Soaring fuel costs and its expected scarce availability in the future has led utility vehicle market leader Mahindra & Mahindra to explore opportunities in the unconventional space powering new vehicles, such as sports utility vehicles (SUV) and mini cars.

The Mumbai-based company is simultaneously working on concepts such as full hybrids, battery-powered powertrains, bio-diesel, fuel-cells and hydrogen-powered engines.

New Delhi A specialised body for promoting sustainable development of the Indian auto sector, dubbed the National Automotive Board, is likely to be set up by April.

"The proposed National Automotive Board (NAB), which is being finalised by the Department of Heavy Industry, is likely to be cleared by the Cabinet in a month," an official said.

China’s painstaking development of a low-cost, efficient energy solution for its commuters holds a lesson for India.

Tata Technologies on Wednesday unveiled the prototype for a $20,000-electric car that can carry up to four passengers in Detroit as it set out to challenge more costly rivals.

“The eMO project symbolises the coming of age of Indian automotive engineering,” said Warren Harris, President of Tata Technologies.

Toyota Motor Corp on Monday launched the world's most fuel-efficient hybrid car, as the company looks to fight off competition from pure electric vehicles.

The compact car, dubbed 'Aqua' in Japan and the 'Prius C' overseas, has a listed fuel efficiency of 35.4 km/litre (83.3 mpg), beating the current top Prius, which gets 32 km/litre.

It will place orders for two vehicles before year-end with Ashok Leyland

If all goes well, Bangaloreans will soon be travelling in ‘diesel hybrid’ vehicles.
The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is planning to introduce ‘diesel hybrid’ vehicles for public transport on a pilot basis in the City by mid-2012.

Toyota and BMW have agreed to collaborate on research for cleaner, next-generation car batteries, underlining the growing push in the industry for green technology.

The agreement brings together Toyota Motor, Japan’s No. 1 carmaker and a leader in gas-electric hybrids, and BMW of Germany, a European maker that has a strong luxury brand image in both Japan and Europe.

Union Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa announced that the State government had agreed to provide land for the construction of three new lines, for which the survey has been completed.

Speaking to mediapersons after flagging of the augmented services of Bangalore-Hubli Janshatabdi Express at the Yeshwantpur railway station here on Tuesday, he said, “A few important decisions have been taken in the meeting held on October 20, by Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and other senior officials of State Government and the Railways.”

General Motors Co confirmed it will make its first all-electric vehicle, a version of the Chevrolet Spark minicar that will debut in 2013 and take aim at Nissan Motor Co Ltd's Leaf.

"Chevrolet will produce an all-electric version of the Spark minicar for selected U.S. and global markets, including California," Jim Federico, Chevy's global vehicle chief engineer for electric vehicles, said at the company's Detroit headquarters on Wednesday.