New Delhi, (IANS) Indian commercial vehicle manufacturer Tata Motors Ltd on Wednesday announced the rollout of its 10th lakh vehicle from its Lucknow plant.
The rollout also marked three‑and‑a‑half decades of operations in Uttar Pradesh, the company said in a release.
In his reaction, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said: "The rollout of 10 lakh trucks and buses from Tata Motors’ Lucknow facility is a moment of pride for the entire state. It is a recognition of the state’s capabilities and immense potential, as well as of its talented people."
"Our vision is to transform Uttar Pradesh into a one‑trillion‑dollar economy, with industry and entrepreneurs playing a pivotal role in this journey. The state offers a conducive ecosystem for scalable businesses, supported by a vast consumer market, a young, skilled workforce, and seamless connectivity," he said.
Tata Motors’ success in Uttar Pradesh reflects the strength of this ecosystem and reinforces the state's commitment to fostering responsible industrial growth, creating jobs, building skills and advancing sustainable socio‑economic development, he added.
The milestone vehicle was a zero-emission electric bus, and it highlighted the shared commitment of Uttar Pradesh and Tata Motors to green mobility, aligned with the state’s net-zero 2070 vision and the company’s net-zero target of 2045, the company said.
On this occasion, Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran said that the production of Tata Motors' 10th lakh commercial vehicle from its Lucknow facility reflects the strength of its longstanding partnership with Uttar Pradesh.
"Over more than three decades, this collaboration has demonstrated how industry, government and communities can come together to drive industrial excellence, create livelihoods and build capabilities at scale," he added.
"As India’s commercial vehicle industry is undergoing rapid transformation towards cleaner, smarter and more efficient mobility solutions, this milestone underscores Tata Motors’ leadership in shaping the future of mobility," he said, as per the release.
The Lucknow facility, established in 1992 and spread over about 600 acres, has an annual capacity of over one lakh vehicles and supports over 8,000 livelihoods.
It builds industry‑relevant skills through flagship training programmes, and operates as a water‑positive facility powered by 100 per cent renewable energy, the auto manufacturer said.It manufactures a comprehensive range of cargo and passenger commercial vehicles across multiple powertrains, including next-generation zero-emission electric buses and trucks, as well as fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). Tata Motors hits 10 lakh commercial vehicle milestone at Lucknow plant | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com
As politicians warn Australians not to resort to panic buying, finding constructive ways to reduce your petrol costs and cut carbon emissions has become increasingly appealing.
The strikes on Iran have seen prices of Brent crude – the global oil benchmark – trade around US$104 (A$150) per barrel, up from roughly US$68 (A$96) a few weeks earlier. There is no clear end in sight for the current crisis.
The good news is buying and owning an electric car is becoming much easier as more models arrive in Australia and charging networks expand. But there are still a few things worth considering before making the switch.
What should you look for when choosing an EV?
Choosing an electric vehicle is not very different from choosing any other car. Size, price and safety features still matter.
But there are a few additional things worth checking.
The first is driving range, which is how far the vehicle can travel on a full battery. Most new EVs sold in Australia offer between 300 and 500 kilometres of range, which is more than enough for typical daily driving.
It is also worth looking at charging capability. Some vehicles can accept faster charging speeds than others, meaning they can recharge more quickly when using high-power public chargers. This can make a difference on long trips.
Finally, check the battery warranty. Most manufacturers offer warranties of eight years or around 160,000km, providing reassurance about long-term battery performance.
For most buyers, the key is simply choosing a vehicle that suits their everyday driving needs.
How To Buy The Right Electric Car.
Check how much you drive
An important question to ask when choosing an electric vehicle is: how far do you usually drive each day?
Most Australians drive far less than they think. Car passenger kilometres per person have reduced from a peak of 13,184 in 2004 to 10,238 in 2024–25.
That’s roughly 28km per day, meaning many drivers could go several days between charges with today’s EVs. Most new models now sold in Australia have a real-world driving range of 300–500km on a full battery.
In practice, many EV owners simply plug their car in at home overnight once or twice a week.
Most EV drivers charge at home a few times a week. Fast chargers are used on longer trips. Zaptech/Unsplash
Do you need to install a charger at home?
Many people assume installing a home charger is essential, but that is not always the case.
Electric vehicles can be charged from a standard household power point. This is the slowest method, but it can still add 10–15km of range per hour of charging. At that rate, a 12-hour overnight charge could give you up to 180km.
Many owners choose to install a dedicated wall charger instead. These typically cost A$1,000–2,000 plus installation. These charge much faster, allowing most vehicles to fully recharge overnight.
Fast chargers are useful, but usually not for everyday charging. Public fast chargers are designed mainly for longer trips.
These high-power chargers can add 150–300km of driving range per hour, depending on the vehicle and type of charger.
They are very convenient for highway travel but usually cost more than charging at home. Public fast charging can range from around 50 to 70 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is still cheaper than petrol, but the savings are smaller than charging at home.
Many EV owners only use public chargers occasionally, not every day.
EV drivers in Australia will come across three different charger speeds. Here’s how they work.
How much should you charge the battery?
Another common question is whether EV batteries should always be charged to 100%.
For everyday driving, many manufacturers recommend keeping the battery between 20% and 80% most of the time. This helps maximise long-term battery health.
A fully charged battery is generally under more stress. However, charging to 100% shortly before a long trip is fine. Modern EV battery management systems are designed to protect the battery automatically.
In practice, drivers quickly develop simple routines, often charging overnight a few times per week.
How much could you save on fuel?
One of the main reasons drivers consider switching to an EV is the potential saving on running costs.
Electric cars are typically cheaper to run because electricity costs less than petrol and electric motors are far more energy efficient than combustion engines.
Home charging is also the cheapest way to run an EV. Electricity for overnight charging typically costs 20–30c per kilowatt-hour, which can translate to around $3–5 per 100km of driving.
By comparison, fuel-efficient petrol cars typically consume 6–8 litres per 100km and cost $14–18 to drive that distance at current fuel prices.
That difference can add up quickly over a year. Online tools, such as our public EV payback calculator, allow drivers to compare different vehicles and test how savings change depending on electricity prices, fuel costs and driving distance.
What if you live in an apartment or unit?
Charging can be more complicated for people living in apartments or units, but options are expanding quickly.
Many new residential developments now include shared EV charging infrastructure in car parks. Some apartment owners are also installing chargers in their individual parking spaces where building rules allow it.
Workplace charging is another growing option. Many employers are beginning to install chargers for staff vehicles, allowing drivers to top up their battery during the day.
Public charging networks are expanding across Australian cities. While these chargers typically cost more than home electricity, they provide an important option for drivers without dedicated parking or charging access at home.
As EV adoption increases, improving charging access for apartment residents is becoming a major focus for building managers and policymakers.
Where next?
The decision to switch to an electric vehicle has never been more straightforward. Ranges are longer, models are more affordable, charging networks are expanding and running costs are lower than ever.
As petrol prices remind Australians of their exposure to global oil markets, the case for making the switch gets stronger.
For most drivers, the question is no longer whether an EV could work for them – it is simply a matter of when.
As we head for a fifth consecutive year of rising road deaths and what could be the worst year for pedestrian fatalities in nearly two decades, it’s time to look more closely at what this means.
But what’s less discussed is whether driving one also changes how we drive – if larger vehicles make us feel safer inside them, do they also make us take more risks behind the wheel?
With no domestic car manufacturing, Australia imports vehicles shaped by global production trends, many of which trickle down from United States policies that reward larger vehicles.
Two subtle US policy features explain why.
First, the “SUV loophole”: under US law, most SUVs are classified as light trucks, meaning they’re subject to less stringent fuel-efficiency and crash-safety standards than passenger cars.
Second, under US fuel economy rules, fuel-efficiency targets are adjusted based on the size of the vehicle’s “footprint” — the area between its wheels. In practice, this means larger vehicles are allowed to consume more fuel while still meeting the target.
Marketing has played a significant role too: in 2023, car makers invested about A$125 million in SUV and 4×4 advertising in Australia – a 29% increase from the previous year.
The dangers of bigger vehicles
There’s a physical mismatch between large and small vehicles that usually transfers the danger from the occupants of the bigger car to everyone else.
While the risks of being hit by a large SUV or ute might seem self-evident, the question is how much greater those risks are.
Research provides a clear answer.
Car-to-car collisions:
Collisions between large SUVs and smaller cars show occupants of a smaller vehicle face about 30% higher risk of dying or sustaining serious injury.
A 500kg increase in vehicle weight is linked to a 70% higher fatality risk for occupants of the lighter car.
For every fatal accident avoided inside a large vehicle, there are around 4.3 additional deaths among other road users.
Car-to-pedestrian and cyclist collisions:
Pedestrians struck by SUVs are about 25% more likely to sustain serious injuries and 40–45% more likely to die than those hit by smaller cars.
For children, the outcomes are far worse: they are up to eight times more likely to die when hit by an SUV than by a small car.
Each 10cm increase in front-end height raises the fatality risk for pedestrians by roughly 20%.
Israel: an analysis of 1.5 million speeding citations found drivers received about a quarter more speeding tickets when vehicle mass was 10% heavier
Austria:roadside observations of 48,000 vehicles showed SUV drivers more frequently drove without seatbelts, used phones and ran red lights. Women SUV drivers showed violation rates similar to men, breaking the usual pattern of higher female caution in traffic studies
New Zealand: field data found SUV drivers 1.5 times more likely to drive one-handed, a behaviour linked to lower perceived risk and reduced vigilance
Taxes and size-dependant registration fees could potentially offset some of the extra costs of heavier vehicles on roads surfaces, congestion and emissions, or regulate demand.
Two measures would make a tangible difference:
Licence testing by vehicle class
Many drivers obtain their licence in a small sedan but can legally drive a two-tonne ute the next day. Yet, larger vehicles demand different manoeuvring skills, longer braking distances and greater spatial awareness.
Requiring a practical test in a vehicle of comparable size to what the driver intends to drive (or a streamlined license upgrade for an experienced driver when upsizing) would acknowledge that added responsibility.
The reform would also carry a symbolic message: driving a heavier vehicle comes with greater responsibility.
Penalties scaled to impact potential
A ute or SUV travelling 10kmh over the limit carries greater kinetic energy and longer stopping distance than a small sedan.
A tiered approach – where fines or demerit points scale with vehicle mass – would better reflect the disproportionate risk that bigger cars pose.
If Australia is serious about reducing road trauma, these are the kinds of targeted, evidence-based adjustments that should be considered.
