Archive: November 8, 2022

Order Books Open for New Electric MOKE Californian With US Sales Limited To 325 Cars

London, 08 November 2022 The Electric MOKE Californian is now available to order via MOKE International’s new U.S website with prices starting at $41,900.

Customers can reserve a build slot for a refundable fee of $990, but with sales limited to 325 cars per year they will need to act swiftly to avoid disappointment. Having announced it was returning to America after 40 years of being away, MOKE International has already received strong interest in the new Electric MOKE Californian.

U.S. Sales will be limited to 325 cars a year in accordance with the 2015 Low Volume Motor Vehicles Manufacturers Act. After seven years of lobbying from Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) implemented legislation that allows heritage brands to produce derivatives of any of their models that are over 25 years old, but comply with current Federal safety standards for motor vehicle equipment.

The new Electric MOKE Californian is a faster, more powerful and, crucially, emissions-free reinvigoration of the original car that sold in the U.S between 1977-1982. The Electric MOKE Californian accelerates from 0-34mph (55kph) in 4.3 seconds, while its petrol-powered ancestor achieved the same sprint in around 6.3 seconds. Power is up from 39hp to 44hp.

This limited-run version – only available to buy in the U.S. – also features bespoke styling cues such as the ‘Californian’ name badge and specially designed MOKE logos.

Isobel Dando, CEO MOKE International, said: “The interest in the Electric MOKE Californian since we announced its return has been huge, although perhaps not surprising considering how popular the original car was. We are thrilled to be able to offer American customers a genuine MOKE vehicle once again.”

Hand-built in the UK, the Electric MOKE Californian has a range of up to 80 miles (120km)* – enough to cruise Route 101 down to Malibu Beach from Santa Barbara – and a top speed of 50mph (80kph), which makes it legal to drive on the highway; this is the first time a highway legal version of the Mini Moke has ever gone on sale in the U.S. A full charge takes four hours on a US Type 1 charger.

Just like the Electric MOKE that is on sale in Europe, the Electric MOKE Californian is a reimagination of the 1964 Mini Moke – MOKE International owns the original 1964 British Motor Corporation MOKE trademarks and is recognized in over 100 jurisdictions as the owner of the MOKE brand.

Since its birth the Mini Moke stood as an emblem of fun and freedom, beloved for decades in coastal locations such as the French Riviera thanks to its open-top design and go-anywhere attitude. Using an electric powertrain, the Electric MOKE and Electric MOKE Californian now play a part in keeping these beautiful locations clean. MOKE International is the first 1960s automotive brand to go 100% electric.

* Subject to Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure testing

Kaveri Priyam to Play the Lead as Amrita in Sony Sab’s New Show “Dil Diyaan Gallaan”

Kaveri Priyam, a noted actor who is known for her versatile performances, will be seen playing a vital character in Sony SAB’s upcoming show ‘Dil Diyaan Gallaan’.

Kaveri is set to essay the role of ‘Amrita’, a responsible, tenacious, intelligent, and charming young girl. While Amrita grew up in New York, she saw her parents in misery because of a long-standing misunderstanding that happened with her grandparents who live in India. In the show, she plays a critical part and represents the new generation in the ‘Please mention surname’ family.

Speaking about her role in the show, Kaveri Priyam says, “I am thrilled to play this interesting character representing the third generation who brings a fresh perspective to the families. The qualities that define Amrita’s character are her practicality, intelligence, and responsibility and she is quite similar to me in real life. I believe I also approach situations objectively and differently as Amrita would. This will be my first time playing a character like this which is modern yet rooted, and I’m beyond excited.”

Kaveri has played various significant roles in the past, and the character of Amrita will surely win the audience’s hearts. The show also stars Panjak Berry in an important role.

Epson attends COP27 to raise awareness of simple technology switches that help people contribute to combating climate disaster

Cairo, Egypt, 8 November 2022: As COP27 kicks off today in Sharm El-Sheikh, amid critical global climate-related threats, Epson asserts its commitment to raise individual awareness about climate change and its severe impacts on the planet and on people’s lives. Epson looks to stress the importance of taking action for the benefits of the people and the environment.

Egypt is in the midst of a worsening water crisis. In 2022, rising temperatures as a result of climate change, led to even drier conditions throughout the country.

Despite this day-to-day reminder of the impact of climate change on our planet, over half of respondents (57.8%) to the latest Epson survey in Egypt are optimistic that a climate disaster can be averted in our lifetime.

Although this optimism is encouraging, there are still a number of gaps in terms of what people are willing to do now and what people are hoping to do in the future. It is not enough to hope for change, every person must make change happen by introducing small switches in their everyday lives, if we are to reach net zero targets at a global and national level.

In Egypt, only 16.2% have switched to an electric vehicle, although promisingly, 63.3% are planning to do this in the future. Below a quarter (18.4%) of Egyptian respondents to the Epson survey have installed solar panels however, nearly two thirds (60.7%) are planning to do this in the future. There are positive changes happening already with people walking or cycling more often (53.9%), improving recycling habits (45.7%) or reducing plastic use (42.1%).

These lifestyle changes amongst Egyptian survey participants suggest an increasing awareness of and urgency to tackle the climate challenge the world is experiencing. The 2022 Epson Climate Reality Barometer shows progress – but also that short-term economic demands are in danger of distracting governments, businesses, and individuals from imperative environmental action. The world needs to keep its focus and ensure decisive, rapid and effective responses to the ongoing climate emergency.

Epson is present at COP27 to further prove its ongoing commitment to providing individuals and businesses with technological options that contribute to combating the climate disaster.

A simple technology switch, from laser printing to inkjet printing, can mean huge reductions of up to 83% in energy consumption, as a result of Epson’s Heat-Free technology. Fewer consumables in its EcoTank cartridge free printers mean huge savings in plastic waste, with one set of ink bottles being the equivalent of 79 ink cartridges and technology innovations, such as PaperLab – the world’s first in-office paper secure recycler that turns waste paper into new paper which uses virtually no water in its process – has changed the future of recycling.

Director of Sustainability for Epson Europe, Henning Ohlsson will be present at COP27 to answer any questions and provide further information and context on Epson’s sustainability agenda.

With a presence in the Green Zone, Epson will be demonstrating live the difference in power consumption between a business inkjet printer and a competitor laser printer. Live links to a PaperLab will also be demonstrated every day with the specialist team based in Germany

Raising awareness and working together, Epson believes that we can all build a better future and all do our part, by making small and simple changes to our everyday lives. Just by switching the printer you use at home or at work, you can contribute to preventing climate change.

Gearing Up on Expansion Plans, Scaler Introduces Ashish Chitravanshi as the New Head of Enterprise Business

Mumbai, 8th November 2022: Scaler, one of India’s fastest-growing tech upskilling startups, today announced the appointment of Ashish Chitravanshi as the new Head of Enterprise Business at InterviewBit and Scaler. In his capacity, Ashish will lead two avenues, B2B partnerships, and Careers. While the B2B charter will strengthen partnerships with leading technology companies in India as well as globally, the careers division works towards providing career outcomes for the learners.

Ashish will work closely with the co-founders, Abhimanyu Saxena and Anshuman Singh, to strengthen Scaler’s effort toward building strategic engagements with tech companies. He will be spearheading enterprise partnerships to deliver robust industry engagements for learners enrolled in various scaler programs leading to opportunities for career development and successful transitions. Further, as Scaler expands career opportunities in Europe through ‘Scaler Neovaristy’, an online Master’s program in Computer Science, the robust Enterprise team will work towards expanding the existing horizons of job opportunities to these newer areas and help the learners move to the next orbit in their careers. Ashish will also work on furthering the Scaler B2B branding program, launched at the beginning of the year, aimed at building strategic relationships with CXOs from aspirational tech organisations.

Abhimanyu Saxena, Co-Founder, InterviewBit & Scaler, said, “At Scaler, we see ourselves on a mission mode to transform the skill landscape in the technology industry. What we are doing provides the right skill pool for the industry and creates a level playing field for all serious-minded professionals. We are delighted to welcome Ashish to join us on this exciting journey. His extensive experience across diverse sectors and his familiarity with entrepreneurship will help Scaler accelerate its growth journey more ambitiously.”

Ashish Chitravanshi, Head of Enterprise Business at InterviewBit and Scaler, said, “Scaler has set a benchmark in the industry by allowing aspiring tech professionals to find meaningful employment opportunities. It has also enabled organizations to build and scale faster by giving them access to skilled talent – ensuring that the sector remains competitive in the global landscape. The organisation is in an exciting growth phase, and I am thrilled to play a part in its journey. By virtue of the portfolio I will lead, I have been given the unique opportunity to work with the most critical stakeholders for the young edtech brand – professionals and enterprises. It is a challenging but rewarding mandate that will create a large, self-serving, mutually beneficial ecosystem aimed at taking the tech sector to the next level. I am excited to embark on this journey and look forward to working with the amazing team at Scaler.”

In his prior roles, Ashish has been a startup founder and has held leadership positions across leading e-commerce marketplaces, ed-tech and agri-tech organizations. He remains a startup enthusiast and an active angel investor with interests in SaaS and logistics spaces.

£1.5m gift from TVS Motor Company helps create new Lord Bhattacharyya Chair in Engineering Education at WMG, University of Warwick

November 8, 2022: A substantial gift of £1.5 million from TVS Motor Company will help create a crucial new Professorial post in WMG, University of Warwick – the Lord Bhattacharyya Chair in Engineering Education.

The gift celebrates TVS Motor Company’s close relationship with WMG and will continue the legacy of the late Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, enhancing WMG’s academic expertise in the understanding, development and teaching of engineering and manufacturing internationally.

The news was announced in Mumbai on Monday, 7 November at a reception for University of Warwick graduates hosted by Professor Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University.

Warwick has a close network of more than 5,500 alumni in India and is the most successful Russell Group university for recruiting students from India. This is Professor Croft’s first visit to the country for the purposes of encouraging support from alumni and friends for the University’s vision.

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya sadly passed away on the 1 March, 2019. To celebrate his legacy in global manufacturing and innovation, the new Chair will drive forward innovations in research-led teaching and scholarship. Just as Professor Lord Bhattacharyya played a significant role in building relationships between India and the UK, the appointee will be responsible for establishing connections for UK higher education and WMG in Asia, particularly in India and Hong Kong.

This will include new ways to inspire young people from different backgrounds to pursue engineering careers through the WMG Academies for Young Engineers, degree apprenticeships, and professional skills programmes delivered by the WMG Skills Centre, along with an opportunity to explore innovation in the higher education space more widely.

Sir Ratan Tata, former Chairman of Tata Sons, said he was delighted to hear about the gift.

“I deeply valued my friendship with Kumar and know the philanthropy of TVS Motor Company will continue his vison of creating innovative, engaging, and authentic learning opportunities for a diverse range of students. Strong industry links were so important for Kumar and it’s exciting that WMG is working closely in partnership with this prestigious motorcycle company.”

Mr Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus of TVS Motor Company and Director of Tata Sons, said:

“WMG excels because it has the momentum created by Kumar. It wouldn’t have happened without him, but it continues after him. Kumar always said a true legacy was an institution that does better after your time. We are delighted to make a gift that continues this ambition.”

Mr N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, said:

“Lord Bhattacharyya created a world class, leading-edge capability at WMG. The new Chair in Engineering Education will be a crucial addition to their academic leadership, ensuring the next generation of engineering leaders are inspired through the highest levels of teaching. I’m thrilled the Chair will also work to enhance international connections for both WMG and the University of Warwick.”

Warwick alumnus Professor Sir Ralf Speth (EngD Engineering, 2004-08), Chairman of TVS Motor Company, Director of Tata Sons, and former CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, said:

“Kumar was very keen on creating top talents and innovative break-throughs. He liked curious, younger people. He believed in the powerful momentum resulting out of a special atmosphere of new technologies and curious, passionate talents.”

Mr Sudarshan Venu (MSc International Technology Management, 2010-12), Managing Director of TVS Motor Company, said: “I am grateful for having been mentored by Lord Bhattacharyya, who had a tremendous impact on me and taught me a lot about the global automotive industry. TVS has had a strong partnership with WMG covering the areas of education, research, and joint projects. We look forward to building on this in the future as well.”

In 2016, WMG was awarded a Regius Professorship in Manufacturing, which was bestowed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in recognition of the transformational contributions that Professor Lord Bhattacharyya made to UK manufacturing. The new role will complement the Regius Professorship and celebrate Lord Bhattacharyya’s impact on engineering and manufacturing internationally.

The Chair in Education role was initially established in 2021 thanks to a private philanthropic donation of £1.5 million, gifted by a Warwick alumnus. The additional gift from TVS Motor Company will help future-proof the post for generations to come and help the University achieve its goals for the Chair. The University intends to recruit for the role in 2023.

Professor Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Warwick, said:

“We are extremely grateful to TVS for making this generous gift to support WMG in enhancing and exceeding educational standards. The new role of Lord Bhattacharyya Chair in Engineering Education will continue Professor Lord Bhattacharyya’s legacy, and help us thrive in connecting education, research and industry, setting up our graduates for successful futures.

“Warwick has a fantastic network of alumni in India, and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to meet many of our graduates this week to explore how they can support the University’s vision for the future in the world’s largest democracy.”

Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG, University of Warwick, who is visiting India this week alongside Professor Croft, said: “We would like to thank TVS Motor Company for their generous gift. Their support will enable the new Lord Bhattacharyya Chair in Engineering Education role to preserve and expand Professor Lord Bhattacharyya’s pursuit of excellence in education, whilst further developing the relationships between our teaching and research.

“We anticipate that the successful appointee will further extend WMG’s teaching partnerships with industry and our international partners in Asia, enabling us to facilitate high quality and meaningful professional, international and intercultural learning opportunities that broaden the global perspectives of our students and provide the skills needed for current and future industry requirements.”

Godrej Properties Acquires Land for Premium Project in Pune

Mumbai, November 8, 2022: Godrej Properties Ltd. (GPL), (BSE scrip id: GODREJPROP), one of India’s leading real estate developers, today announced that it has, on outright basis, acquired a 12-acre land parcel in Mundhwa -East, Pune. The development on this land will primarily be for a premium group housing project.

Among the most centrally-located residential areas in Pune, the location has established physical and social infrastructure and offers excellent connectivity to all major social and commercial hubs of Pune city. It is also in close proximity to upmarket Koregaon Park.

Mohit Malhotra, MD & CEO, Godrej Properties, said, “Mundhwa is an important micro-market in Pune and we are happy to add this land parcel to our portfolio. This will further expand our presence in Pune and fits with our strategy of deepening our presence in established micro markets across India’s leading cities.”

*On the basis of the current business assumptions.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India is now the First Choice of 40 Lac families in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow, 08 November 2022: Winning the love & trust of its customers rapidly over the years in India’s most populated state of Uttar Pradesh, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) today announced that its cumulative two-wheeler sales in the state have now crossed the 40 lac units’ mark.

Honda’s journey in achieving 40 lac loyal two-wheeler customers in Uttar Pradesh

In 2001, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India began operations with its maiden two-wheeler Activa. It took Honda 16 years to delight its first 20 lac customers in Uttar Pradesh – the biggest two-wheeler market in India.

Further, as two-wheelers continued to drive India’s growth story, trust on Honda’s reliable products also grew manifolds. Therefore, delighting its valued customers with nearly 3 times the speed, HMSI has now successfully doubled its customers by adding the recent 20-lac customers in just 6 years.

Noteworthy, with Activa 6G & Shine leading the demand for scooters and motorcycles in Uttar Pradesh, HMSI now gives joy of riding to over 40 Lac two-wheeler customers in the state.

Thanking customers and speaking on this landmark feat, Mr. Atsushi Ogata – Managing Director, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said, “We are truly elated to reach this milestone in the largest two-wheeler market of India. With versatile demography, the state offers a diversified customer base. As more customers opt for two-wheelers suited to their individual needs, it gives us an opportunity to serve them better with our differentiated offerings across various segments. I would like to thank all our customers in Uttar Pradesh for their continued trust and making Honda their first choice of mobility on two-wheels.”

Honda celebrates love of customers in Uttar Pradesh

With the increasing demand for 2Wheelers, Honda Activa and Shine emerged as the most preferred Honda two-wheeler models. Marking a strong presence across the state are Honda’s 670+ touchpoints (including dealerships, authorized service centers and best deal outlets) which offer a top-notch service experience as well as a world-class two-wheeler line-up of scooters & motorcycles for customers to choose from.

HMSI continues to delight customers in Uttar Pradesh with its dynamic range of scooters comprising of 4 models namely Activa 6G, Activa 125, Dio & Grazia 125. Parallely, in the motorcycle category the company offers 8 exciting models across 110cc (CD 110 Dream & Livo), 125cc (SP125 & Shine), 160cc (X-Blade & Unicorn) and 180-200cc (Hornet 2.0 & CB200X) segments along with other special edition models.

Honda’s premium motorcycle retail format is led by the BigWing Topline in top metros and BigWing in other demand centers. While the marquee Honda BigWing Topline houses Honda’s complete premium motorcycle range starting from the newly launched CB300F, CB300R, H’ness-CB350 and its Anniversary Edition, CB350RS, CB500X, CBR650R, CB650R, CBR1000RR-R Fireblade, CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, adventure tourer Africa Twin Adventure Sports and flagship model Gold Wing Tour, the BigWing delights mid-size motorcycle fans of Honda.

Honda’s commitment to society in Uttar Pradesh

More than business, Honda strives to be a company society wants to exist. HMSI has focussed CSR initiatives in community development areas of rural education, women empowerment, and healthcare and road safety education – upskilling lacs of individuals in the region. As a responsible corporate, company’s safety instructors and dealerships have spread healthy road safety habits awareness to over 2 lac people in Uttar Pradesh under its “Safety for All” vision. Parallelly, Honda’s 3 adopted Skill Enhancement Centres (ITI) are empowering local youth of Meerut, Kanpur and Allahabad with job-oriented technical skills.

Bharat Petroleum on standalone basis reports rise in revenue by 26% to Rs 1,28,333 Cr in Q2 of FY 22-23 & rise in revenue by 39% to Rs.2,66,722 Cr in H1 FY 22-23

Bharat Petroleum, one of the premier integrated energy companies in India, has posted a net loss of Rs. 6,567.22 Crores in H1 FY22- 23, as compared to the restated profit of Rs. 6,033.82 Crores in the corresponding period of FY22

Major highlights of the financial results are given below (standalone) –

§ Pursuant to MCA order, Bina refinery (erstwhile Bharat Oman Refineries Limited) was amalgamated with BPCL and the financial performance of Bina refinery has been included in BPCL w.e.f 1st July 2021. Pursuant to MCA order, Bharat Gas Resources Limited was amalgamated with BPCL and the financial performance of Bharat Gas Resources Limited has been included in BPCL w.e.f 1st April 2021. In view of the above mergers, the accounts have been restated for respective periods.

§ Company’s gross refining margins (GRM) for the period H1 FY23 was $22.30/bbl Vs $5.23/bbl in the corresponding comparative period.

§ Net loss for Q2 FY23 stood at Rs 304.17 crores and for H1 FY23 was Rs 6,567.22 crores

§ EBITDA for Q2 FY23 is positive of Rs.1,991.41 Crores Vs Rs.5,654.80 Crores in Q2 FY22; EBITDA margin was at 1.55% in Q2 FY23 Vs 5.55% in Q2 FY22.

§ Debt-Equity ratio as on September 30, 2022 was at 1.10x (as against 0.60x as at 30th September 2021)

Physical Performance (standalone)

§ In Q2 FY23, throughput was 8.82 MMT Vs 8.97 MMT in Q2 FY22. Market Sales were 11.44 MMT in Q2 FY23 Vs 9.91 MMT in Q2 FY22. Sales have grown by 15.44%. During H1 FY23, throughput was 18.51 MMT Vs 15.81 MMT in H1 FY22. The market sales for the period H1 FY23 has increased to 23.20MMT from 19.54MMT in H1 FY22 (Growth of 18.73%)

§ We have achieved an Average Ethanol Blending percentage of 9.87% during H1 FY 23. BPCL added 226 New Fuel Stations in Q2FY23 (388 in H1 FY23), taking their network strength to 20443

§ The Company Owned Company Operated Outlets network increased to 316 with one addition during H1 FY23.

§ Further, BPCL expanded FINO financial services to 12977 Fuel Stations as on 30th Sep 2022

§ BPCL added 4 new distributors in Q2 FY23 (17 in H1 FY23), taking LPG distributor network strength to 6231 as on 30th Sep 22 and the customer base increased to 9.13 Crores as on 30th Sep 22

§ 45 CNG Stations commissioned in Q2FY23 (66 in H1 FY23) taking the total CNG stations as on 30th Sep 2022 to 1

Q2FY23 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

                                                                                                                             (Rs. Crs)

H1FY23 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

                                                                                                                         (Rs. Crs)

Paytm revenue grows by 76% to ₹1,914 cr in Q2FY23, EBITDA before ESOP improves by 61% y-o-y

Mumbai, 8th November 2022: Paytm, India’s leading digital payments and financial services company and the pioneer of mobile and QR payments in India, today announced its Q2FY23 financial results, where it posted a 76% year-on-year (YoY) growth in revenue to Rs 1,914 crore and Rs 259 crore YoY improvement in EBITDA before ESOP. Paytm reiterated that it’s on track to achieve EBITDA before ESOP cost profitability by quarter ending September 2023. On a quarterly basis, the company’s net losses have reduced by 11%, while contribution profit stands at Rs 843 Cr.

Paytm’s net payments margin (calculated as payments revenues plus other operating revenues, less payment processing cost) stood at Rs 443 Cr, up 428% YoY. The company’s lending vertical revenue from the financial services business was Rs 349 crore, up 293% YoY. Paytm disbursed 9.2 million loans, up 224% YoY, amounting to Rs 7,313 crore, marking an increase of 482% YoY. Its commerce and cloud services reported a revenue of ₹377 crore — a 55% YoY growth.