Martin as “not BEV deniers but BEV delayers”, and said the company will be “predominantly ICE-based” until 2035.
Aston Martin EV launch delayed again
Aston Martin’s EV plans have been pushed back several times. The company had previously targeted 2025, later moved the launch to 2026, and subsequently indicated that its first EV would arrive by 2030. The latest timeline moves it into the 2033-35 window.
Hallmark said the change reflects the pace at which EV demand and legislation are evolving. He said they are “changing way faster than any car company can cope with”, making it difficult for Aston Martin to set a firm launch date. “I’m not going to give an absolute date, because it’s imprecise. It could be 2035, it might be 2033, but it’s in that three-year-window. It’s not 2031,” Hallmark added.
The latest delay follows comments from executive chairman Lawrence Stroll in 2024 that EV demand at Aston Martin’s price point was lower than expected. At the time, the company had outlined plans for four EVs based on a dedicated architecture, spanning a GT, SUV, crossover and mid-engined supercar.
Lucid technology to underpin future EVs
Aston Martin has an agreement with Lucid for EV technology and has a partnership with current engine supplier Mercedes-Benz. Hallmark said the delay will give the company more time to assess how the technology develops before making major investments.
“Because we delayed, by the time we activate that deal, the technology that we will get is totally different to what we signed up the original contract for,” Hallmark said. He added that “looking at BEVs in the future, even if [we launch our first in] 2033, we’ve got three years where we can keep looking, keep thinking and keep evaluating different technologies and how they’re changing, and the markets and the legislation. And it’s only then that we would need to kick off investment. So today we’ve got very low-level investment, but it’s research and study, not even single-digit millions of investment.”
V8 and V12 engines to continue
Aston Martin Vantage’s 665hp V8
Aston Martin plans to continue offering combustion-engined cars well into the 2030s. Hallmark said the company has a roadmap to keep both its V8 and V12 engines compliant through at least 2035. “We have a roadmap to keep the bigger and smaller engines alive and compliant all the way through to the end of that period,” Hallmark said.
This extends the approach outlined by Stroll in 2024, when he said Aston Martin would continue making combustion-engined cars for as long as regulations allowed. The company had also increased its investment in plug-in hybrid technology as its EV plans were pushed back. Stroll had said Aston Martin had “decided to invest very heavily in PHEVs” – technology, he said, that would “play out for a long while and we will have an extensive offering”.
However, the latest strategy is different from that earlier plan. Hallmark said Aston Martin will use hybridisation, but “probably not” plug-in hybrid systems because of their added weight. “There would be hybridisation,” Hallmark said. “Probably not plug-in, because we don’t need it; we don’t need the 200kg penalties.”
Hallmark said “between 2030 and 2035 everything will be replaced” in Aston Martin’s product line-up, adding that “the attributes, performance and quality of the vehicles will take them up a level”. He also confirmed that Aston Martin will continue with the Valhalla hypercar, hinting that “there might be a derivative of it that has a different roof”. The company is investing in the Valhalla platform for future low-volume special edition models, he said.
Rapide E never entered production
Aston Martin had planned to build 155 examples of the Rapide E, which was revealed as an electric four-door in 2019, but the production programme was cancelled before customer cars were built. The project was instead turned into an electrification research project, rather than being sold to customers. The Rapide E used an 800V battery and two electric motors with a combined target output of more than 610hp and 950Nm.
Tata Motors has extended its Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) scheme to the Nexon EV, Curvv EV, Sierra EV and Harrier EV. The option was previously available only with the Tiago EV and Punch EV, and is now offered across Tata’s entire electric car range.
Under BaaS, the battery is paid for separately from the car, reducing the upfront price. The monthly battery payment depends on the battery size, down payment and loan tenure.
BaaS now available across Tata’s six EVs
Battery payments are charged separately from the car
The Mercedes-Benz GLC EV you see here is not merely an electric derivative of the GLC you and I are familiar with. It’s built on an all-electric platform, and it’s longer, wider, and built on a slightly larger wheelbase than the GLC. And it also does 0-100kph in just 4.3 seconds.
The big news is that it’s coming to India by the end of the year. There’s lots to talk about, so let’s go one by one.
Mercedes-Benz GLC EV Exterior Design and Engineering – 8/10
Large new grille reminiscent of older Mercs
Let’s talk styling first, and what catches your attention up front is this large new grille. It’s very different from what we’ve seen of Mercs of late, but it actually has a link to Mercs of old. The upright grille is styled to look like the one on iconic models like the W112 S-Class, but there’s a lot of modernity built into it as well. There are 942 lighting elements in it! Talking of lighting, the three-pointed star on the nose glows and there’s a tri-star DRL pattern in the headlights too. And unlike other Merc EVs from the (recent) past, there is a functional frunk with a handy 129 litres of space.
Gets an 84mm longer wheelbase than the ICE version.
The GLC EV doesn’t look all too different to the ICE GLC in profile. Which is to say it is not an upright SUV but curvy, low-slung and aerodynamic. What is noticeably different is the wheelbase, which is a full 84mm longer. Mind you, this is the standard wheelbase GLC EV. There’s a long-wheelbase version sold in markets like China. India will get the GLC with 20-inch rims and flush-fitted door handles that pop out when the doors are unlocked.
570-litre boot is spacious, but a caveat is the absence of a spare wheel.
Styling at the back is quite distinct from the other lot of Mercedes SUVs, and that’s thanks to a band of black that runs the width of the tailgate. There’s full-LED lighting at the back replete with three-pointed star light signatures.
The powered tailgate opens up to a 570-litre luggage area, which is quite sizable. The only catch is that there’s no space for a spare tyre. Mercedes India will probably have to provide one to sit on the boot floor, which means not much space will be left for luggage.
Before we proceed, I have to admit, I didn’t like what I saw of the GLC EV in pictures. In reality, it is eye-catching, and in a very good way.
Mercedes-Benz GLC EV Interior Space and Comfort – 8/10
Interior quality is impressive, with open-pore wood trim while physical steering knobs and AC vents have a tactile feel
That new-age Mercedes vibe continues inside too, and that feeling is all thanks to a 39-inch Hyperscreen that extends nearly the entire width of the dash. There’s a seamless connection between the digital instrument cluster, the centre touchscreen and front passenger display, and it does look really impressive. That being said, the screens have taken away some of the warmth that you’d expect in a Merc.
Comfy front seats come with various levels of adjustment, massage and heating. India-spec model expected to come with a cooling function.
In terms of quality, though, the GLC EV feels like an expensive Mercedes. There’s open-pore wood, the AC vents operate with very satisfying clicks and clacks, and physical rotary controllers make a welcome comeback to the steering wheel.
The front seats are as comfy as they look, with multi-way powered adjustment, massage and heating. We expect the model for India to pack in ventilation as well.
You get more space than the standard GLC, and unlike some EVs, you do get good foot room. However, it’s best suited for two.
It’s at the back where things get really interesting for buyers confused between a GLC and a GLC EV. Rear seat space is a bit more generous than the standard GLC. There’s also good foot room under the front seats, which is not something you can say about all EVs, and even the seating position isn’t the typical knees-up that we’ve come to associate with EVs. A longer seat squab would have upped the experience. Also, the rear seat is best for two. A middle passenger will have to contend with a high centre tunnel.
Mercedes-Benz GLC EV Features and Safety – 9/10
The Hyperscreen is the focal point of the dash and delivers brilliant graphics across the entire display. The digital dials, centre touchscreen and passenger screen appear to be part of a seamless display and look terrific. There are themes for the screen too that also adjust other functions for the full effect. For instance, a bonfire on the screen will be accompanied by the seat heating coming on.
Massive 39-inch hyperscreen has a good UI and seamlessly integrates with other in-car displays but packs in too many functions.
The thing is, there’s just too much packed onto the centre touchscreen. The UI is good but more physical controls would just make life easier. The passenger display is slick in its own right but only blanks out if it detects the driver looking at it (a camera on the dash monitors the driver’s gaze). A privacy glass would have just been better.
Among the other features, the panoramic glass roof is made up of nine segments which can be individually controlled for transparency. You can make them completely opaque, and they did a surprisingly good job of keeping the heat out. You could even have the glass roof specced with 162 stars that change colour with the ambient lighting.
Panoramic glass roof comprises nine individually configurable segments to control transparency.
Features-wise, aside from the screens and glass roof, the other highlight is the Burmester 4D sound system with exciters in the seat, so you can actually feel the bass. The head-up display and cameras are also top-class, while the AI integration doesn’t feel like a tick-mark item. You can actually converse with your car for restaurant recommendations or even abstract general knowledge.
The safety suite includes 9 airbags, ESC and a full suite of ADAS features.
Mercedes-Benz GLC EV Performance and Refinement – 9/10
Your friendly Mercedes salesperson will only be too happy to run you through the GLC 400’s big numbers: 489hp, 800Nm and a 4.3 sec 0-100kph time. The figures are made possible by front and rear permanently excited motors that draw power from a 94kWh battery pack.
489hp from its dual motors makes the GLC EV feel like an AMG compared to its ICE counterpart.
How does it all come together? The first thing that gets you is the silence. The drive experience is just what you’d expect in a plush Mercedes electric car. So it’s really quiet, and you don’t hear much of the world outside. There is a bit of wind noise if you really pay attention, but honestly, with some music piping out of the Burmester sound system, it’s not something that will catch your attention in the least.
What’s also clear is that the GLC EV is the strong and silent type. The performance makes the GLC EV feel like an AMG compared to the standard GLC petrol and diesel. A two-speed gearbox ensures quick getaways when needed, as well as the long legs for a more relaxed drive. Stomp down on the accelerator from a steady cruise, and you can feel the kickdown.
You won’t need to drive like a hoon to enjoy the GLC EV. Performance, no surprises, is very brisk when you put some weight on the accelerator pedal, with easy access to power. You can make the GLC EV feel a bit more urgent when you play around with the drive modes, but honestly, you won’t really need to because of how friendly the power feels and how ready the GLC EV feels at all times.
Power is easily accessible and is ready to push further when you put your foot down.
You’ll also take very naturally to the regen braking levels. One-pedal driving is included, and there’s the option of an intelligent mode too that reads the driving environment and optimises regen force.
The GLC EV also gets sound profiles, and we have to say they’re a bit unusual. They’re not trying to mimic the sound of a V8 or a V6 or any kind of ICE engine. The sounds are more on the sci-fi spectrum, so if you accelerate hard, you’d get the feeling of being in a UFO, which is disconcerting, if we can be honest. We’d rather enjoy the quiet inside.
Mercedes-Benz GLC EV Range and Efficiency – 8/10
Its large 94kWh battery can be charged from 10-80 percent in 22 minutes with a 330kW DC fast charger.
Now, on to the matter of range. Mercedes claims a 715-kilometre range on the WLTP cycle. Even if you account for real-world Indian conditions, you’re looking at a comfortable range of over 550 kilometres. Drive with a bit of care, and you could see that figure go past 600 kilometres. We really have come a long way in just a few years, haven’t we?
Of course, the go-to charging solution for most owners will be home charging. There’s up to 22kW AC support. The GLC can also be charged at up to 330kW using DC charging. Theoretically, at max speed, the GLC EV’s 94kWh battery can be juiced up from 10 to 80 percent in 22 minutes. A 10-minute charge alone can give you 300 kilometres of range.
Mercedes-Benz GLC EV Ride Comfort and Handling – 8/10
We can’t give a definitive verdict on cornering ability, as the bulk of our route was on the Autobahn outside Stuttgart, which has the gentlest of curves.
At Autobahn speeds, the GLC EV feels really planted and drives like a proper German car should. There’s pleasant weight at the steering wheel as well.
In terms of high-speed ride comfort, the GLC EV doesn’t come across as softly sprung as something like an EQS SUV, which really feels a bit roly-poly. There is still some vertical movement even when you switch to Sport mode, but it’s not to the point of being an irritant.
Feels planted out on the Autobahn and the steering is well-weighted
We’ll reserve judgement on the air suspension’s bump absorption till we drive the GLC EV on our roads, but on the sole patch of broken road on our route, the GLC EV didn’t feel entirely plush. Perhaps that’s something for Mercedes India to have on their list of things to do for the version headed our way.
A cool feature on the GLC’s suspension is its use of Google Maps to identify the vehicle’s environment and adjust ride height. For instance, the car automatically lowers on a highway. Also cutting-edge is how the suspension preps damping force in advance of a bump based on Car2X information from a Mercedes vehicle driving ahead. The systems better be up for the challenge of our roads.
Bundled in with air suspension is rear-axle steer, and the 4.5 degrees of movement does help greatly at parking speeds.
Mercedes-Benz GLC EV Should You Buy Now or Wait – 9/10
Bookings for the GLC EV open in early October, and the model will be launched in India within 2026.
It’s a big deal because the GLC EV comes to India within just six months of its European rollout. What makes the timeline even more impressive is the fact that the GLC EV won’t be an import, but will be assembled in India. Local assembly points at keen pricing.
The GLC EV will be locally assembled 6 months after its European version goes on sale.
We expect the model to be priced at about Rs 85-90 lakh (estimated, ex-showroom), which wouldn’t be all too far from the ICE GLC’s price. Factor in the registration benefits on EVs, and the price gets more tempting still.
As a product, the GLC EV does have lots going for it. It’s got the power, the refinement and the tech you’d expect on a luxury EV. Importantly, it doesn’t feel like your dad’s Mercedes, and that new-age cool is something many buyers will resonate with.
BMW’s iX3 Long Wheelbase and Audi’s Q6 e-tron are alternatives to watch out for in 2027, but in the near future, the GLC EV looks set for a clean run.
For 107 years, Bentley has been defined by what sits under the bonnet: supercharged Blowers, mighty W12s and thundering V8s. The Torcal has none of that. It’s Bentley’s fourth model line and its first electric car. It slots in below the Bentayga, and it will never get a petrol engine. Bentley also calls it the template for every Bentley that follows, whatever the powertrain.
Like many modern Bentleys, the Torcal is named after a natural wonder. El Torcal de Antequera is a dramatic landscape of weathered limestone in southern Spain. The car is also the first Bentley to wear the brand’s redesigned, modernised emblem, which was revealed last year. That leaves one question that matters. Take away the engine, and is it still a Bentley? We haven’t driven it yet, so the full answer will have to wait. After a close look at the First Edition, the fully loaded launch car, there’s plenty to go on.
Bentley Torcal exterior design: light is the new chrome
Designing an EV for a brand with this much pedigree was never going to be easy, but Robin Page’s in-house team at Crewe has done a fine job. The Torcal sits 50mm lower and is 120mm shorter than a standard-wheelbase Bentayga, yet it looks the better proportioned of the two. The wheelbase is just over three metres, the car is about five metres long, and the overhangs are short. Bentley’s signature ‘endless bonnet’ does much of the visual heavy lifting.
The Torcal gets a clear polycarbonate panel with diamond-like elements for a grille.
An EV doesn’t need a grille for cooling, but Bentley argues that a car without one is faceless. The Torcal’s solution is an illuminated one with crystal-effect, diamond-like elements set behind a clear polycarbonate panel. It’s the car’s signature piece, and it will look spectacular filling someone’s rear-view mirror. The face echoes the Continental T, reinterpreted through slim, high-tech lighting.
The flanks are deliberately free of fussy creases. The cabin tapers towards the rear so the body can swell over the back wheels, a look the designers call the ‘resting beast’. At the back, Bentley claims are some of the slimmest tail-lamps in the industry. A U-shaped motif ties them together and emphasises the car’s width.
U-shaped motif at the rear ties the tail lamps together.
Our car rode on 22-inch wheels. The core car gets 21s as standard, and India-spec cars may well get the smaller, higher-profile rim. Other neat touches include a charging flap that slides open when you wave a hand over it, and a 90-litre frunk under that long bonnet. The 460-litre boot isn’t especially generous, and there’s no spare wheel, only a puncture repair kit. On Indian roads that could be an issue, though most owners will simply leave a flat to the chauffeur to fix
Bentley Torcal interior: Screens, with restraint
The cabin is completely new, and the tricks start before you’re inside. All four doors are powered and radar-controlled. The driver shuts theirs by pressing the brake pedal, and passengers can close theirs simply by buckling up.
The first thing you notice is that Bentley hasn’t turned the Torcal into an iPad showroom. The centrepiece is the curved OLED centre screen. It doesn’t perch on the dash like a tablet; it sweeps down and flows into the centre console as one continuous form, and nothing else in the class looks quite like it. The OLED panel gives deep blacks and rich colours, and the curve brings every corner of the display within easier reach. Crucially, physical controls haven’t been binned. The switches have a beautiful knurled finish and satisfying, precise clicks, and purists will love them.
A curved OLED touchscreen infotainment is the centrepiece of the interior.
There’s one gripe. The direction of the front air vents is set through the touchscreen, a trend creeping into many luxury cars, and a physical slider would have been far nicer. Otherwise, we haven’t seen any car balance digital and physical controls better.
The tech runs deep. A facial-recognition camera in the rear-view mirror identifies the driver and loads their seat, steering and ADAS settings. An augmented-reality head-up display projects navigation arrows and hazard markers into the driver’s line of sight.
Curated experience
Twist the rotary collar around the starter button and you cycle through four Experience Modes. Each one changes the cabin’s lighting, sound, climate and displays as well as the car’s dynamics.
Rotary dial around the starter button can be used to cycle through four Experience modes.
Sport bathes the cabin in blue rather than the expected red. Bentley’s reasoning is that red signals anger while blue signals focus, which makes it a better colour for driving fast. Bentley mode balances performance and comfort. Comfort mode calms things down and offers a ‘digital detox’ that hides all but essential information. Refresh ups the fresh-air flow and brightens the lighting.
Drumming up character
The hardest thing about an electric Bentley is making it feel like a Bentley. For traditional owners, that means sound. The 6¾-litre V8 is iconic, but it was never a perfect engine. Bentley’s view is that its flaws, like in humans, give it emotion and character. So rather than synthesising a flawless digital imitation, Bentley recorded real musicians on drums, viola and bass guitar. The result is the ‘Dynamic Symphony’, complete with tiny imperfections. It responds to torque demand and speed, grows louder in Sport, and can be switched off entirely.
Optional Naim audio brings 28 speakers with Dolby Atmos 7.1
The attention to sound goes further. The indicator tick is a recording of a hammer striking leather in Bentley’s upholstery workshop, and the touchscreen chime comes from a crystal glass. Standard audio is a 620W, 16-speaker system. The Naim option runs to 1,780W and 28 speakers, with headrest speakers, seat shakers and Dolby Atmos 7.1
Material world
Materials are traditional Bentley, pushed further. There are wood veneers less than a millimetre thick, crisp aluminium and a deep piano black. Leather comes in 15 shades. The real headline is the world’s first 100 per cent Merino wool automotive fabric, developed with Somerset weavers Fox Brothers.
Scope for personalisation is vast, with 15 different shades just for the leather.
New Mulliner finishes include Ombré Walnut, which presses up to 1,000 layers of walnut off-cuts and recycled paper into a veneer that fades from black to smoke. Sunburst Aluminium reinterprets the engine-turned dashboards of old Bentleys. Overhead, the Frosted Diamond sunroof uses switchable glass, so you decide how much light floods in. The scope for personalisation is vast. A second car we saw, trimmed in lighter upholstery with far more brushed aluminium, felt like a different interior altogether.
Bentley Trocal back seat experience
Legroom and headroom at the back are quite decent.
The rear seat matters most for Indian buyers, many of whom will be chauffeured. It’s impressive for a car smaller than a Bentayga. Under-thigh support is genuinely good, which is rare in an EV, where the battery usually pushes the floor up. Legroom and headroom are decent, though this is ultimately a car to be driven.
The rear climate vents get the physical controls the front vents lack. There are heated and cooled seats, and three USB-C ports, one of them rated at 100W for charging a laptop. The rear bench is also the first in a Bentley to power-fold.
Bentley Torcal specs, battery and range
The Torcal gets a 113kWh battery for a claimed WLTP range of 600km.
The Torcal rides on the PPE platform that underpins Porsche’s Cayenne Electric. The Cayenne tops 1,100hp in its most potent form, but Bentley has deliberately stopped short. The flagship makes 888hp and 1,350Nm, the most torque of any Bentley ever and has launch control which I doubt will ever be used!That’s enough to take a roughly 2.7-tonne SUV from 0-100kph in 2.9 seconds. Bentley’s research found that most customers find anything more violent uncomfortable.
Two permanent-magnet motors draw from a 113kWh (net), 800V battery, which carries a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty. Claimed range is 600km WLTP. This is a continent-crosser, so charging speed was a priority. On a 400kW charger, a 10-80 per cent top-up takes 16 minutes, and around 160km of range goes in during a seven-minute coffee stop. India currently has no such high-speed chargers, yet.
It also gets fully active suspension and rear-wheel steering.
The chassis is Bentley’s most advanced yet. Fully active suspension replaces anti-roll bars altogether, and five degrees of rear-wheel steer shrink the turning circle to 11.1m. Carbon-ceramic brakes with 440mm front discs are optional. The ADAS suite uses 25 radars, sensors and cameras. It can reverse the car along the last 50 metres of its route, and it can park itself in a designated space up to 200 metres away.
Bentley Torcal India launch plans
The Torcal arrives in India in the second half of 2027. It’s a smidgen smaller than the Bentayga but will be substantially pricier, because EVs don’t get the same customs-duty benefit under the new UK-India FTA. Expect around Rs 4.5 crore, ex-showroom. Is it worth it? We’ll tell you once we’ve driven it. Standing still, at least, the Torcal makes a convincing case that a Bentley without an engine is still a Bentley.
Newly surfaced spy shots of a Tata Safari EV test mule indicate that the electric three-row SUV will offer a triple-screen layout on the inside. The current ICE-powered Tata Safari does not get this feature, which implies that the electric version will be more feature-rich, at least at launch. Speaking of which, the Safari EV is expected to go on sale during the festive season of 2026.
Tata Safari EV may borrow Sierra EV’s triple screens
Credit: Rushlane
At present, the only electric Tata to come with a triple-screen setup is the Sierra EV – the ICE Sierra is also the only combustion-powered Tata to offer the feature. With the Safari EV set to arrive in a few months as Tata’s flagship electric car, though, it appears the SUV will be fitted with a triple-screen setup to reflect its positioning. This will also help the Safari EV better compete with its direct rival, the Mahindra XEV 9S, which offers a triple-screen setup from the base variant itself.
Tata Sierra EV triple-screen setup. Image used for representation only.
The Sierra EV’s triple-screen setup comprises a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, a 12.3-inch central touchscreen, and a 12.3-inch passenger display. The driver’s display and central touchscreen handle instrumentation, infotainment, and navigation, while the passenger display allows the co-driver to stream TV shows and movies, or play a selection of games either by using their smartphones as controllers or by directly pairing a gamepad to the screen via Bluetooth. Expect the Safari EV’s triple-screen setup to function similarly. It remains to be seen if Tata could also bring the triple-screen setup to the ICE-powered Safari.
Tata Safari EV battery and range
Credit: Rushlane
We expect the Safari EV to retain the Harrier EV’s 65kWh and 75kWh battery options. In the Harrier EV, both batteries are paired with a single rear-mounted motor (RWD) as standard, developing 238hp and 315Nm. The 75kWh battery additionally offers a dual-motor AWD layout that generates a combined 313hp and 504Nm. As for MIDC-certified range, the Harrier EV claims 538km for the 65kWh RWD, 622km for the 75kWh AWD, and 627km for the 75kWh RWD versions. The larger and heavier Safari EV is likely to feature slightly lower range figures.
Autocar India turns 27, and rather than quietly celebrating with a cake, we’ve celebrated the way we know best: with scoops, exclusive drives and a frankly unreasonable amount of driving. In this issue, we bring you an exclusive drive of JSW’s new Combat SUV (you heard the name here first), a scoop on BYD’s Denza luxury push, and the last leg of the 20,000km Pune-to-Prague odyssey, alongside a serious collection of new cars and bikes. Oh, and there’s also a Boeing 737 Max aircraft involved. Because apparently cars weren’t complicated enough.
JSW Combat: Review
JSW’s first SUV is a rugged plug-in hybrid based on the Jetour T2. We get an early exclusive drive of the Combat and examine whether this newcomer really has what it takes to shake up the Rs 30-50 lakh SUV market.
BYD Denza: China’s Luxury Offensive
BYD is bringing Denza to India, with luxury EVs like the D9 MPV and Z9 GT aimed squarely at the established big boys. Having disrupted the mid-range EV market with BYD, it is now going after the high-end market with Denza.
ADAS Meets Autopilot: Hands Off!/Look ma, no hands!
What do a Hyundai Venue and a Boeing 737 Max have in common? Quite a lot, apparently. We climb into a full-flight simulator to understand how aircraft autopilot works and what it has in common with the increasingly sophisticated systems in our cars.
Skoda Kylaq: Pune to Prague, Part 2
The Silk Route may have been built for traders, but we’ve used it to find out just how far you can take a small SUV before it starts asking for a holiday. After 19,000km, 70 days and not a single puncture, our Skoda Kylaq finally reaches Prague.
Autocar’s Day Out: M-ployees of the Month
Most company off-sites involve a resort, a buffet and someone reluctantly joining a team-building exercise. Ours involved six BMW M cars, more than 3,000hp, a deserted concrete ground and a frankly irresponsible amount of tyre abuse. Four M4s and two M2s went head-to-head in slalom, football and drifting, and what began as a relaxing team outing rapidly descended into a war.
Tesla Model Y vs Hyundai Ioniq 5: Comparison
Two premium EVs, two very different ideas about what an electric car should be. The Model Y with its recently revised price, and the updated Ioniq 5 go head-to-head to see which makes the stronger case.
Bentley Supersports: Drive
Take a Continental GT and turn the dial towards something completely unnecessary. The result is Bentley’s Supersports, a rear-wheel-driven beast with considerably more intent. We drive it around Laguna Seca.
Mini Countryman C: First Drive
The Countryman has grown into a proper luxury SUV, with generous space, loads of kit and a new 1.5-litre turbo. At Rs 47.5 lakh, it’s the biggest and most grown-up Mini yet, and is ready to lock eyes with real luxury SUVs rather than merely be a fashion statement. But has it done that?
5 Ways to Adventure: Feature
Five made-in-India ADVs, 1,300km and one simple question: which is the best way to go exploring? We put the bikes through highway miles, trail riding and plenty of scenic detours to see how their different approaches to adventure stack up.
Ather Konarc: First Ride
Ather’s new Konarc brings the brand’s blend of quality and comfort to a wider audience, with prices starting at Rs 99,999. A compelling new step into the mainstream.
Suzuki e-Access vs Yamaha EC-06: Comparison
Japan finally answers India’s e-scooter boom, and the two takes couldn’t be more different – one built from scratch, the other born from an Indian startup partnership. Which one takes the crown?
Autocar India turns 27, and rather than quietly celebrating with a cake, we’ve celebrated the way we know best: with scoops, exclusive drives and a frankly unreasonable amount of driving. In this issue, we bring you an exclusive drive of JSW’s new Combat SUV (you heard the name here first), a scoop on BYD’s Denza luxury push, and the last leg of the 20,000km Pune-to-Prague odyssey, alongside a serious collection of new cars and bikes. Oh, and there’s also a Boeing 737 Max aircraft involved. Because apparently cars weren’t complicated enough.
JSW Combat: Review
JSW’s first SUV is a rugged plug-in hybrid based on the Jetour T2. We get an early exclusive drive of the Combat and examine whether this newcomer really has what it takes to shake up the Rs 30-50 lakh SUV market.
BYD Denza: China’s Luxury Offensive
BYD is bringing Denza to India, with luxury EVs like the D9 MPV and Z9 GT aimed squarely at the established big boys. Having disrupted the mid-range EV market with BYD, it is now going after the high-end market with Denza.
ADAS Meets Autopilot: Hands Off!/Look ma, no hands!
What do a Hyundai Venue and a Boeing 737 Max have in common? Quite a lot, apparently. We climb into a full-flight simulator to understand how aircraft autopilot works and what it has in common with the increasingly sophisticated systems in our cars.
Skoda Kylaq: Pune to Prague, Part 2
The Silk Route may have been built for traders, but we’ve used it to find out just how far you can take a small SUV before it starts asking for a holiday. After 19,000km, 70 days and not a single puncture, our Skoda Kylaq finally reaches Prague.
Autocar’s Day Out: M-ployees of the Month
Most company off-sites involve a resort, a buffet and someone reluctantly joining a team-building exercise. Ours involved six BMW M cars, more than 3,000hp, a deserted concrete ground and a frankly irresponsible amount of tyre abuse. Four M4s and two M2s went head-to-head in slalom, football and drifting, and what began as a relaxing team outing rapidly descended into a war.
Tesla Model Y vs Hyundai Ioniq 5: Comparison
Two premium EVs, two very different ideas about what an electric car should be. The Model Y with its recently revised price, and the updated Ioniq 5 go head-to-head to see which makes the stronger case.
Bentley Supersports: Drive
Take a Continental GT and turn the dial towards something completely unnecessary. The result is Bentley’s Supersports, a rear-wheel-driven beast with considerably more intent. We drive it around Laguna Seca.
Mini Countryman C: First Drive
The Countryman has grown into a proper luxury SUV, with generous space, loads of kit and a new 1.5-litre turbo. At Rs 47.5 lakh, it’s the biggest and most grown-up Mini yet, and is ready to lock eyes with real luxury SUVs rather than merely be a fashion statement. But has it done that?
5 Ways to Adventure: Feature
Five made-in-India ADVs, 1,300km and one simple question: which is the best way to go exploring? We put the bikes through highway miles, trail riding and plenty of scenic detours to see how their different approaches to adventure stack up.
Ather Konarc: First Ride
Ather’s new Konarc brings the brand’s blend of quality and comfort to a wider audience, with prices starting at Rs 99,999. A compelling new step into the mainstream.
Suzuki e-Access vs Yamaha EC-06: Comparison
Japan finally answers India’s e-scooter boom, and the two takes couldn’t be more different – one built from scratch, the other born from an Indian startup partnership. Which one takes the crown?
Electric vehicles have skyrocketed in significance over the past decade, particularly in light of global issues like climate change and pollution. EVs require no fossil fuels to run, and therefore emit zero harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. To promote the adoption of EVs, September 9 was designated ‘World EV Day’ six years ago by sustainability-focused companies Green.TV and ABB Group, and is recognised worldwide.
On the sixth iteration of World EV Day, let’s take a look at some of Autocar India’s most notable achievements in the all-electric mobility space.
1. Mercedes Benz EQC clean energy charging
Hydro, wind and solar energy were the only means of charging we used
In 2021, we set out on a journey in the Mercedes-Benz EQC to explore how truly “green” EVs can be when powered by renewable energy only; at present, coal is the primary source of energy production. We departed from the Mercedes-Benz facility in Chakan with a full charge, heading to Tata Power’s Khopoli hydroelectric plant, Agaswadi wind farm and Mulshi solar farm.
Along the way, we investigated clean power sources – hydro, wind and solar – that could sustainably fuel EVs in India. While the EQC couldn’t be charged directly from the hydro grid since it mixes with the main grid, we were able to charge the SUV via a 15A plug at Tata Power. However, we did tap charging power directly from wind turbines and solar panels for the EQC. Ultimately, this trip showed us that our EVs could soon be truly emissions-free – not just at the tailpipe, but across the entire power chain.
2. Green Mumbai Drive 2021
30 EVs quietly trundling through the Sanjay Gandhi National Park
We achieved a rare feat by bringing together every EV that was on sale in India at the time and driving them across Mumbai and through the protected Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivali. 30 EVs were part of the drive, including the Hyundai Kona, Tata Nexon EV, MG ZS EV, Mercedes-Benz EQC, Jaguar i-Pace, Audi e-tron GT, and even a Tesla Model X.
The Green Mumbai Drive was flagged off from the Mahalakshmi Racecourse by Aditya Thackeray, MoS for Tourism, Environment and Protocol, and Jeet Adani, director of Adani Electricity. Notable auto industry executives like Santosh Iyer (Mercedes-Benz India), Balbir Singh Dhillon (Audi India), Rohit Suri (JLR India), and Amit Suri (Volvo India) were also part of the event.
3. Debuting EVs in two different national parks
Tata Nexon EV in Satpura Tiger Reserve, Audi e-tron in Gir National Park
In 2021, we were the first to drive an electric car (specifically, the Tata Nexon EV) into Madhya Pradesh’s Satpura Tiger Reserve. The roughly 140km drive from Bhopal to Forsyth Lodge was completed with around 30km of range remaining, despite starting with the battery at 92 percent. With no fast-charging infrastructure nearby, the Nexon EV had to be charged overnight using a 15A socket. During the safari, the torquey and compact EV performed well on steep inclines and narrow forest trails, and its silent operation allowed it to approach wildlife like sambars, gaurs, wild pigs, and even a leopard without the noise of an idling engine – no tiger, though.
Then, in 2022, we were yet again the first to drive an EV into Gujarat’s Gir National Park, this time in an Audi e-tron. Reaching our accommodation induced a great deal of range anxiety due to faulty chargers along the way, but we managed to get there with around 20 percent of charge remaining. Once we reached, the e-tron was an excellent companion to tour the park with, helping us spot wildlife like chital, crocodiles, lions, and more.
4. Porsche Taycan Kashmir to Kanyakumari road trip
Nearly 4,500km in a performance EV
2022 saw us take one of our most ambitious roadtrips to date: 4,467km from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in a Porsche Taycan. Despite challenges like landslides in Jammu, flooded roads in Punjab, and power outages at certain charging spots, the Taycan handled the journey with ease. On one of the most efficient legs, the Porsche EV delivered 7.1km/kWh, working out to an indicated range of 475km.
Comfort mode was the default setting, but we did have lots of fun in some stretches courtesy of the Taycan’s Sport Plus drive mode. Up to 225kW of fast charging bolstered convenience, and total charging expenses tallied up to just Rs 15,422 – cheaper than fuel for an equivalent petrol car. More than just distance, the trip proved that combining sports car-like performance with electric efficiency works perfectly in real-world conditions, and that the Taycan is more durable than you may think.
5. Pininfarina Battista India top speed record
1900hp, quad-motor hypercar achieved a 358.03kph top speed
Back in early 2023, we set a new Indian top-speed record with the 1,900hp Pininfarina Battista electric hypercar at the NATRAX high-speed oval near Indore. Achieving an impressive v-max of 358.03kph, the Battista blitzed past the previous record of 332.20kph, which was also set by us in 2016 in an Audi R8 V10 Plus.
The Battista top-speed run also ended up establishing new world records for a production car: 0-300kph in 10.49 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 8.55 seconds, all verified by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI).
6. Hero Vida V1 Pro longest distance in 24 hours record
The e-scooter travelled just shy of a whopping 1,800km
The endurance challenge relied on swift battery swaps and flawless coordination, with the pit crew achieving 38 battery changes in under 20 seconds – quite impressive considering the extreme heat, rider fatigue, and complexity involved. Moreover, the Vida V1 Pro ran flawlessly throughout, handling the gruelling conditions with ease and maintaining performance consistently.
7. Volvo EC40 Jaisalmer to Mawsynram road trip
From India’s driest region to its wettest
In 2024, we took the Volvo EC40 (formerly known as the C40 Recharge) on a roughly 3,000km road trip from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan – one of India’s driest locations – to Mawsynram in Meghalaya, widely recognised as the country’s wettest. The route included a detour to Ghaziabad’s Volvo Reverse Project, a former dumping ground where around 10,000 trees had been planted as part of the company’s reforestation initiative.
Charging was carried out mainly overnight with DC fast chargers also used along the route, and the EC40 posed no issues during the journey. Ironically, we encountered heavy rain and waterlogging in Jaisalmer but surprisingly little rainfall in Mawsynram.
8. Mercedes Benz EQS sedan longest distance world record
Setting off from Bangalore on a full charge, the EQS 580 covered a distance of 949km when it reached its destination in Navi Mumbai, beating the previous Guinness World Record for the same by 32.26km. Impressively, the 949km real-world range exceeds EQS 580’s claimed range of 817km by just over 16 percent. It’s also worth mentioning that the two-day journey was completed under arduous conditions like heavy rainfall, lots of traffic, broken roads, and even a flat tyre.
9. Porsche Taycan BIC EV lap record
2:10.313 lap time makes the Taycan the fastest EV around BIC so far
At the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, we lapped a Porsche Taycan Turbo S and clocked a time of 2:10.313 minutes – the first-ever EV lap record around the 5.125km track. Despite its rather portly kerb weight of 2,370kg, the Taycan delivered unexpectedly sharp performance at BIC thanks to 761hp and 1,050Nm, a low centre of gravity (aided by the heavy 93.4 kWh battery), precise steering, and superb balance.
Upon hitting the apex and pinning the throttle, the Taycan belied physics the way it propelled out of corners with explosive speed, and despite weighing 845kg more, the EV achieved nearly the same top speed as the 911 GT3 RS at the end of BIC’s main straight.
10. Ultraviolette F99 India top speed record
258kph around NATRAX and a 100-200kph run of 6.2 seconds
One of our more recent records entailed setting a new benchmark for made-in-India two-wheelers by hitting a top speed of 258kph on the Ultraviolette F99 at the NATRAX oval. Designed around a 400V architecture with a liquid-cooled powertrain, the purpose-built F99 packs 120hp and an astounding 972Nm (measured at the rear wheel).
The F99’s custom trellis frame, forged carbon-fibre bodywork, Brembo brakes, and Ohlins suspension helped the bike remain stable at high speeds, culminating in a clean record run captured via precision V-Box data. It also achieved a blistering 0-200kph run in under 10 seconds and 100-200kph in just 6.2 seconds, smashing previous Indian motorcycle speed records.
11. Mercedes Benz EQS SUV temperature change record
From the sweltering heat of Rajasthan to the sub-zero chill of Ladakh
Our 2025 Guinness World Record saw us achieving the greatest temperature change endured by a production EV. We accomplished this using the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 SUV, driving from the scorching heat of 47.5 deg-C in Rajasthan to the below-freezing chill of -3.7 deg-C in Ladakh, for an impressive overall temperature swing of 51.2 deg-C.
The journey tested the limits of the EQS 450 SUV, especially its 122kWh battery’s thermal management system. Despite extreme variations in temperature, the climate control and battery systems kept the EQS 450 SUV performing smoothly and safely.
