INDIA: ZF Friedrichshafen AG and the BMW Group have signed a long-term supply agreement in the field of passenger car drive systems. The core of the agreement is the supply and continued development of the proven 8-speed automatic transmission (8HP). The contract, worth several billion euros, runs until the late 2030s. This creates a solid foundation for open-technology and low-emission mobility of the future for both companies.

“Together with BMW, we are sending a strong signal for innovation, efficiency, and sustainability in an industry undergoing dynamic change,” says Mathias Miedreich, CEO of ZF. “This agreement highlights the strategic importance of our 8-speed automatic transmission as a key technology for the transformation of drive systems.”

As part of the partnership, the 8HP transmission kit will be continuously developed. The aim is to provide customers with the most powerful and efficient transmission that meets the requirements of future drive concepts.

“The new agreement with BMW shows how important long-term planning horizons are for technological advancements,” explains Sebastian Schmitt, Head of ZF’s Electrified Drive Technologies division. “It creates clarity and stability for both companies and enables us to align the next generation of the 8HP specifically toward efficiency, performance, and long-term viability.”

ZF thus strengthens its position as a system supplier and gains additional planning reliability. Close collaboration in the future will help reduce risks in a rapidly changing market environment and lay the foundation for low-emission mobility going forward.

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MUMBAI: Kia India, a leading mass premium carmaker, has strengthened its sustainability vision with the launch of ‘Kia Drive Green’ – a sustainability-focused engagement platform on the Kia Connect app. This initiative affirms the brand’s commitment to creating deeper user connections with EV owners while promoting environmental awareness.

The Drive Green feature, currently available with the Kia Carens Clavis EV and accessible through Kia Connect under the ‘New Services’ tab, will be progressively rolled out to all upcoming Kia EVs. With Drive Green in the Kia Connect App, a virtual tree will be planted each month, which grows through five stages based on kilometers driven. The app rewards users with five eco-badges — Green Explorer (2,500 km), Eco Champion (15,000 km), Carbon Crusher (25,000 km), Forest Guardian (50,000 km), and Planet Protector (100,000 km) — while also displaying the CO₂ savings achieved. For instance, driving 100 km saves about 13.2 kg of CO₂*, and 1,500 km saves nearly 197.6 kg of CO₂*.

Atul Sood, Senior VP, Sales & Marketing, Kia India, commented, “At Kia, our vision for mobility goes hand in hand with our responsibility to the environment. With the Kia Drive Green initiative, we are taking a decisive step toward embedding sustainability across every touchpoint—from product innovation and cleaner technologies to our operations and customer engagement. This initiative reflects our long-term commitment to making clean mobility part of everyday life.”

The Drive Green initiative exemplifies Kia India’s broader green mobility vision, setting a direction for how value beyond vehicles can be delivered, thereby building both loyalty and environmental awareness through digital experiences.

*Editor’s note: The Carbon Dioxide (CO2) savings and images displayed here are for representational purposes only. Actual CO2 savings may vary depending upon various factors such as driving behavior, terrain, weather conditions, and vehicle load. This information is intended to provide an estimated comparison and should not be considered as an exact measurement of a real-world comparison.

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This year, Hikal expects around 70–100 employees to voluntarily donate blood during the drive. In 2023, a similar camp was held in collaboration with the Red Cross, where approximately 60 employees participated. The increasing turnout reflects a strong sense of social responsibility among Hikal’s workforce.

The Panoli site holds a unique position among Hikal’s manufacturing locations, as it houses all three of the company’s business divisions—Pharma, Animal Health, Crop Protection, and Specialty Chemical. This makes it not just a strategic manufacturing hub but also a vibrant community of employees whose collective efforts power Hikal’s multi-sectoral impact.

Sameer Hiremath, Managing Director, Hikal, said: “At Hikal, responsibility doesn’t end at business. Through our CSR program, ‘Kaushalya’, we are committed to strengthening the health and well-being of the communities we operate in. This blood donation drive reflects our larger mission to create meaningful change and contribute to a healthier society.”

Ratish Jha, President – Human Resources, Hikal, added: “Our approach to community development is deeply embedded in our values. With Kaushalya, we don’t just respond to needs—we invest in long-term impact, from healthcare and education to local infrastructure. The blood donation drive is yet another step in building resilient, empowered communities around Panoli.”

Dr. Omkarsinh Parihar, Blood Bank Officer, Unity Blood Centre, said: “We are thankful to Hikal for their consistent support in promoting community health. Their leadership and sustained employee involvement set a benchmark for responsible corporate citizenship. We hope more companies are inspired to follow suit.”

With its diverse operations, the Panoli facility stands at the heart of Hikal’s manufacturing ecosystem. Initiatives like this not only enhance public health and safety but also reflect Hikal’s enduring commitment to inclusive growth and sustainability.

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The walkathon was Flagged Off by Shashikant Borate, DCP, Traffic Police Pune, Rama Shankar Pandey, CEO of Tata Green Batteries, Dr.Reji Mathai, Director, ARAI,  Shyam Singh, Plant Head, Pune – Tata Motors The Passenger Vehicle The Ltd., The Prasanna Patwardhan, President, BOCI, Pratyush Khare, Tata Motors, Dr.Parag Kalkar, VC, Savitribai Phule Pune University & Rekha Magar, Chairperson-FICCI FLO, Pune Chapter.

The campaign “India Against Road Crash, season 2024”, has a threefold objective to increase awareness about road safety, encourage responsible driving behavior, and reduce the number of road accidents. The key to achieving these goals lies in the collaboration between law enforcement agencies, community organizations, Industries, and academic institutions.

The campaign is being supported by various organizations such as ACMA, ASDC, ARAI, AISSMS, ASC, AITWA, BOCI, FICCI_FLO, CIRT, Pune City Traffic, Pune Metro, NDRF, Ranjangaon Industries Association, SAE India & ASC. The campaign is being partnered with Tata Motors, Tata Autocomp, Tata Green Batteries, and Continental India. Additionally, volunteers from schools, colleges, runners, bikers and walkers groups joined the campaign to bring the change.

One of the highlights of the event was to inspire young Indians to click selfies with Safe Bikers club members and the Helmet Man of India. This campaign aims to promote safer road behavior by committing to self-discipline, respecting other road users, being a defensive driver, following road rules, and symbolizing the commitment through a “step donation”.

More than 1350 Volunteers were inducted as Road Safety Warriors and they will start Drive Safe clubs in their organizations before the next Road Safety Month 12 months from now. The campaign aims to channel these resources to bring a positive transformation in Pune City’s civic traffic sense.

“The most recent data on road accidents in India is concerning. With one person dying every four minutes and one accident occurring every minute, the situation is critical and cannot be ignored. It is crucial to understand that road safety is the responsibility of every individual. We need to involve the community in road safety initiatives by collaborating with schools, colleges, and local organizations to raise awareness. There are many reasons for road crashes but one definite immediate solution is, Let’s Be The Change (Jab Hum Badlenge Toh Desh Badlega) ” said Rama Shankar Pandey, Chairman, Aftermarket Committee, ACMA and Chairman, Road Safety, FICCI, and Chief Executive Officer,  Tata AutoComp GY Batteries Pvt. Ltd.

“While observing Nations having some of the safest roads, Self-enforcement remains a core principle of their success. It’s well established that following Road Rules saves lives. We will be safe with self-enforcement, our society and our country will be safe’, Said Shyam Singh, Plant Head, Pune – Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd.

“Road safety is an extremely important topic that affects all of us, whether we are pedestrians or drivers. Our actions on the road have a significant impact on our safety and the safety of others. We must prioritize safety over all other aspects and ensure a secure journey for everyone.” said  Dr. Reji Mathai, Director of ARAI.

Concerned citizens, civil society members, traffic police, and scores of road safety volunteers participated in this walkathon.

Club D2S – Drive Smart Drive Safe (D2S) is a Section 25 Company, an NGO that aims to educate people on road safety and reduce road accidents and deaths on Indian roads. We intend to reduce the occurrence of conditions that contribute to fatalities on roads like poor visibility, driver negligence and fatigue, negligence of safety norms, drunken driving, speeding, etc.

Through awareness rallies, safety campaigns, street plays, special events, and traditional and social media campaigns, we work towards raising awareness of road safety and connecting with citizens towards best practices in road travel.

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HMSI strongly believes that children are the future of society and their awareness of road safety at an early stage can contribute to making the roads accident-free. The company frequently conducts road safety awareness programs that are interactive and engaging, catering to a wide range of age groups, from children to youth and are conducted in schools, colleges, government institutions, and non-governmental organizations.

Since its inception, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, HMSI has imparted education to nearly 1.85 lakh adults and children, focusing on promoting responsible road usage and cultivating safe riding habits. The company’s CSR commitment towards road safety aligns with Honda’s global vision statement for the year 2050, where it will strive for zero traffic collision fatalities involving Honda motorcycles and automobiles.

SCIENTIFICALLY DEVISED LEARNING MODULE: Honda’s skilled instructors set the foundation with theory sessions on road signs & markings, driver’s duties on the road, riding gear & posture explanation, and safe riding etiquette.

1. PRACTICAL LEARNING: A special training activity on Honda’s virtual riding simulator was executed for all to experience over 100 possible dangers on the road before actual riding.
2. INTERACTIVE SESSION: Participants were given danger prediction training known as Kiken Yosoku Training (KYT) which helps in enhancing rider/driver’s sensitivity to danger and ensures safe driving behavior on roads.
3. EXISTING DRIVERS HONING RIDING SKILLS: Students & school staff members who are already existing riders tested & honed their riding skills through slow riding activities and riding on narrow planks.

HMSI’s set of skilled safety instructors conducts daily programs at their 10 adopted traffic training parks (TTP) across India and 6 Safety Driving Education Centers (SDEC) to make road safety education accessible to every part of society, and the initiative has already reached over 5.7 million Indians. The company’s National Road Safety Awareness program made learning fun yet scientific through scientifically devised learning modules, practical learning, and interactive sessions.

HMSI’s road safety awareness campaign in Noida is a step towards achieving the company’s goal of promoting responsible road usage and cultivating safe riding habits. The company’s focus on road safety education aligns with Honda’s global vision statement for the year 2050, and the initiative has already reached millions of Indians.

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The “Master Controller Premium” is a central control system that supports various area functions, such as the drive, chassis, or charging. It acts as a functional integration platform for lateral and longitudinal acceleration, thermal and energy management, driving and charging strategy, and supports the highest functional safety level (ASIL-D).

Another highlight of Vitesco Technologies at the CTI Symposium is the “Overmold Power Module” with modern silicon carbide chip technology. This solution example represents a deep system competence through joint optimization of power electronics and thermal management. Thanks to long-term collaborations with various semiconductor manufacturers, the company can offer its customers a particularly high degree of flexibility.

In addition to showcasing its latest innovations, Vitesco Technologies will also present silicon carbide-based drive systems and inverter technologies for e-mobility. These presentations will cover advanced inverter topologies that drive efficient BEV architectures and key performers enabling e-mobility.

Vitesco Technologies is committed to making mobility clean, efficient, and affordable with its intelligent system solutions and components for electric, hybrid, and internal combustion drive systems. The company generated sales of EUR9.07 billion in 2022 and employs a workforce of around 38,000 employees at 50 locations worldwide.

Overall, Vitesco Technologies’ participation in the CTI Symposium in Berlin highlights the company’s dedication to driving innovation and advancing sustainable mobility solutions.

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INDIA: ADP India, a leading provider of Human Resources Management Software & Services, has successfully deployed a Global CSR initiative called The Month of Caring, consisting of a series of impactful social initiatives. ADP India continues to collaborate with a wide range of eco-social projects, establishing community development as a foundational value in their business.

ADP India kicked off this program with grocery donations drive, wherein associates across Hyderabad and Pune collectively contributed groceries amounting to INR 13.5 Lakh+. ADP organized a blood donation drive and over 530 ADP associates donated blood, as well as supported NGOs to set up handicraft stalls for jute bags, handloom products, and more with sales worth over INR 1 Lakh. Recognizing the challenges faced by daily-wage workers and children during the summer and the numerous heat waves, ADP also organized buttermilk distribution drives, ensuring that over 1000 individuals received refreshing beverages. Furthermore, a Wish Tree initiative was undertaken, wherein more than 650 wishes of children from NGOs supported by ADP were fulfilled.

Further emphasizing its commitment to youth and women empowerment, ADP conducted volunteer sessions for over 200 individuals across various community development centers and Youth Development Centers. ADP also organized a magical evening for 200 children residing in various children’s shelter homes, bringing joy, laughter, and a sense of wonder to the young hearts. In addition, ADP distributed over 1000 items of clothing and 50+ school kits to individuals from underprivileged backgrounds, the elderly, people affected by HIV, and orphans.

The contributions made during this month-long activity will be utilized to support more than 5000 beneficiaries from ADP-supported NGOs and others across Hyderabad and Pune!

Mr. Vijay Vemulapalli, General Manager and Managing Director, ADP Pvt. Ltd. said, “As a responsible corporate, it is our common endeavor to leave a positive impact on the society. Collective, community development is the ultimate goal of Tarang, our Social Responsibility program. The chain of activities undertaken recently has positively impacted over 5000 members of the community. Through similar initiatives, we will continue to demonstrate our unwavering support for community development and social welfare.”

This Month of Caring initiative was aimed at alleviating the struggles faced by vulnerable communities and providing them with essentials during these challenging times. Social Responsibility is one of the core values of ADP, and the generosity shown by its associates for initiatives like Month of Caring is a testimony to the fact that those values are now embedded in each of them!

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• Excellent power density and efficiency in an overall system comprising e-motor, power electronics, transmission, and software
• Maximum flexibility thanks to an optimized modular concept with three basic configurations
• Compact design enables resource-saving use of materials
• ZF demonstrates technological leadership through product innovations
• Industry’s highest order backlog for e-drives with a volume of €25 billion

INDIA: Friedrichshafen. ZF presents the latest generation of electric drives for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. It sets standards through outstanding power density and energy efficiency. ZF achieves this thanks to numerous innovations at both the component and system levels. These include the compact design of the drives, the “discrete approach” in power electronics, and the resource-saving use of materials, which also makes the production of the drives more sustainable. With their modular concept, the new ZF e-drives support automotive manufacturers in customizing the further electrification of their entire model range. For end customers, the new technologies offer higher efficiency, more power, and shorter charging times.

ZF develops and produces technologies for the mobility of the future. Two million e-motors produced and the high-voltage vehicle electric system with 800-volt technology, which will go into series production this year, show: ZF is setting the pace in the dynamic electromobility market and is now further expanding its role as a technology and innovation leader. Proof of the company’s successful transformation is the latest developments that ZF presented to international media in Friedrichshafen on November 21, 2022.

The system approach anticipates market requirements

ZF is already developing its comprehensive product range for pure e-drives with a view to the functions desired by customers and end users. In order to better and faster meet the highly diversified market demand, the Technology Group is now presenting a new generation of electric drives based on a modular overall concept with an electric motor, inverter, transmission, and software. “We are focusing on three basic systems that meet our customers’ main requirements, namely efficiency, performance, and cost, even in the standard version,” explains Markus Schwabe, Product Line Manager of Electrified Powertrain Systems. “On this basis, we can optimally implement further individual customer requirements in e-vehicles of all segments.“

“The great interest of manufacturers in our products in both the passenger car and commercial vehicle sectors is confirmed by our high order backlog in the high-voltage business. With the next generation of electric drives, we are consistently continuing our strategy of developing sustainable and efficient mobility for the future,” explains ZF Board of Management member Stephan von Schuckmann, who is responsible for e-mobility within the Group.

Innovative strength in the system as well as in the components

With the new generation of e-drives, ZF provides fully integrated electric drive systems. With its high level of interface expertise and unique know-how for driving strategies, ZF application engineers can meet customer requirements fully in the best possible way. However, the Group will also offer the innovative components individually, on which its own system solution is based. “Thanks to sophisticated internal interfaces, the new, extremely compact design allows system or component adaptations to be made with little effort. In addition, the design has very high structural rigidity, which enables superior noise behavior,” explains Dr. Otmar Scharrer, Head of Development for Electric Drive Technologies.

The new generation of ZF e-drives will be available on the market as a complete system starting in 2025; ZF will bring individual components into series production earlier. The following innovations at the component level make their contribution to the advanced overall system:

With “discrete package technology”, power electronics manage the balancing act between a high degree of component uniformity and high adaptability. The individualization takes place at the chip level: A discretely structured ZF inverter is built with individual power semiconductor switches. This modularity offers better performance scalability than is possible with complex power modules. In addition, ZF’s “discrete package technology” requires fewer types of components than using conventional power modules. “With our new approach to power electronics, we can serve different market requirements faster and more precisely,” explains Scharrer.

With a new, highly integrated e-motor, ZF once again increases the power density compared to the technology currently available in the market. A new cooling concept and a new winding technology play a decisive role here. Thanks to the new cooling concept, ZF allows oil to flow directly around the copper rods – exactly at the point where most heat is generated during operation. Such highly efficient cooling significantly increases performance with the same weight and installation space. The continuous power of the electric motor is increased to up to 85 percent of the peak power. In addition, the use of heavy rare earth can be largely dispensed with, and the e-motor can thus be produced more sustainably. The braided winding technology developed by ZF, a further development of the “hairpin” winding, enables a total of 10 percent less installation space. The winding head alone is around 50 percent smaller than with conventional approaches. This means that around 10 percent less raw material is processed.

With its new coaxial reduction gearbox, ZF transfers its world-leading know-how in planetary gearboxes to the next generation of electric drives. Two integrated planetary gears not only generate the desired axle ratio but also include the fully integrated differential function. Compared to common offset concepts, the new solution reduces weight and installation space requirements without compromising efficiency, noise, and vibration.

High-voltage converters (DC-DC converters) play a central role in fuel cell-powered electric drives. They compensate for the low output voltage and the strong voltage drop at a high load of the fuel cells. The new high-voltage converter from the ZF power electronics platform, which was developed for passenger car and commercial vehicle applications, has a top value of 99.6 percent in terms of efficiency.

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