Ever wondered what China, the world's automotive manufacturing hub, truly produces? This podcast is your ultimate guide to the Chinese car market! We dissect Chinese car culture, contrasting consumer preferences in China vs. India. Explore the most popular cars driven by Chinese consumers and the performance of premium brands like BMW China, Audi China, Mercedes-Benz China, and Volkswagen China.Uncover the surprising trend of Xiaomi electric cars and other Chinese tech giants entering the auto sector. Plus, what do Chinese roads and infrastructure reveal about their automotive future?Ed Sirish Chandran and Senior Correspondent Prashant Agrawal engage in a captivating discussion, drawing from Prashant's exclusive insights after being invited by Xiaomi to experience their groundbreaking Xiaomi YU7 SUV. Gain a unique perspective on the Chinese auto industry, drawing parallels and distinctions with the Indian automotive landscape, and glimpse the exciting future of mobility
In this special episode of the evo India Podcast, Editor Sirish Chandran and Assistant Editor Aatish Mishra talk about the recently finalised India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), signed on May 6, 2025. This landmark trade deal is set to boost bilateral trade between India and the UK, open up market access, and significantly influence the Indian automotive industry.
What does the FTA mean for imported luxury cars and motorcycles? Will we finally see a price drop on vehicles like Range Rover, Jaguar, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, and Norton Motorcycles? How will this impact automobile imports and exports, local manufacturing, and car pricing in India? Sirish and Aatish discuss the expected tariff reductions, and the potential long-term impact on both Indian and British automotive brands.
Diesels are very much on the agenda says Ashish Gupta, brand director of Skoda India on the evo India podcast. In this conversation with editor Sirish Chandran, Ashish Gupta hints at the time frame for the Octavia vRS launch plus they delve into hot topics such as ownership and service costs of Skoda cars, the facelift of the Skoda Kushaq, and discuss whether there is a rivalry between Volkswagen and Skoda in India. Watch the podcast now to get the inside scoop on Skoda India's future plans!
In this week’s episode, Sirish and Aatish discuss the affordable enthusiast cars in India. Last decade, it was a booming segment with over six warm hatches on sale, however in 2025, it is just the i20 N Line holding fort. With customers moving to the compact SUV segment, manufacturers are focussed there as well creating a whole spectrum of options. There are pics for the enthusiast — the Kylaq and Mahindra 3X0 come to mind. This free-wheeling conversation explores the state of the enthusiast market in India, the dying phenom of the warm hatch, the rise of the compact SUV and so much more. Enjoy listening!
In this episode of the evo India Podcast, Editor Sirish Chandran and Assistant Editor Aatish Mishra bring you the latest updates from the Indian automotive world — including detailed insights, first impressions, and expert opinions on the cars and bikes in India. They start with the two new SUVs from Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, as the new Skoda Kodiaq and the Volkswagen Tiguan R Line were recently launched in India. They give their opinions about how similar yet different these two SUVs are to each other in terms of features on offer, design, improved driving dynamics, and also the price. Aatish talks about his experience driving the new Windsor EV Pro, which now gets more range, features and also ADAS. Sirish shares his joy of drifting the BMW M5 and his time in Spain driving one very expensive Maybach, the Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series. Do watch the full episode to stay up to date with all the latest news and updates from the Indian automotive industry.
In the latest episode of the evo India podcast, Sirish Chandran, editor, evo India, sits down with Aravind Mani, co-founder and CEO of River Mobility and takes a deep dive into what it takes to setup a successful startup in this day and age. Aside from that, Aravind tells us how him and his co-founder went about getting funding, what the major challenges were, the inspiration behind setting up River Mobility, why EVs and not ICE, the Indie, what the plan is going forward and a lot more. Buckle in, this is going to be an interesting one
Chapters: 0:00 - Precap0:21 - Introduction1:01 - why should we talk about River Mobility?1:13 - 100 crores in revenue2:03 - River Mobility's competitors2:25 - How it started3:23 - How do you attract investment?3:58 - Arvind was in Petrochemical business5:01 - Being in Ultraviolette5:28 - Quitting job in covid6:59 - Power of well curated presentations8:03 - First product8:11 - First startup funding9:58 - How to find investors?11:29 - Yamaha's investment in River Mobility13:42 - River Mobility's cap table14:58 - Setting up an EV startup today?15:49 - Advice to enter the EV space16:31 - River Mobility's niche20:11 - Nobody will say this21:42 - Integrating different components22:41 - Utility vehicles24:19 - Front foot-pegs25:38 - Target audience26:33 - Is pricing a critical factor?28:33 - Customer's ROI in EV29:18 - Subsidies30:15 - What keeps your awake at night?33:34 - River Indie34:56 - Manufacturing the product37:37 - Testing37:58 - Importance of quality39:37 - Software40:02 - River Mobility's team41:48 - Is software crucial in an EV?42:11 - River EV's infotainment43:18 - EV fleet44:23 - Origin of River's name45:01 - Why not a motorcycle?46:48 - Learnings from customers51:30 - Selling in stores instead of online52:16 - Difference in customers North vs South India53:06 - One on one with customers54:16 - Getting finance partners55:25 - How many products needed to sustain57:10 - River Mobility's second product58:32 - What one thing is Arvind the most proud of?59:32 - Outro
In the latest episode of the evo India podcast, Sirish Chandran, Editor, evo India is in conversation with our chief videographer, Sachin Khot. Sachin started out as an intern and now heads the entire team of videographers. He tells Sirish all about automotive videography. He also talks about how one can build a career as an automotive videographer, the skillset needed along with the equipment, and everything else that you need to know about videography in the automotive space. Have a passion for automobiles and love videography? Want to make it into a career? Watch this podcast now!For internship opportunities, please write to us on workwithus@gtopublishing.com
In the latest episode of the evo India podcast, Aatish Mishra, assistant editor, evo India is in conversation with our chief photographer, Rohit Mane. Rohit has been with evo India for the last 9 years and started as an intern. He tells Aatish all about automotive photography. He also talks about how one can build a career as an automotive photographer, the skillset needed along with the equipment, and everything else that you need to know about photography in the automotive space.
Have a passion for automobiles and love photography? Want to make it into a career? Hear this podcast now!
In this podcast, Sirish and Aatish discuss the top 10 best road trips in India. They cover every corner of the country, from the Himalayas in the north, to the western coast, the gems of the south and even the north east. At evo India, we spend so much time on the road that we discover some really special roads and destinations. This is a culmination of over three cumulative decades of road tripping between the Ed and Assistant Editor to every corner of India.
In this podcast, Sirish and Karan dive into the making of the latest record set by evo India – the fastest time from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in an EV. Set with the Tata Curvv.ev, they talk about how the record attempt was different from the attempt with the Nexon EV in 2023, how the infrastructure has improved since (both roads and charging) and what the importance of having safe and skilled drivers for a drive of this magnitude is. Apart from that, they also tell you how the drive was planned, what the major obstacles were and how India is a lot better equipped now, to do road trips in an EV.
In this podcast, Sirish and Aatish recount the epic adventure they had covering 2500km in two Porsches. They took the Porsche 911 Carrera and electric Macan Turbo on a drive from Delhi to Pune, but they took the long road home. Taking the route via Jaisalmer, they stayed away from the mega expressways and drove through the true India. In this podcast, they discuss what it is like to drive a sports car in India, how comfortable it is, how practical it is and whether you can actually, realistically road trip with a Porsche sports car in India!
Chapters:0:00 - Intro1:31 - Driving the 911 Carrera and Macan Turbo from Delhi to Pune2:19 - Can the Porsche handle Indian roads?2:52 - Porsche 911 can be everyday sportscar in India3:02 - Start of the drive3:18 - Porsche Macan Turbo Electric as a support car4:05 - Porsche press fleet4:58 - No hotel rooms to stay in for the night5:54 - Jhunjhunu6:29 - Sirish's mistake7:21 - Fabulous roads of Rajasthan8:03 - India's highway network is growing fast9:52 - Everybody stopped and stared10:23 - Porsche is expensive11:28 - 911 without the aero kit12:35 - Shade green metallic12:59 - Bharatmala road14:09 - Beautiful scenic journey15:14 - 380bhp is enough17:21 - Drag race between 911 Carrera and Macan Turbo electric17:34 - Thoughts on the Macan Turbo electric20:04 - Electric sound costs extra20:16 - Impressive range of the Macan Turbo electric21:04 - How do you deal with bad roads?22:15 - Dealing with bad roads in a Porsche24:46 - Porsche meets Statue of Unity26:27 - Aatish's nightmare road28:44 - Porsche gave zero problems29:20 - Saputara ghat31:29 - Sirish's criticism31:40 - Space is enough inside the Porsche32:22 - Creature comforts32:45 - Where the 911 earns it's name33:52 - Greatest sportscar in the world34:10 - BMW M234:28 - Nuance in a car36:10 - Grateful towards Porsche37:41 - Crack on the windshield38:41 - If you have a nice car39:37 - Cover of Evo India March 202540:21 - Outro
In this episode of the evo India Podcast, Editor Sirish Chandran and Assistant Editor Aatish Mishra bring you the latest updates from the Indian automotive world. Kicking things off is Aatish, who tells us everything about the new Kia Syros, the comfort on offer and how it has knee room similar to that in the E-Class. Sirish talks about the Defender Octa which he drove in the vast landscape of South Africa, the fun and the joy of driving it off the road. They also touch upon the G 63 AMG and the new electric G 580, and how the Camry makes for a good value for money, luxury sedan at a ₹50 lakh budget. Hear the full podcast and get your weekly dose of all things automotive!
In this special episode of the evo India podcast, Adil Jal Darukhanawala, editor-at-large, speaks with Sanjay Takale, the first Indian to drive a car at Dakar 2025. Sanjay Takale partnered with the French team Compagnie Saharienne and drove a Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ78, finishing 18th overall and 10th in class. In this podcast, Adil quizzes Sanjay about his journey as a rally driver, including his early days in the sport, and the different rallies he participated in to prepare for Dakar. He also tells us about the Dakar experience, its different stages, and how each stage presents a different challenge. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this rally special episode, in which we celebrate Sanjay Takale's illustrious career and his feat of becoming the first Indian to drive a car at Dakar and finish it.
In this special Formula 1 episode of the evo India podcast, we have Editor Sirish Chandran and Editor-at-Large Adil Jal Darukhanawala in conversation with former F1 driver and Sky Sports broadcaster, Karun Chandhok. They discuss the biggest F1 news of 2025—7-time world champion Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari—and whether he can secure his elusive 8th drivers’ championship.
The conversation also recaps the 2024 Formula 1 season, analyzing key moments and team performances. Looking ahead, they delve into the new F1 regulations set for 2026 and explore how they could impact the teams and the competitive landscape.
Additionally, Adil quizzes Karun on the potential return of the Indian Grand Prix, the logistical challenges involved, and the opportunities available for aspiring Indian drivers who dream of entering Formula One.
Stay tuned for expert insights, behind-the-scenes stories, and all the latest from the world of Formula 1!
The Auto Expo 2025, India’s biggest auto show, is just around the corner, and this special episode of the evo India Podcast is your ultimate guide to what’s in store.
Join Ed Sirish Chandran and Assistant Editor Aatish Mishra as they dive into all the exciting details about the car manufacturers attending and the incredible cars set to be unveiled, showcased, and maybe even launched!
From the much anticipated Tata Harrier EV and Sierra EV, the striking MG Cyberster, the Mahindra XUV.e8, the Skoda Elroq, and many more. This year’s Auto Expo promises something for every car enthusiast.
Don’t miss this comprehensive preview of the Auto Expo 2025!
In this special episode of the evo India Podcast, automotive historian and editor-at-large at evo India, Adil Jal Darukhanawala is in conversation with Sudhir Mehta, Chairman and MD of EKA Mobility. EKA Mobility is an Indian manufacturer of electric commercial vehicles, ranging from three-wheelers to buses, LCVs, and trucks.
In this podcast, Sudhir shares insights on electric mobility for both people and goods, how electric commercial vehicles will help reduce the country's pollution and carbon levels, and how much money they save in the freight carrier industry compared to using ICE trucks and buses. You can also visit the EKA Mobility pavilion at the Auto Expo 2025 where you can see their range of electric commercial vehicles and meet the team behind the scenes.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy this deep dive into how electric buses and trucks will save a lot money, and cut down pollution massively in India.
In this special episode of the Boss Talks Podcast, we have Ed Sirish Chandran with the president of BMW Group India, Mr Vikram Pawah, at the Buddh International Circuit. They discuss the growth of the BMW M customers, with over 1000 BMW M340i sold since launch, the new BMW Retail.Next experience centers present in 6 different locations, the sales performance of 2024, and the upcoming BMW cars in 2025 in India. Sit back and enjoy this interesting conversation straight out of a race track.
In this special episode of the evo India podcast, we have in the studio Aatish Mishra, assistant editor at evo India, along with Prashant Agarwal, our senior correspondent who is going to take you behind the scenes of our new world record-setting drive in the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Prashant, who did the entirety of the drive from Umling La to Kuttanad in Kerala shares all the challenges the team faced. These various obstacles include mental and physical fatigue and ensuring the team's morale is always high. Not just that, Prashant also shares his journey from Delhi driving the Ioniq 5 to Leh, and the adverse weather conditions he faced. Also in this podcast is the answer to why we decided to set not just any ordinary record but a new Guinness World Record in the Hyundai Ioniq 5.
In this exciting episode of the evo India Podcast, we’re joined by Mr. R Velusamy, President of Automotive Technology and Product Development at Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. If you’re an engineer, a student in engineering college, or simply a car enthusiast, this podcast is packed with insights you don’t want to miss!Hosted by Ed Sirish Chandran, this episode deeply delves into R Velusamy's journey – from his early days to becoming a pivotal figure at Mahindra & Mahindra. The biggest challenges faced in automotive technology and product development, the turning points for Mahindra: Was it the 2020 Thar or the revolutionary XUV700? The story behind developing the 2020 Mahindra Thar, setting up the Mahindra Research Valley (MRV), and MSPT. The talent, innovation, and engineering brilliance that make Mahindra a global name in the automotive industry.Get ready for a deep dive into the world of automotive engineering, innovation, and leadership with R Velusamy. So, grab your pens and notepads and tune in for this engineering masterclass!
In this episode of the evo India Podcast, Editor Sirish Chandran and Assistant Editor Aatish Mishra bring you the latest updates from the Indian automotive world. To kick things off Sirish tells us about how he drove all the Indian Car of the Year award contenders, at the Buddh International Circuit. Aatish and Sirish discuss about the pros and cons, their experiences, and what they think about all the contender cars of the ICOTY.
They discuss multiple segments, and to name a few, they talk about the practicality of the Mahindra Thar Roxx, the rally-level suspension setup on the Citroen Basalt, the ESP calibration on the Tata Curvv EV, the demand and VFM offering of the MG Windsor, to the design elements of the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire.
Watch the full podcast to know about all the ICOTY’25 contenders, and what Sirish and Aatish think about them!