Kia Motors already has some products for hybrid, plug-in-hybrid, electric vehicle and fuel cell vehicles which are being sold globally.

South Korean auto major Kia Motors Corporation is considering a low-cost electric vehicle (EV) for India in collaboration with group firm Hyundai Motors and wants personal usage for EVs to be included for government support under the FAME II scheme in India, according to a top company official.

The company, which is a part of the Hyundai Motor Group, plans to launch four new models, including its upcoming SUV Seltos, in the next two years in India but said the low-cost EV would be a separate project.

“We are still working on how to make low cost EV. I am considering to develop EV for Indian market together with Hyundai,” Kia Motors Corporation President and CEO Han-Woo Park told PTI.

When asked if the low-cost EV would be one of the four models lined up for introduction in India in the next two years, he said, “This is separate. This is not one of them.”

At the 2018 Auto Expo, Kia had announced that it planned to introduce a diverse range of vehicles in India, including an India exclusive compact electric vehicle between 2019 and 2021.

He said Kia Motors already has some products for hybrid, plug-in-hybrid, electric vehicle and fuel cell vehicles which are being sold globally.

“We are ready to introduce EV car in India but it depends on infrastructure and government support policy. When the market is opportune, we will introduce the EV anytime to India,” Park said.

Hyundai, on the other hand, is gearing up to launch its electric SUV Kona in India next month.

Park said at present the cost of EV is very high, especially for the Indian market and without government support it will be a big challenge to sell EVs here.

“Last year, FAME II scheme was announced, supporting mainly two-wheeler and three-wheelers…That doesn’t include four wheelers for personal usage,” he added.

When asked if Kia wanted EVs for personal usages to be considered for government support, he said, “Yes, without government support it is not possible. The price is too high. Nobody wants to buy EVs.”

The Rs 10,000 crore FAME II scheme envisages subsidy on two-wheelers that includes personal usage.

For three and four wheeler segments, incentives will be applicable on vehicles used for public transport or registered commercial purposes.

Through the scheme support 10 lakh electric two-wheelers, five lakh three-wheelers, 55,000 four-wheelers and 7,000 buses would be provided.

The Kia Seltos has been unveiled in India, is filled with features and looks similar to the Kia Sp2 concept. The Kia Seltos is a compact SUV and will launch in India soon.

Kia has unveiled their highly anticipated Seltos compact SUV which, as per the company, has been designed keeping the Indian road conditions and the Indian customer in mind.

The Seltos sports a stylish design with its signature tiger-nose grille along with LED headlamps and DRLs, giving the compact SUV a bold look. At the back, the company has also given a metallic muffler effect to the rear bumper. The Kia Seltos also sports a contrast roof, slim LED fog lamps, pull-type door handles and a chrome strip on the A-pillar. The Seltos can also be seen with a chrome-finished window line that rises sharply towards the rear. The car will boast of prominent roof rails and a heavier chrome bar as well. The production version remains largely similar to the SP Signature concept as we first saw during the 2018 Auto Expo.

The car comes equipped with the UVO connect, a connected car technology which offers an array of convenience and safety features. The UVO boasts 37 smart features under five distinct categories i.e. Navigation, Safety and Security, Vehicle Management, Remote Control and Convenience. It will be free for the first three years for its users. A few of its notable functionalities include AI Voice Command, Stolen vehicle tracking and immobilization, Auto Collision Notification, SOS-emergency assistance, Remote engine start & stop, Remotely operated Air Purifier and In-Car Air Quality Monitor, Safety alert (Geo fence, Time Fence, Speed, Valet, Idle).

On the inside, the car sports a segment-first 8-inch head-up display. It also sports notable features such as 360-degree camera, wireless charging, push-button start and in-car WiFi. The car will also include a 360-degree camera, wireless charging, push-button start and in-car WiFi.

On the safety front, the Seltos gets six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, HAC, VSM with high usage of advanced high strength steel (AHSS) that fortifies the Seltos’s core and keeps the occupants safe in an event of a crash. The car also sports front and rear parking sensors and blind view monitor as well. Working in tandem with the safety tech, the Seltos comes equipped with an array of advanced UVO connected car technology features. The car is fitted with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), a Traction Control System, a Brake-Assist System and Hill-start Assist Control, as well as front and rear parking sensors, sensing wipers and auto headlamps.

The Kia Seltos is expected to launch in India soon and could be priced between Rs 11-15 lakh (ex-showroom).

Kolkata, May 27 : State Bank of India will organise a ‘Mega Customer Meet’ nationally tomorrow with an objective to engage with customers to further enhance their experience and provide better service delivery.

SBI customers of West Bengal can attend this programme in 33 locations of the state. Through this initiative the bank aims to engage with over one lakh customers through over 500 locations from 17 Local head offices (LHOs) of SBI across the country. Meetings will be attended by senior functionaries of the Bank.

Under this initiative, customers can interact with Bank staff to discuss their concerns and share feedback and suggestions on the banks’ products and services. During this session, SBI officials and employees will educate customers about the use of alternative banking channels for secured and seamless banking experience.

Employees of the bank will also inform/educate customers about the features and convenience of using YONO SBI ? an omni-channel digital banking and lifestyle platform. YONO SBI which was launched in November 2017 has achieved over two crore downloads has continued to witness overwhelming responses from its users.

Mr. P. K. Gupta, MD ? Retail & Digital Banking, SBI said, “We are happy to announce this initiative with a purpose to nurture customers’ trust in the bank by engaging with them at the ground level. We look forward to our customer participating in this Mega Customer Meet and help us in meeting their expectations through an enhanced experience at our branches. SBI is always committed to provide utmost value, satisfaction and experience to its customers.”

Mumbai, May 23 : The stock market closed on lower note after hitting a record high in the morning trade due to clean sweep of the BJP in the 2019 General Elections.

At the time of closing, the Sensex fell by 298.82 points at 38,811.39 points while the National Stock Exchange’s Nifty declined by 80.85 points at 11,657.05 points.

Earlier when the market opened for the trade, the Sensex rose by 891.16 points and was trading at the 40,001.37 points. The Nifty climbed as much as 267.60 points and was trading at 12005.50 points.

In the noon, investors started earning profits, making pressure on the Sensex and in the last phase, it fell to a lower level of 38,651.61 points. Finally, it was 0.76 per cent lower than Wednesday and closed at 38,811.39 points.

Of the 30 Sensex companies, 15 were in green mark and 15 were in red marks.

During the day, the Nifty also managed to create a new record level of 12,041.15 points. However, under the profit pressure, it rolled down to 11,614.50 points and closed at 11,657.05 points, down by 0.69 per cent compared to Wednesday.

Of the 50 Nifty companies, 23 were in the lead while 27 were down.

About 1182 shares have advanced, 1303 shares declined, and 170 shares remained unchanged.
IndusInd Bank, Zee Entertainment, Adani Ports, Grasim Industries and Cipla were among major gainers the Nifty, while losers were Vedanta, Eicher Motors, ITC, Hindalco and Bajaj Finserv.

In a landslide victory in elections to the 17th Lok Sabha, the ruling BJP is all set begin its second five-year innings under the captaincy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi guiding the destiny of the nation. The BJP won 14 seats and was leading in 289 seats.

Kolkata, May 23 : EEPC India chairman Ravi Sehgal today congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for NDA’s resounding success in the Lok Sabha elections, expressing confidence that his return would give a boost to the country’s manufacturing and exports.

“Continuous emphasis on manufacturing should start showing results as the economy is in a revival mode. Exports, especially in the engineering sector, are an integral part of manufacturing and are
expected to get a top priority by the new Modi Government. Mr Modi has created a new brand equity for India in the world market and exporters would make full use of it, especially when the global
economy is facing challenges,” he said.

“A large part of exports are produced by the SMEs which area also a great source of quality employment – a key focus area of the ruling BJP and the NDA partners”, said Mr Sehgal, adding that the RBI should take cues from the strong leadership and a stable government for
lowering the interest rates,” he added.

Agencies

San Francisco, May 20 : Google has barred the world’s second biggest smartphone maker, Huawei, from some updates to the Android operating system, dealing a blow to the Chinese company.

New designs of Huawei smartphones are set to lose access to some Google apps.

The move comes after the Trump administration added Huawei to a list of companies that American firms cannot trade with unless they have a licence, said a BBC News report on Monday.

Google said it was “complying with the order and reviewing the implications”.

Huawei said it would continue to provide security updates and after sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products covering those have been sold or still in stock globally.

“We will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem, in order to provide the best experience for all users globally,” it added.

Existing Huawei smartphone users will be able to update apps and push through security fixes, as well as update Google Play services.

But when Google launches the next version of Android later this year, it may not be available on Huawei devices.

Future Huawei devices may no longer have apps such as YouTube and Maps.

Huawei can still use the version of the Android operating system available through an open source licence.

Ben Wood, from the CCS Insight consultancy, said the move by Google would have “big implications for Huawei’s consumer business”.

Last Wednesday, the Trump administration added Huawei to its “entity list”, which bans the company from acquiring technology from US firms without government approval.

In his first comments since the firm was placed on the list, Huawei chief executive Ren Zhengfei told Japanese media on Saturday: “We have already been preparing for this.”

He said the firm, which buys about $67bn (?52.6bn) worth of components each year according to the Nikkei business newspaper, would push ahead with developing its own parts.

Huawei faces a growing backlash from Western countries, led by the US, over possible risks posed by using its products in next-generation 5G mobile networks.

Several countries have raised concerns that Huawei equipment could be used by China for surveillance, allegations the company has vehemently denied.

Huawei has said its work does not pose any threats and that it is independent from the Chinese government.
However, some countries have blocked telecoms companies from using Huawei products in 5G mobile networks.

So far the UK has held back from any formal ban.

“Huawei has been working hard on developing its own App Gallery and other software assets in a similar manner to its work on chipset solutions. There is little doubt these efforts are part of its desire to control its own destiny,” said Mr Wood.

In the short term, this could be very damaging for Huawei in the West.

Mumbai, May 20 : The BSE Sensex on Monday zoomed up by 924 points to 38,855.13 after exit poll results predicted the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will come to power.

The Nifty of National Stock Exchange (NSE) too rose by 272.60points to 11,679.95.

The sensex registered intra day high and low at 38,909.79 and 38,570.04 points respectively.

The Nifty recorded intra day high and low at 11,699.95 and 11,591.90 points respectively.

The BSE Sensex was up almost 2.4 per cent, or 924 points, with State Bank of India, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, Tata Motors, ICICI Bank, and Larsen & Toubro among the top gainers.

The broader Nifty50, had gained 263 points, or 2.31 per cent, to trade at 11,671.

All the Sensex sectoral indices, included Materials, Energy, Finance, Industrials, Auto and Metal increased more than three per cent.
In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index had gained 425 points, or 2.97 per cent while the S&P BSE SmallCap index was up 2.77 per cent.

The rupee on Monday opened sharply higher against the US dollar after the exit polls showed clear majority for the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) in the Lok Sabha elections 2019.

The gainers were SBI by 6.60 pc to Rs 340,M & M by 5.78 pc to Rs 657.15, ICICI Bak by 5.30 pc to Rs 411, L & t by 5.22 pc to Rs 1433 and Tata Motors by 5.12 pc to Rs 185.75.

The losers were Bajaj Auto by 1.08 pc to Rs 3008.80 and Infosys by 1.02 pc to Rs 716.45.

Bengaluru, May 15 : Columbia Pacific Management, a Seattle-based international healthcare provider, plans to expand its wings into the Indian senior housing market and is embarking on a significant expansion plan in the country.
The company plans to set up its first senior living community designed to international standards and practices in Bengaluru.
Commenting on the plans for setting up its first signature project in India, Dan Baty, founder, Columbia Pacific Management and Columbia Pacific Advisors, and a pioneer in the senior living industry, said, “With our time tested expertise in planning and executing senior living projects across Asia, Canada and US, we bring a strong legacy with us in India, which holds over 40 years of rich experience. We are positive that our first ever community in the landscape will shape our entire presence, globally.”
The company successfully acquired Serene Retirement Homes in 2017 and at present serves 1600 residential homes in nine countries and is spread across five cities in South India. Mr. Mohit Nirula, CEO, Columbia Pacific Communities added, ” It gives me immense joy as we bring a new solution ? product, services and medical care to cater to the growing middle class guided by our principals’ expertise and the highest international standards.”
Columbia Pacific has more than 40 years of experience and expertise in designing, building and managing senior housing communities around the world. The team, with the expertise of principals in the United States of America and partners in India, brings together rich experience in senior housing design, development and management.

By; Faizan Rizwan

FCA India Joins Hands With ORIX

FCA India, manufacturer of the award-winning Jeep Compass, recently announced an association with ORIX Auto Infrastructure Services Limited to offer leasing services. The service will be for all FCA cars & will be launched across the country starting with Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Bangalore & Pune.

In India, leasing solutions for automobiles have been limited to corporations’ & businesses’ executive needs. However, with changing customer preferences, the leasing industry is changing & growing tremendously.

FCA India-ORIX India – leasing solutions will incorporate a range of benefits, including road tax payments, insurance & renewals, breakdown assistance, accident repairs, end-to-end maintenance & the pay-as-per-use model for a of 2 to 5 years.

With customized services, the solution will provide peace of mind & unmatched convenience to customers.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) designs, engineers, manufactures, distributes & sells vehicles under the Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Jeep, Lancia, Ram, SRT brands as well as luxury cars under the Maserati brands.

FCA also operates in the components sector, through Teksid & in the production systems sector, through Comau & in after-sales services & products under the Mopar brand name. In addition, the Group provides retail & dealer finance, leasing & rental services in support of the car business through subsidiaries, joint ventures & commercial agreements with specialized financing services providers.

FCA is an international auto group engaged in industrial activities in the automotive sector through companies located in 40 countries and has commercial relationships with customers in approximately 150 countries.

ORIX Corporation, Japan established in 1964, has developed a dynamic & diversified portfolio offering a broad range of services. ORIX is a leader in numerous domains including leasing, financing, investment, life insurance, banking, asset management, automobile-related services, real estate, environment & energy services. Currently, with its global network spanned across 38 countries & regions, ORIX owns segment assets worth ¥ 9 trillion.

ORIX Auto Infrastructure Services Limited (OAIS) is a wholly owned subsidiary of ORIX Corporation, Japan. OAIS is an industry leader in the Overall Mobility Solutions space.  It is the India’s largest Corporate Car Leasing Company, it is also India Largest Corporate Car Rental Company and the 2^nd largest Employee Transportation Company in the Country, with an overall fleet of more than 25000 vehicles under management.

OAIS has a large netwrok spread across the country & today boasts of a very impressive client base in excess of 1000 top notch corporate’s across the country.

Geneva, May 8 : After four consecutive months of contraction, the global air freight markets’ demand increased by 0.1 per cent in March 2019, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced on Wednesday.

While this is a significant improvement on the 4.9 per cent contraction in February, in seasonally adjusted terms, demand is still down by 1.5 per cent over the past year, the IATA said after releasing data for global air freight markets.

The Association said Asia-Pacific airlines saw demand for air freight shrink by 3.4 per cent in March 2019, compared to the same period in 2018.

This was a significant improvement from the 12 per cent decline in growth from the previous month. Weaker manufacturing conditions for exporters in the region, ongoing trade tensions and a slowing of the Chinese economy impacted the market. Capacity decreased by 1 per cent.

Freight capacity, measured in available freight tonne kilometers (AFTKs), rose by 3.1 per cent year-on-year in March 2019. Capacity growth has now outstripped demand growth for 11 out of the past 12 months.

Industry confidence regarding the outlook, however, remained relatively upbeat with only 13 per cent of respondents from IATA’s Business Confidence Survey expecting to see a decrease in freight volumes in 2019 compared to 2018.

Demand for air cargo continued to go down due to global trade volumes fell by 1 per cent over the past year and weaken global economic activity and consumer confidence.

It also went down after the export order component of the global manufacturers Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) has indicated falling global export orders since September 2018.

IATA’s Director General and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said: ”Year-on-year demand for air freight edged back into positive territory in March with 0.1 per cent growth. After four consecutive months of contraction, this is an encouraging development. But the headwinds from weakening global trade, growing trade tensions and shrinking order books have not gone away.”