Rare earth magnets crisis: Impact of China's export curbs on Indian automobile industry
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News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Worried About Your EV Scooter's Range? Tips To Amp Up Mileage On Single Charge
Improve the range of your electric scooter and enjoy longer rides on a single charge without tension with some simple tips. Electric scooters are a rapidly growing segment within the automobile industry across India, thanks to their range of benefits. They boast advantages like cost-effectiveness, convenience and environmental friendliness, making them lucrative for buyers. The skyrocketing price of petrol and tightening emission norms also push buyers to purchase EVs. But with advantages come some drawbacks. And the most prominent issue that EV scooter owners face is its deteriorating range. But fret not! By incorporating a few strategies into your care routine, you can significantly improve your electric scooter's range and enjoy longer rides on a single charge. Tyre pressure is often overlooked by vehicle owners, especially EV scooter owners. Note that under-inflated tyres have a direct impact on an electric scooter's range. While a properly inflated tyre makes minimal contact between the tyre and the ground, underinflated tyres cause more tyre surface to touch the ground, which increases rolling resistance. It makes the engine work harder, consuming more energy. Be Gentle On The Throttle And Brake. If you want to squeeze some extra kilometres out of the battery, make sure to be as gentle as possible on the accelerator and brakes. These small decisions can add up on a longer commute. Each sharp twist of the throttle shortens the battery's range by draining it more quickly. So, always ride EV scooters at a steady pace and in power-saving mode to extend the battery charge, resulting in a longer range. Avoid accelerating hard at every chance and hitting the brakes hard at every speed bump, as both drain valuable battery power. Turn Off Unnecessary Electronics Most EV scooters now come with an array of features like Bluetooth, smart navigation, etc. While travelling, turn off these to conserve battery power for better range. If you are riding during daytime, it goes without saying that you need to switch off the LED daytime running lights and headlamps. Bluetooth and reflector lights can also be turned off when not needed. Be Smart When Selecting The Riding Modes Electric scooters offer different types of riding modes. Though Eco is rarely exciting, it makes the most sense if you want to stretch your scooter's range. Sport mode, on the other hand, is fun, but it eats into efficiency. So, use modes intelligently. Eco is for the everyday grind, and Normal or Sport mode is for the time when the road opens up. Maintain The Battery Most EV scooters are powered by lithium-ion batteries that have around 300–500 charge cycles or a lifespan of 2-3 years. Ensure that the battery is not fully exhausted, and always keep the charge within 20–80 per cent to help preserve overall capacity. Moreover, make sure that the battery is not exposed to excessive temperatures. Lithium-ion batteries perform best at temperatures around 25 degrees Celsius; higher temperatures reduce battery life, and lower temperatures lead them to store less power. Just like engine-powered vehicles, EV scooters too have weight limitations. Be it a heavy backpack, groceries or a frequent pillion, overloading the scooter can significantly impact the range. The only mantra to achieve better range is the lighter the load, the farther the vehicle can travel. view comments Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: August 21, 2025, 13:48 IST News auto Worried About Your EV Scooter's Range? Tips To Amp Up Mileage On Single Charge Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Ola Electric shares skid 7% after 2-day rally as VAHAN data cools sentiment
Shares of Ola Electric Mobility fell as much as 7.2% to Rs 49.48 on the BSE on Thursday, as fresh VAHAN registration data cooled investor sentiment after a two-day rally that drove the stock up 29% to a near three-month high. The pullback came after VAHAN registration data showed Ola Electric trailing rival Ather Energy in August sales. As of August 20, Ola Electric had recorded 9,522 registrations compared with Ather's 10,248. If the trend persists, Ola's market share is set to slip below that of its competitor. Ola shares had surged 9% on Tuesday and another 20% on Wednesday, marking gains in four of the past five sessions before Thursday's reversal. GST uncertainty The weak showing comes amid uncertainty over the Goods and Services Tax (GST) policy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said last week that the government plans to lower GST rates on several goods and services by Diwali, with proposals including a cut on small cars to 18% from 28%. HSBC Global Research said the move 'may positively impact auto demand, though OEM-wise impact may vary,' while cautioning it could hurt electric vehicles if states respond by raising road taxes. Nomura added, 'if the GST cut on ICE happens, it is likely to significantly impact EV adoption… as the price gap between EVs (taxed at 5%) and ICE (taxed at 28% plus cess) would increase sharply.' Earnings picture Ola's first quarter results reflected year-on-year weakness but showed sequential improvement. The company narrowed losses and improved revenue compared with the previous quarter, with gross margins expanding by 1,100 basis points quarter-on-quarter and 740 basis points year-on-year to reach 26% by June-end. Management has guided gross margins of 35% to 40% for the full year and expects its auto business to turn EBITDA positive in the second quarter, with full-year EBITDA margins likely above 5%. Still, challenges remain. For the June quarter, Ola Electric posted a consolidated net loss of Rs 428 crore, up 23% year-on-year, as revenues halved to Rs 828 crore. EBITDA losses widened to Rs 237 crore, with margins slipping to -28.6% from -12.5% a year earlier. Market view Some analysts argue investors are focusing on Ola's long-term potential despite near-term volatility. 'The stock's performance underscores the market's focus on operational execution and the company's expansion trajectory rather than short-term policy noise,' said Anirudh Garg, Partner and Fund Manager at INVasset PMS. Garg said that a GST cut on small cars and two-wheelers could pose 'a near-term challenge' by making ICE vehicles cheaper, but noted that Ola's Gen-4 platform across electric cars, rickshaws and light commercial vehicles supports its long-term strategy. Technicals still stretched Shares of Ola Electric are down 42% so far in 2025 and 64% over the past year. The stock continues to trade below long-term averages, with a Relative Strength Index of 79.8, above the 70 mark considered overbought, signalling potential for further pullback. However, the MACD at 0.7 remains above its centre and signal lines, pointing to a bullish bias. Also read | Ola Electric shares rally 25% in 2 days. Analysts say Rs 57 within reach; should you buy? ( Disclaimer : Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Rare earths not so rare again, India averts crippling crunch: Anatomy of a near-disaster
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel In a significant development, China has finally lifted restrictions on the export of rare earth magnets to India. This decision comes as a major relief to various key sectors of Indian economy, including the automobile industry, renewable energy, consumer electronics, defence, aerospace and China reopening the rare earth supply lines, Indian industry narrowly averted a disaster that could have potentially cripped Indian industry. A ToI analysis looks at why China's lifting of these curbs is timely, especially with the upcoming festive season in India navigates its path towards self-reliance in rare earth magnet production, the recent lifting of Chinese export curbs marks a crucial step. It opens the door for industries to thrive while also setting the stage for future initiatives aimed at reducing dependence on foreign sources, ToI's analysis earth magnets are known for their exceptional strength and resistance to demagnetisation. These magnets are made from rare earth elements such as neodymium, praseodymium and dysprosium, which give them their powerful magnetic most prevalent type of rare earth magnet is the neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnet, widely used in applications where space and weight are plays a pivotal role in the global rare earth magnet market, accounting for approximately 70% of the world's rare earth metals mining and nearly 90% of magnet production. The country dominates the supply chain, overseeing mining, refining, alloy production and magnet control has allowed China to maintain a stronghold in the industry, especially as the demand for rare earth magnets has surged in recent years, ToI's analysis (by Pankaj Doval) automobile sector, which is required to import about 870 tonnes of rare earth magnets in 2025-26, has been particularly affected by China's previous magnets are essential for various components in both internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and electric vehicles (EVs), including electric motors, speedometers and ignition stringent import process imposed by China had raised alarms, with many companies warning of potential production halts and delays in product recent relaxation of export controls is expected to provide substantial relief to Indian industries, enabling them to meet rising industry stakeholders are still advocating for the Indian government to facilitate imports from non-China sources, such as Vietnam, Brazil and Russia, until local production capabilities are towards the future, India aims to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of rare earth magnets within the next three to five years. To realise this goal, a comprehensive domestic value chain must be would require financial incentives linked to production, as well as policy support to encourage investments in high-technology public-private partnerships could play a critical role in setting up rare earth processing facilities and magnet production clusters across the country.
