Renault’s engineering programme for the new Duster involved long distance endurance runs and exposure to some of the world’s most demanding environments
Category: Technology
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One SUV, three continents, and conditions most cars never face
Long before it reaches a showroom, the new Renault Duster has already travelled farther and faced harsher conditions than most vehicles ever will. As part of an extensive engineering programme, Renault subjected its upcoming SUV to a demanding validation journey designed to mirror the realities of global and Indian driving environments.
One of the most challenging phases of testing unfolded in India’s northern terrain. The SUV completed high altitude validation in Leh Ladakh, culminating in a successful run to Khardung La at 18,379 feet. Operating in thin air places exceptional demands on powertrain response, cooling systems, braking performance, and overall vehicle stability. The Himalayan tests were designed to confirm that the Duster can maintain composure where oxygen levels drop and conditions change rapidly.
Indian road conditions formed a central pillar of the validation process. Pan India city drives and trials on specialised government tracks such as NATRAX, ARAI, GARC, and ICAT were used to simulate everything from uneven surfaces and speed breaker profiles to bumper to bumper urban traffic. These tests were intended to reflect the everyday realities faced by Indian drivers rather than controlled laboratory scenarios.
Commenting on the milestone, Stephane Deblaise, CEO of Renault Group India, said the one million kilometre testing programme was a deliberate statement of intent. He noted that the vehicle was taken to some of the most demanding terrains and climates to ensure it is fully prepared for real world Indian conditions, reinforcing the belief that genuine capability cannot be rushed.
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Grid Scale Energy Storage Project Advances at Hindupur Substation in Andhra Pradesh
A ₹627 crore investment will see Bondada Engineering develop and operate a 450 MWh standalone battery system for the state transmission network
Bondada Engineering Limited will develop and operate a large standalone battery energy storage system at the 400 220 kV Hindupur Substation in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, following the receipt of a Letter of Award from AP TRANSCO.
The project involves a 225 MW 450 MWh standalone Battery Energy Storage System and carries an estimated value of ₹627 crore. It will be implemented under the Build Own Operate model with an execution timeline of 18 months from the date of receipt of the Letter of Award. Once operational, the asset is expected to generate long term annuity based revenue, supporting predictable cash flows and earnings visibility for the company.With this development, Bondada Engineering Limited’s cumulative battery energy storage portfolio has reached close to 1 GWh. The addition further strengthens the company’s presence in India’s emerging grid scale energy storage segment as utilities accelerate investments to support renewable energy integration and grid reliability.
The Hindupur project forms part of broader efforts to enhance transmission level flexibility and manage variability arising from increasing renewable power capacity. Grid scale storage systems play a critical role in balancing supply and demand, improving system resilience, and supporting stable power delivery during peak demand periods.Commenting on the development, Dr. Bondada Raghavendra Rao, Chairman and Managing Director of the Bondada Group, said the project reflects the growing importance of energy storage in India’s power infrastructure. He stated that the project marks a key milestone for the company by strengthening its position in the evolving storage ecosystem while offering predictable long term returns under the Build Own Operate framework. He added that the company sees sustained momentum in grid scale storage deployment and intends to remain actively engaged in this transition.
The order has been awarded by a domestic utility entity, and the company has confirmed that no promoter or related party interest is involved in the transaction.Bondada Engineering Limited continues to expand its renewable energy and energy storage footprint as part of its long term growth strategy, aligning its infrastructure capabilities with India’s clean energy and grid modernisation objectives.
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What changed before the price was announced tells the real Seltos story
Kia India prices the all-new Seltos from ₹10.99 lakh as CEO Gwanggu Lee details the platform, safety, and scale decisions behind the second-generation model
Long before the price of the second-generation Seltos was made public, the direction Kia India had taken with the model was already evident in the engineering and product decisions beneath it. The all-new Kia India Seltos arrives at a starting price of ₹10.99 lakh, but its positioning has been shaped less by a number and more by a sequence of choices around platform, safety architecture, cabin scale, and technology depth.
The latest iteration of the Seltos is built on Kia’s global K3 platform, making its India debut with this model. The shift to a new platform is central to the car’s identity, allowing changes in proportions, structural rigidity, and ride refinement that would not have been possible through incremental updates. At 4,460 mm in length with a wheelbase of 2,690 mm, the new Seltos carries a visibly larger footprint, translating directly into improved cabin space and a more planted stance on the road.Speaking at the price announcement, Gwanggu Lee, Managing Director and CEO of Kia India, framed the new Seltos as a product shaped by long-term intent rather than short-term competition. He noted that the objective was to raise standards across space, safety, and technology while maintaining a value proposition that Indian buyers associate with the nameplate. The second-generation model, he said, reflects a broader effort to reinforce customer confidence and regain momentum in a segment that has grown increasingly crowded.
Safety has been one of the most deliberate focus areas in the development of the new Seltos. The vehicle comes with a 24-feature standard safety package, including six airbags, ABS, and hill-start assist, supported by Level 2 ADAS offering 21 autonomous features. These systems are integrated into the vehicle architecture rather than positioned as optional enhancements, underlining Kia’s attempt to normalise advanced driver assistance within the mid-SUV category.Inside the cabin, the emphasis shifts to digital integration and everyday usability. A 75.18 cm panoramic display panel dominates the dashboard, combining instrumentation and infotainment into a single visual plane. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are offered alongside a premium Bose audio system, while features such as proximity-based smart key access and powered driver seating reflect an effort to blend convenience with perceived sophistication. The design approach remains restrained, favouring layout clarity over ornamentation.
Powertrain choices remain broad, with petrol and diesel options spanning multiple transmission formats. The lineup includes the Smartstream G1.5 petrol, the G1.5 T-GDI petrol, and a 1.5-litre CRDi diesel engine, paired with manual, intelligent manual, IVT, DCT, and automatic transmissions. This range allows the Seltos to cater to varied driving preferences without pushing buyers into a narrow specification band.Manufacturing for the new Seltos has already commenced at Kia’s Anantapur facility, allowing the company to align pricing with a planned production ramp-up rather than speculative demand. The price announcement signals readiness for scale, supported by a nationwide network of 821 touchpoints across 369 cities. This reach remains one of Kia India’s structural advantages, enabling the brand to serve both metro and emerging markets with comparable access to sales and service.
Beyond the product itself, the ownership ecosystem continues to be positioned as part of the offering. Digital tools such as the MyKia app, extended warranty options, and long-term roadside assistance packages form part of the broader pitch, reinforcing predictability over novelty. The focus appears to be on reducing friction across the ownership cycle rather than relying on one-time feature appeal.In a segment where updates often arrive as cosmetic refreshes, the second-generation Kia Seltos distinguishes itself through the sequence of decisions that preceded its pricing. Platform migration, safety standardisation, and dimensional expansion came first. The number followed. That order may explain why the Seltos enters its next phase not as an incremental upgrade, but as a product shaped around fundamentals that Kia believes will matter over the long term.
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When December behaved unlike the rest of the year, Kia India took notice
Senior Vice President Atul Sood reflects on how 369 cities and 821 touchpoints changed the equation
When December behaved unlike the rest of the year, Kia India paused to examine what had changed beneath the surface. After a calendar year marked by steady but measured movement, the final month delivered a sharp departure from the prevailing trend, forcing a closer look at how demand, distribution, and execution aligned at precisely the right moment.
The carmaker closed Calendar Year 2025 with wholesale volumes of 280,286 units, a 15 percent increase over the previous year. While that growth reflected consistency across most months, December stood apart. Wholesale dispatches for the month reached 18,659 units, more than double the volumes recorded in December 2024. The divergence was significant enough to reframe how the year would ultimately be read, not as a linear climb, but as a year where structure and readiness mattered more than pace.According to Atul Sood, Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing, the December outcome was less about a sudden surge in demand and more about alignment across multiple levers. Product mix optimisation, calibrated trim strategies across high-volume models, and an expanded retail and service footprint converged at a time when consumer sentiment showed visible improvement. The result was a month that behaved differently from the rest of the calendar.
Much of that stability during the year came from familiar nameplates. The compact SUV Kia Sonet crossed the 100,000-unit sales mark for the second consecutive year, providing a dependable base in a highly competitive segment. Alongside it, the Kia Seltos and the Kia Carens continued to contribute steadily, helping smooth volatility even when monthly demand patterns fluctuated. Newer additions such as the Carens Clavis and Carens Clavis EV added incremental momentum, while premium offerings like the Carnival Limousine and EV6 catered to a narrower but consistent buyer cohort.What amplified December’s impact, however, was the scale of Kia India’s distribution network by the end of the year. The company expanded its presence to 369 cities with 821 touchpoints, a reach that fundamentally altered how demand translated into wholesales. Wider geographic coverage meant that improved sentiment was not confined to a handful of urban centres, but could be converted into volumes across multiple markets simultaneously.
This distribution depth allowed the company to respond faster and more evenly as buying intent firmed up. Rather than relying on aggressive incentives or short-term pushes, Kia’s December performance reflected the payoff from having sales, service, and logistics infrastructure already in place. The network expansion was not built for a single month, but December became the clearest demonstration of its value.Looking ahead, the company expects this structural base to play a central role in 2026. The recently introduced new Seltos is positioned to carry forward momentum in the SUV category, supported by the consistent performance of Sonet and Carens variants. The focus, Sood indicated, remains on value-led offerings and strengthening the ownership experience rather than chasing volume spikes in isolation.
In that sense, December did more than lift the year-end numbers. It offered a glimpse into how preparation, reach, and portfolio balance can reshape outcomes when conditions align. For Kia India, the clearest signal of 2025 arrived not in the middle of the year, but at its very end.At Prittle Prattle News, we honor your dedication and inventiveness led by showcasing you in a positive light. Under the direction of Editor-in-Chief Smruti Bhalerao, our platform is committed to disseminating powerful narratives that raise awareness and motivate change. For more important stories, follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.