The Society of India Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) elected Shenu Agarwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ashok Leyland, as President for the 2026-27 term. SIAM is the apex national body representing all major vehicle and vehicular engine manufacturers in India. The decision was finalised at an executive committee meeting during the 2026 SIAM Annual Convention on Thursday.
Shenu Agarwal succeeds Tata Motors’s Shailesh Chandra as SIAM President
Agarwal served as SIAM Vice President during his previous term
Agarwal has served as SIAM Vice President during his previous term. Taking over as President, he succeeds Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director and CEO of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles.
K N Radhakrishnan (left), Santosh Iyer (right).
K N Radhakrishnan, Director and CEO of TVS Motor, was elected Vice President by SIAM. Santosh Iyer, Managing Director and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India, took over as Treasurer for the current term.
Tesla India recorded its highest-ever monthly retail sales in July 2026, delivering 115 Model Y SUVs according to Vahan data. The American EV maker’s previous best stood at 69 units, achieved in September and December 2025. The strong performance follows Tesla’s Rs 9 lakh price cut for the Model Y in June, which lowered its starting price to Rs 50.89 lakh (ex-showroom).
Tesla holds a 16 percent share of the luxury EVs sold in July
Over 600 units of cumulative sales so far
Tesla Model Y priced between Rs 50.89 lakh and Rs 61.99 lakh (ex-showroom)
Tesla Model Y price cut drives July sales
Tesla delivered 115 Model Ys in July, up 203 percent from 38 units sold in June. The sharp increase came after the company reduced the Model Y’s starting price by Rs 9 lakh to Rs 50.89 lakh in June, improving its competitiveness in the luxury EV segment. Before the price revision, demand for the electric SUV had remained relatively limited.
Tesla becomes third-largest luxury EV brand
The July performance gave Tesla a 16 percent share of the 736 luxury electric passenger vehicles retailed during the month, placing it behind BMW India (390 units) and Mercedes-Benz India (174 units), while ahead of Volvo Auto India (51 units). Tesla’s cumulative India sales have now reached 578 units since deliveries began in September 2025, giving it an 8 percent share of the 6,825 luxury EVs sold during the same period. The company has already retailed 60 vehicles in the first 16 days of August, taking cumulative sales past the 600-unit mark.
Tesla’s record monthly sales also contributed to India’s highest-ever monthly electric passenger vehicle retail sales of 34,033 units in July. The company accounted for 0.33 percent of the overall electric passenger vehicle market during the month.
Tesla currently offers the Model Y in five-seat and six-seat Model Y L versions, priced between Rs 50.89 lakh and Rs 61.99 lakh (ex-showroom). The five-seat Premium RWD variant uses a 64kWh battery with a claimed 500km WLTP range, while the Premium Long Range RWD gets an 84.2kWh battery with a claimed 661km WLTP range. Tesla says the six-seat Model Y L features a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup with a claimed 681km WLTP range. The Model Y also is now available in India with new artificial intelligence features, the most significant being the Grok AI assistant.
Mercedes-Benz India has revealed an AI-powered device that enables quicker vehicle inspection upon entry to its service centre. Dubbed the XENTRY Scanner, the service debuted at the brand’s newly established centre by Landmark Cars in Jogeshwari, Mumbai.
Mercedes’ first AI-powered car scanning system arrives at its largest workshop in Mumbai.
Uses a 360-degree camera system to identify damage on a car’s exterior.
Service Select debuts as a new scheme for older Mercedes vehicles.
Currently, the scanner is the only one of its kind in India at this service centre, which spans around 58,000 sq. ft., making it the brand’s largest in Mumbai. This facility consists of 16 preventive maintenance and general repair bays, 9 body and paint bays and 9 supporting bays, supported by a dedicated 6,000 sq. ft. spare-parts area.
How does Mercedes’ XENTRY Car Scanner work?
The brand calls it an MRI scanner for its cars
Mercedes-Benz’s XENTRY car scanner.
As the car enters the workshop, it is made to pass through the XENTRY scanner. The scanner utilises a 360-degree high-resolution camera system comprising 13 cameras and a LiDAR sensor. Images of the car are captured and analysed across four categories: body, underbody, windshield and tyres. The system captures 150 images within 3 to 5 seconds and then transmits the data to the Mercedes-Benz cloud.
Artificial intelligence then comes into play, identifying every kind of damage on the car’s exterior, even the ones that aren’t visible to the naked eye. It also provides in-depth tyre information, including their health, tread depth and braking performance. To maintain privacy, the system does not capture images of the driver. The findings are added directly to the job card of the particular car without manual entry, enabling better co-ordinated workshop processes. Mercedes says the process is entirely paperless, reducing walking distances, waiting times and paperwork that traditionally accompanied service reception.
Speaking about the thinking behind such initiatives, Mr Santosh Iyer, MD and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India said, “Productivity has to be the core. Reason being, from a real estate perspective, you need to turn cars around faster, while initiatives like the car scanner are more of a productivity enhancement. But on the customer side too, they expect the car to be turned around quickly, which is a pure mobility requirement for the customer.”
Through AI, external wear and tear is automatically detected by the XENTRY car scanner.
Next, a service advisor receives all the information on a tablet and informs the customer of a detailed list of vehicle wear and tear. It is then up to the customer to approve servicing of the concerned parts on the spot. The brand claims that a digital record of service status eliminates the need for manual inspections by the customer.
Interestingly, Landmark’s own internal research points to a shift in service revenue coming from EV adoption growth. “Landmark did a study of the service cost of EV versus ICE. Over the last six months, they’ve seen that the cost is the same in terms of maintenance. But this isn’t coming from maintenance; it’s coming from the body shop. More of the latter is done on EVs compared to ICE cars, said Mr Iyer.
At around 58,000 sq ft, the Landmark Cars workshop in Jogeshwari is the brand’s largest in Mumbai.
India now adds to the list of countries to offer Mercedes’ XENTRY scanner. Previously, the tech was available in international markets like Germany, Italy, Korea, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Turkey. Furthermore, Mercedes-Benz plans to expand to more than 20 ‘world-class’ luxury outlets in 2026 in India, supported by an investment of more than Rs 450 crore by franchise partners over the next two years.
Mercedes Service Select: A service plan for older Mercedes vehicles
While Mercedes-Benz provides a standard 3-year warranty on new cars, it has also introduced a new service scheme for older vehicles. Called ‘Service Select’, Mercedes cars 7 years or older are eligible for this service. The scheme enables up to 25 percent savings for periodic service and brake care, a 2-year warranty on spare parts, benefits of its ‘Mobilio Lite’ service facility, and residual value protection of the vehicle.
High chloride and moisture contamination in E20 petrol has emerged as a growing concern for the automotive industry, with vehicle manufacturers reporting a rise in failures of fuel system and exhaust-related components. Following discussions with automobile manufacturers and oil marketing companies (OMCs), the Centre has directed OMCs to strengthen fuel quality monitoring at retail outlets, while the industry has called for tighter fuel quality standards.
High chloride and moisture levels found in E20 fuel samples
Ageing fuel infrastructure identified as a likely source
Industry calls for mandatory chloride limits in BIS standards
Contamination linked to rise in component failures
According to industry findings shared with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, automakers have reported a significant increase in the replacement of fuel injectors, fuel pumps and other parts that come into direct contact with fuel. Field investigations have identified corrosion and wear caused by excessive chloride contamination as a key contributing factor.
Industry assessments indicate that chloride contamination, when combined with moisture, can form an acidic mixture that corrodes precision components such as fuel injectors, potentially leading to both immediate and long-term damage.
Fuel samples collected from vehicle tanks have recorded chloride contamination levels of up to 500mg/kg, while samples collected from retail outlets have shown levels of up to 350mg/kg. Separate industry assessments have reported chloride levels of up to 300ppm at some fuel outlets, against a recommended limit of under 10ppm.
Moisture contamination adds to the problem
Industry assessments have also reported excessive moisture contamination in E20 petrol. Some samples recorded water content exceeding 10,000mg/kg, while separate investigations found levels of around 7,000mg/kg, against the permissible limit of 3,000mg/kg. Excess moisture can lead to phase separation, where the ethanol-water mixture settles at the bottom of the fuel tank and may be drawn into the engine during operation.
Chlorides and moisture enter the vehicle’s fuel tank via contaminated water and an unclean supply chain, made worse by ethanol’s hygroscopic nature. Industry assessments point to ageing storage tanks, pipelines, fuel tankers and other fuel handling infrastructure as likely sources of contamination.
Some petrol pump operators have also raised concerns that ageing underground storage tanks, particularly during the monsoon or in coastal regions, could be more susceptible to moisture ingress, increasing the risk of phase separation in ethanol-blended fuel. The contamination issue is cropping up in certain pockets of the country, especially in the north.
The latest developments come weeks after Mercedes-Benz India also raised concerns over fuel contamination and urged tighter fuel quality checks after reporting contamination-related damage to vehicle components in some cases.
Industry seeks tighter fuel quality standards
According to report from CNBC TV18, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has urged the government to introduce mandatory chloride limits in BIS fuel specifications. It has proposed a chloride limit of less than 1mg/kg for commercial E20 and E85 fuels, and less than 3mg/kg for anhydrous ethanol used for blending. SIAM said it has been raising the issue with BIS for more than two years, but the proposal has not yet been implemented.
SIAM has also recommended regular audits of older fuel stations, stricter quality checks across the retail fuel network and mandatory chloride limits for diesel, where the parameter currently remains optional. The Centre has since asked OMCs to strengthen on-ground fuel quality monitoring while the root causes of contamination are investigated.
With inputs from Hormazd Sorabjee
Source: CNBC TV18, SIAM, OMCs and auto manufacturers.
Mercedes-Benz India has said every car it has sold in the country since January 2026 is compatible with E25 ethanol-blended petrol, making it one of the first luxury carmakers in India to prepare its portfolio ahead of any mandate for higher ethanol blends.
The announcement comes months after India completed the nationwide rollout of E20 petrol. More recently, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) notified technical standards for higher ethanol blends, including E22, E25, E27 and E30, signalling the government’s efforts to prepare the regulatory framework for fuels beyond E20.
Mercedes cars in India have been E20-compatible since 2020
Announcement made at the launch of the AMG E 53 plug-in hybrid
Company to go ahead with a multi-powertrain strategy in India
Mercedes-Benz prepared line-up ahead of future ethanol norms
Speaking at the launch of the Mercedes-AMG E 53, Mercedes-Benz India Managing Director and CEO Santosh Iyer said the company upgraded its India portfolio in anticipation of future fuel regulations. Explaining the decision, Iyer said Mercedes-Benz wanted to prepare its products ahead of any future regulation. “The Mercedes customers expect that we will learn the legislation and upcoming trends. There are a lot of discussions on E25. It may not happen, but we want to offer cars which are compliant,” he said.
According to Iyer, Mercedes-Benz adopted E25 compatibility to future-proof its products as discussions continue around increasing ethanol blending beyond E20. He added that the company had similarly made its India line-up E20-compatible from 2020, around three years before the fuel became mandatory.
The announcement comes weeks after Mercedes-Benz highlighted concerns over fuel adulteration, rather than the E20 blend itself. The company had said inconsistent fuel quality could affect vehicle performance and called for stricter quality control as higher ethanol blends are introduced.
Mercedes-Benz to continue offering multiple powertrains
Mercedes-Benz said it will continue offering a mix of internal combustion engine, battery electric and plug-in hybrid models in India instead of focusing on a single powertrain technology. “Our job and responsibility is to offer good options across the spectrum, including gasoline with an E25,” he said.
The AMG E 53 launched alongside the announcement is the brand’s second plug-in hybrid model in India after the recently introduced S-Class Plug-in Hybrid, and the first electrified AMG E-Class in the country. Mercedes-Benz says customer demand in India continues to be spread across conventional ICE models and electrified vehicles, supporting its multi-powertrain strategy.
Mercedes-Benz कल भारत में AMG E 53 हाइब्रिड 4MATIC+ लॉन्च करने जा रही है, जिससे उसके पोर्टफोलियो में एक प्लग-इन हाइब्रिड परफॉर्मेंस सेडान शामिल हो जाएगी। यह लॉन्च इसलिए अहम है क्योंकि E 53 में AMG परफॉर्मेंस के साथ इलेक्ट्रिक पावरट्रेन का मेल है, जो भारत में अब तक कुछ ही लग्जरी कारों में देखने को मिला है।
रेगुलर E-Class से ऊपर पोजिशन की जाने वाली यह नई सेडान ज्यादा पावर, बेहतर ड्राइविंग डायनामिक्स और कम दूरी के सफर के लिए इलेक्ट्रिक मोड में चलने की क्षमता के साथ आएगी। इसकी कीमत काफी अहम होगी, क्योंकि AMG E 53 Hybrid 4MATIC+ हाई-परफॉर्मेंस लग्जरी सेडान के एक खास सेगमेंट में एंट्री करेगी, जहां पहले से कई प्रीमियम मॉडल मौजूद हैं।
भारत में अनुमानित कीमत
Mercedes-Benz ने अभी तक कीमतें नहीं बताई हैं, लेकिन AMG E 53 हाइब्रिड की कीमत 1.35 करोड़ रुपये से 1.45 करोड़ रुपये (एक्स-शोरूम) के बीच होने की उम्मीद है। चूंकि यह कार भारत में पूरी तरह से बनी-बनाई यूनिट (CBU) के तौर पर आएगी, इसलिए इसकी कीमत स्टैंडर्ड E-Class के मुकाबले काफी ज्यादा होगी।
बता दें कि यह AMG E 53 उन ग्राहकों को ध्यान में रखकर पेश की जाएगी, जो एक सामान्य लग्जरी सेडान से ज्यादा तेज और ज्यादा रोमांचक ड्राइविंग अनुभव चाहते हैं, लेकिन अभी एक पूरी तरह से स्पोर्ट्स कार खरीदने के लिए तैयार नहीं हैं।
इसमें दी गई प्लग-इन हाइब्रिड टेक्नोलॉजी इसे भारत की उन चुनिंदा परफॉर्मेंस सेडान में शामिल करती है, जो पूरी तरह इलेक्ट्रिक मोड में भी चलने की सुविधा देती हैं।
फिलहाल, आखिरी कीमत से ही यह तय होगा कि यह BMW और Audi की मिलती-जुलती गाड़ियों को कितनी कड़ी टक्कर देती है।
इंजन और परफॉर्मेंस
Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 Hybrid में 3.0 लीटर, 6-सिलेंडर टर्बो-पेट्रोल इंजन दिया गया है, जिसे एक इलेक्ट्रिक मोटर और बैटरी पैक के साथ जोड़ा गया है। इसकी कुल पावर 577 bhp और टॉर्क 750 Nm है, हालांकि AMG के ‘रेस स्टार्ट’ फ़ंक्शन से पावर को कुछ समय के लिए 604 bhp तक बढ़ाया जा सकता है।
इस सेटअप को मर्सिडीज के 4MATIC+ ऑल-व्हील-ड्राइव सिस्टम और नौ-स्पीड ऑटोमैटिक गियरबॉक्स के साथ जोड़ा गया है। कंपनी के ग्लोबल आंकड़ों के मुताबिक, यह सेडान लगभग 3.8 सेकंड में 0 से 100 km/h की रफ्तार पकड़ सकती है।
आम AMG मॉडल के उलट, E 53 सिर्फ इलेक्ट्रिक पावर का इस्तेमाल करके भी कम दूरी तय कर सकती है, जो शहर के ट्रैफिक में फायदेमंद साबित हो सकता है।
इसमें और क्या-क्या खास है?
E 53 में AMG-खास डिजाइन एलिमेंट्स हैं, जैसे कि अलग तरह का फ्रंट बंपर, बड़े पहिए और चार एग्जॉस्ट आउटलेट। इसके अंदर स्पोर्ट्स सीट्स, डिजिटल डिस्प्ले के लिए AMG ग्राफिक्स और मर्सिडीज का लेटेस्ट इंफोटेनमेंट सिस्टम दिया गया है।
इस सेडान में एडेप्टिव सस्पेंशन, रियर-व्हील स्टीयरिंग और कई ड्राइविंग मोड्स भी हैं, जो सड़क और ड्राइविंग की स्थितियों के हिसाब से कार के व्यवहार को बदलते हैं।
Mercedes-Benz कल AMG E 53 हाइब्रिड की बिक्री शुरू होने पर इसकी आधिकारिक कीमत और भारत-स्पेसिफिक डिटेल्स की घोषणा करेगी।
