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Is satellite internet the next big thing? Know all about it

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Elon Musk could soon change the way telecom works. He is spinning his telecom dreams through his private space firm, SpaceX, as part of a project named Starlink — a satellite-based internet service. And it’s taking off in every sense — in just four months since it entered beta, Starlink has amassed over 10,000 users worldwide.

Couple of weeks ago, Australia’s telecommunications regulator gave initial approval to the Starlink satellite network in the country. Discussions with other countries are on to connect to Starlink’s broadband services.

Now, you must be wondering what satellite internet is and how it works. Here is a brief outline of how it is similar in many ways to traditional internet providers, but has a few differences.

What is satellite internet?

It’s a type of connection that uses a satellite to get an internet signal from your internet service provider (ISP) to you. It works by using radio waves to communicate with satellites orbiting the Earth. It depends on a five-part system to relay data — internet-ready device, modem or router, satellite dish, satellite in space and a ground station known as network operations centre (NOC).

How does it work?

The process requires three satellite dishes — one at the ISP centre, one in space and the third one attached to your home. From your device, data travels through your modem and dish, out to the satellite in space, then back to Earth to NOCs. From there, the data is relayed back and travels in the reverse order through the same network till it reaches your device.

Is satellite internet a good option?

Yes, it’s a good option for those who live in rural or sparsely populated areas. For them it’s the only option, in fact. And while satellite communication is expensive, it is way cheaper than the cost of laying cables to reach rural areas or those with low population. So, such projects are set up in partnership with governments.

What is the speed of satellite internet connections?

The speeds range from 12 to 100 Mbps, which is enough speed for common online activities like emailing, browsing, and online schooling. Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites can offer download speeds of 50to 150 Mbps, which could go up to gigabits. However, an important point to note is that satellite internet is subject to high latency, so speeds aren’t always what they seem.

How is satellite internet different from Wi-Fi?

Satellite internet is a connection, while Wi-Fi is a wireless network. You can set up a Wi-Fi network at home with your satellite internet connection, which will allow you to browse on a laptop, phone, tablet, or any other device connected to the internet.

What are the options in India?

Starlink: Elon Musk has plans of disrupting the Indian telecom industry by stepping into the telecommunications sector with Starlink. The initial plan for SpaceX is to enter the Indian telecommunications industry with 100-Mbps satellite internet. SpaceX has suggested the Indian government to consider allowing satellite-based broadband technologies to operate in the country. The ball is in the government’s court now.

OneWeb (Bharti Airtel): In November 2020, Bharti Enterprises chairman Sunil Mittal, who took over as executive chairman of OneWeb, told ET that the satellite firm was planning to offer broadband services in India by May or June 2022, and was in talks with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and other authorities. He even told that OneWeb’s broadband services will not conflict with Airtel’s mobile plans, as it will only serve areas such as deserts and mountainous regions that are currently unconnected. OneWeb, headquartered in the UK, had run into financial problems, when Mittal picked up a 45 percent stake in the company.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Citibank’s $900 million mistake: How the ‘biggest banking blunder’ unfolded

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Citibank’s lawsuit seeking a full refund of an accidental payment of about $900 million or Rs 6,554 crore to Revlon’s lenders last year has drawn a blank. A US District Court judge has ruled that the bank cannot recover that amount, terming it as “one of the biggest blunders in banking history”.

Citi, acting as the loan agent of cosmetic company Revlon, had wired the amount to the latter’s lenders to pay off a loan that was not due until 2023. It was supposed to make a payment of nearly $8 million or Rs 58 crore and attributed the blunder to human error.

The worried bank then knocked on the court’s doors, seeking a full refund of the amount mistakenly wired. Some of the lenders returned the money that they had received, barring 10 asset managers who refused to pay back, prompting the bank’s lawsuit to reclaim an estimated amount of $500 million or Rs 3,629 crore. Citigroup had argued that the lenders should return the money since they were aware that the transfer was a mistake and that Revlon couldn’t afford the payment.

US District Judge Jesse Furman in Manhattan said wire transfers to the lenders were “final and complete transactions, not subject to revocation”, reported Reuters. A Citigroup spokeswoman has said the bank intends to file an appeal.

Wrong transfers do not usually happen since banks have stringent procedures to ensure that a fund transfer is approved by the sender and recipient details such as account numbers and IFSC codes are properly submitted. The amount is also verified before a transaction is initiated, and the sender issued an acknowledgment receipt following the completion of a transfer.

However, there are rare cases where accidental money transfers happen either due to a bank’s error, just like it happened with Citbank, or on the customer’s part. Back in 2012-13, a leading PSU bank in India had erroneously distributed interest payments to several accounts, but the transactions were reversed right after the mistake was identified. Fortunately, the mistake occurred late in the evening and was fixed before the bank opened the next morning.

In case a bank does end up making a wrong transfer, it immediately begins its standard operating procedure. The bank notifies the wrong recipient about the unintended transfer and requests a transaction reversal urgently. If the recipient refuses to give back the amount, the bank can resort to legal measures such as filing a police complaint or a court petition.

If the mistake happens on the part of a customer and money is sent to the wrong beneficiary, the onus is on the customer as the bank was merely following instructions. The aggrieved customer can approach the wrong beneficiary to request reversal of the amount and can seek legal recourse in case of non-cooperation.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

JK Cement volume sees double-digit rise in January, February

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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2021 has begun on a good note for JK Cement as it has seen double-digit growth in volume in January and February. The management said the growth in demand for cement was much higher in the non-trade segment on the back of higher government expenditure, a report by Kotak Institutional Equities stated. The management expects industry volume growth of 5-6 per cent CAGR in the medium- to long-term.

The cement maker was among the companies that made presentations at Chasing Growth 2021, the annual investor conference of Kotak Institutional Equities. The line-up on day 2 (February 17) of the conference comprised 42 companies from across the country.

The company indicated that prices were stable in their key markets. But in some of the markets, the company has taken price increases of about Rs 5 per bag in February.

Also read: Merger with Zuari Cement on cards, says Heidelberg’s MD Jamshed Cooper

In terms of capacity expansion, the company has got an approval from its board to set up an integrated 3.5-4 million tonne per annum (MTPA) grey cement unit in Panna, Madhya Pradesh, with an 8,000-tpd (production capacity) clinker unit with a cement GU and a satellite grinding unit in Uttar Pradesh (2 MTPA) along with 22MW of WHRS. The expected cost of this greenfield expansion project is Rs 2,970 crore. The management wants to strengthen the company’s presence in the North and Central markets initially, and then look at other regions.

Keeping in mind the higher diesel and pet coke prices, the management expected fuel and freight costs to be on the higher side, with fuel costs likely to rise by Rs 60 to Rs 80 for each ton of cement. However, the management expects to save Rs 100 per tonne from the March 2021 quarter due to ramp-up of the newly commissioned plants, which will help buffer margins.

The gap between trade and non-trade prices continues to narrow but remains high at Rs 40 to Rs 50 per bag. There has not been any material reduction in discounts to dealers.

Also read: Infra spending outlined in Budget 2021 will be good for nation-building: Shree Cement’s HM Bangur

In the white (putty) segment, the volume has improved sequentially once lockdown restrictions were eased and demand for housing began to rise. The management expects margins to remain in high double-digits. They also said that they didn’t have plans to expand the white cement capacity.

The management wants to increase the share of premium products to 10 per cent by the end of the 2022 fiscal. Now, the share of premium products is at 4-5 percent of the trade sales.

JK Cement is also formulating an ‘ESG strategy’, detailing its vision to reduce Co2 emissions.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Dalmia Cement working on plan to double annual capacity

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Cement maker Dalmia Cement is working on a plan to double its current capacity to 55-57 million tonne per annum (MTPA), and is likely to make an announcement about it soon, stated a report by Kotak Institutional Equities.

The management is also working on a capital allocation policy that will allow most investments only in the core cement division.

The cement maker was among the companies that made presentations at Chasing Growth 2021, the annual investor conference of Kotak Institutional Equities. The line-up on day 2 (February 17) of the conference comprised 42 companies from across the country.

Also read: Orient Cement plans to reduce debt in Q4; expects demand to go up in FY22

The management sounded confident of double-digit demand in East India and improved infrastructure demand from South India. This bullish approach towards demand has been courtesy the sharp increase in budgetary allocations for infrastructure in the Union Budget 2021-22.

The management also sounded positive about the amendments made to the MMDR Act, which has created high barriers for new entrants in the cement industry. As a result, the position of incumbents has strengthened.

Moreover, banks are also willing to back players with a proven track record making it difficult for new players to compete for limestone. So, the management expects big players to drive a larger share of growth in the cement industry. Though the company is open to inorganic expansion, they indicated that very limited distress assets are available in the market at the moment.

Also read: Seeing V-shaped demand in cement industry, says Dalmia Bharat

In terms of price outlook, the company indicated that prices remain stable in their key markets from average prices of the December quarter. The management expects longer-term prices to rise as demand remains robust and the supply pipeline is lean relative to demand growth.

With the recent increase in costs of pet coke and fuel, the company expects margins to remain under pressure. But the management expects to offset this through higher cement volumes from its expansion projects and cost efficiencies.

The company is also taking a green approach and has a roadmap prepared to become carbon neutral by 2040. Its current share of renewable energy stands increased to 9 percent from 7-8 percent of the total energy requirement and the company aims to increase it to 30 percent by FY2024. Through these projects, the company expects to save about Rs 60 to Rs 90 per tonne. To reduce costs further, the management is working on increasing its production of PCC, which can use fly ash and slag interchangeably.

Also read: Merger with Zuari Cement on cards, says Heidelberg’s MD Jamshed Cooper

The company is also focused on increasing the sale of premium products. The existing brand premium resulted in Rs 20 to Rs 30 per bag higher cement price.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

See momentum in healthcare portfolio, but exponential growth to ease: Dabur

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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FMCG and ayurvedic products major Dabur India highlighted continued demand momentum in the healthcare portfolio and gradual recovery in discretionary/out-of-home segments, a report by Kotak Institutional Equities stated.

Dabur India was among the companies which made a presentation at Chasing Growth 2021, the annual investor conference of Kotak Institutional Equities. Forty-two companies from across India made the line-up on Day 2 (February 17) of the conference.

According to the report, the foods division continues to be impacted with weakness in hotels, restaurants and cafes (HORECA) and canteen stores department (CSD) channels. But the e-commerce and general trade (GT) segments were doing well, with the modern trade channel recovering gradually. With strong rural demand, the company highlighted the economising of stock-keeping units and a higher prevalence of low unit packs (LUPs) across categories.

However, going forward, the company expects exponential growth seen in the healthcare segment in the recent quarters to decelerate, as concerns around COVID-19 are abating. But aided by the government’s advisory around preventive healthcare, favourable clinical trials and the company’s own initiatives, the management expects these changes in consumer preferences to be sustainable.

Dabur expects new launches to contribute 3-4 percent of total revenue.

The company reiterated the broader innovation imperative by recapping its efforts on multiple fronts — 1) new launches around the power brand architecture, 2) innovation that centres around ‘Naturals’ equity in HPC and Foods, 3) aiming for a larger play in foods with entry into premium valued-added edible oils, tea, ghee, 4) cultivate e-commerce as a quick test ground for innovation with outsourced manufacturing, to begin with, and 5) mainstream Ayurveda with contemporary formats, and cross-pollination from ethical to general trade.

Dabur plans to augment its distribution infrastructure by 1) splitting front-end salesperson across healthcare, foods, HPC and ethical, 2) expanding rural reach, 3) augmenting healthcare shelf-space and visibility drives on modern trade, 4) accelerating capability building and digital marketing for e-commerce, 5) reaching out to Ayurveda doctors to drive prescription-led OTC portfolio, and 6) increasing focus on data gathering, analytics, continuous replenishment, upgraded distributor management system, automated salesperson routine etc.

In the oral care portfolio, Dabur highlighted strong market share gains. Naturals toothpaste constitutes 30 percent of the oral care category and is registering a high double-digit growth rate compared to a decline for white toothpaste.

The management highlighted its aspiration to replicate its oral care playbook across the shampoo category focusing on the Naturals space and higher bottle saliency — 80 percent of the shampoo category is in sachets format. Dabur is targeting market share gains from Reckitt Benckiser in toilet cleaner, new formats in air fresheners launch in underpenetrated foods and possible M&A opportunities in the skincare space.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

SEBI eases listing rules for large IPOs, LIC to be biggest beneficiary of relaxation

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has eased public issue norms for large entities, making it easier for the government to sell a part of its stake in Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) through a mega initial public offering (IPO).

The government’s plan to sell the stake in the country’s largest insurer has been marked by complications given the sheer size of the state-run company. To put things in perspective, just a 10 percent share sale to the public is pegged to be at least Rs 1 lakh crore, which will be tough for the market to absorb.

The move by SEBI on Wednesday to ease the minimum offer and public holding norms will allow the government more time to abide by rules. As per the new norms now, for any company with a post-issue market capital of above Rs 1 lakh crore, the IPO size will have to be Rs 10,000 crore plus 5 percent of the incremental market capitalisation amount.

Currently, companies with a post-issue market value of Rs 4,000 crore or above are required to offer a minimum of 10 percent of their capital to the public in an IPO. Within three years from the listing date, such issuers must also achieve a minimum public shareholding of at least 25 percent.

However, now, SEBI has said that companies with a size of more than Rs 1 lakh crore will have to achieve at least 10 percent public shareholding in two years and target 25 percent within five years since the listing date.

With this relaxation, LIC, which is presently being evaluated by actuarial firms and getting ready for its IPO, will benefit the most.

During the 2021-22 Union budget announcement on February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had proposed amendment to the LIC Act and bring rules for the insurer under the Companies Act to help it steer clear of regulatory hurdles during the IPO launch. LIC, in which the government has 95 percent stake, has assets valued over Rs 34 lakh crore.

Sitharaman had said that the Central government will hold a minimum of 75 percent in LIC for the first five years since the IPO launch and then come down to 51 percent at all times.

In the April to December period last year, LIC logged new business premium of Rs 1.3 lakh crore, an amount which is more than double the total premium collected by all private life insurers together.

As of now, LIC pays 5 percent of its surplus to the government, with the rest going to policyholders. Private insurance companies, on the other hand, pay 10 percent of the surplus to shareholders, keeping the remaining for policyholders.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Ashok Leyland optimistic about recovery going into FY22

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Commercial vehicle major Ashok Leyland is optimistic about a demand recovery in the coming financial year, said a report by Kotak Institutional Equities.

Ashok Leyland was among the companies which made a presentation at Chasing Growth 2021, the annual investor conference of Kotak Institutional Equities.

Forty-two companies from across India made the line-up on Day 2 (February 17) of— the Kotak Institutional Equities’. During the course of the day, 533 institutional investors from 176 funds across India, Singapore, Hong Kong and London and New York met 95 senior managers in over 1,250 meetings.

The report stated that the recovery would be led by two factors: 1) Rebound in economic activity, resulting in “higher freight demand”, and 2) strong construction segment demand resulting in a recovery in tipper and multi-axle truck segments.

The light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment continues to remain strong due to a boom in e-commerce and agriculture, and new product launches that will address product gaps in the portfolio, the report said.

Bringing some cheer to the company was a growth in the medium and heavy commercial vehicle (M&HCV) inventory — it stood at 3,171 units in December 2020, compared to 1,853 units in September 2020 at the factory level. In FY2022, Ashok Leyland expects a 20-30 percent YoY growth in the exports segment.

In the domestic bus segment, the company expects a gradual recovery, partly aided by the government scheme of Rs 18,000 crore to support the augmentation of public bus transport services. This, the company states, will help in deploying innovative PPP models so that private players can finance, acquire, operate and maintain over 20,000 buses. Having said that, the company expects the recovery in the bus segment to take time because public transport hasn’t opened up fully yet.

However, the company is wary of higher raw material prices this quarter due to a sharp run-up in steel prices. To offset the impact of this part, the company has hiked prices by 1.5 percent in January 2021.

The report also states that the company has been affected by constraints in the supply of electronic control units (ECUs) due to the non-availability of semiconductors, which can impact future volumes. The company expects the situation to normalise by the September quarter.

The company also highlighted that it has reduced fixed costs by 33 percent during the pandemic. Of these, some of the costs will come back once volume rises. Also, the company expects the EBITDA margin to cross the previous peak over the next two-three years. This would be led by a recovery in volumes and cost savings from the AVTR platform among other initiatives.

The company’s capex guidance is Rs 700-750 crore for this financial year. The expenditure will be incurred on expanding and electrification of LCV portfolio, modular vehicle program and de-bottlenecking plants to increase capacity.

The company has invested Rs 260 crore during the December quarter and will infuse Rs 150 crore in Hinduja Leyland Finance for growth opportunities. These apart, Ashok Leyland has picked up a 26 percent stake in Prathama Solarconnect for Rs 19 crore and plans to set up a 75 MW solar power plant over the medium term. The company has also made a subsidiary called Vishwa Buses and Coaches to carry on the business of bus body and coach-building.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Now, talk about anything: Twitter India introduces voice messaging feature

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Twitter has introduced a new voice messaging feature for direct messages (DMs) for users in India, Brazil and Japan. Now, people can send voice DMs as long as 140 seconds. The new feature has been rolled out for Android as well as iOS users. Twitter India made this announcement through a tweet on its official handle, adding that the “experiment will be rolled out in phases” — which means that many users may not get to see the feature appear immediately.

🎤test,🎤test: Starting today, you’ll be able to record and send voice messages in DMs 😉 Here’s how👇

PS. The experiment will be rolled out in phases. pic.twitter.com/aqQM6h9sof

— Twitter India (@TwitterIndia) February 17, 2021

Here’s how you can use it:

Twitter India also released a video showing how the new feature works. People can record using a small icon on the right of the message box. There’s also an option to review the voice message before sending it. Though the new feature is available on iOS and Android devices, web browsers can still listen to the audio clips.

• Android users: Tap on the voice recording icon. Once you’ve finished recording the audio clip, tap on the icon again to send it.
• iOS users: In addition to the above, you also have an option of pressing and holding while recording your audio clip. Then just swipe and release to send it.

Plans for voice messaging were first announced in 2020. Though the voice messaging feature is available on other social media platforms such as Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp, Twitter has introduced this option to encourage users to use the direct messages option more.

Manish Maheshwari, Twitter India’s managing director, said in a statement that this new feature will give people a new way to express themselves. In addition, it will help users show a lot of emotion, too, which can only be built by hearing a person’s voice. Maheshwari also added that India is a priority market for Twitter. The company has been constantly testing new features in this country.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Can bitcoin be hacked? All you need to know about how safe is the cryptocurrency

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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It’s very difficult to hack the bitcoin network but there is always a risk of coins being stolen from a wallet in a digital currency exchange. In other words, the risks are low, but not nil.

The bitcoin network is underpinned by the blockchain technology, which is very difficult to hack. In blockchain technology, data isn’t stored in a central server, but across a huge network of computers, which is constantly checking and verifying if the records are accurate. This makes hacking a lot harder — a hacker will have to breach a huge number of servers to gather information.

For example, if a hacker tries to steal from a room with a single vault, it’s easy to do that. However, if a one tries committing a heist from hundreds of rooms with vaults, each containing bits of information on how to access the single vault then it becomes very challenging for the thief. It’s not impossible, though!

Since bitcoin came into existence in 2009, the entire network hasn’t yet been hacked. There have been instances of exchanges or wallets being hacked, but not the entire network. Having said that, there does exist potential security risks in various stages of the Bitcoin trading process.

Bitcoins are stored in wallets and traded through digital currency exchanges. So, it’s not difficult for users to access other peoples’ wallets and steal their coins. Though a two-factor identification process is commonly used as a security measure, if hackers can access some of the user’s non-cryptocurrency-related personal information, they may be able to infiltrate wallets and steal Bitcoins. So, all Bitcoin investors are advised to take proper precautions to protect their coins.

Bitcoin and the other cryptocurrencies taken together amount to a whooping $280 billion asset pile. Since the earliest days of the cryptocurrency, hacks, cracks, hijacks and phishes have threatened it. Till date, the assaults on the cryptocurrency have been around the edges. Even when Mt. Gox — the Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange that operated between 2010 and 2014 — was hacked, the heist didn’t kill cryptocurrency.

According to a Forbes report, published on December 23, 2020, there had been a massive data breach that involved personal information of more than 270,000 bitcoin and cryptocurrency users published online.

The data, stolen from popular France-based bitcoin and cryptocurrency hardware wallet Ledger, was published on RaidForums, a marketplace for buying, selling hacked information, the report said.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Audi India teases all-electric e-Tron SUV in new video

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Audi is all set to take the luxury SUV (electric vehicle) segment of the Indian market by storm. On February 14, Audi India shared a teaser of what appears to be its first all-electric vehicle, Audi e-Tron, offering for India. “Let your heart keep racing. Stay tuned. #ValentinesDay,” read the caption with the video of the car.

The German automobile manufacturer had displayed the same model in India in 2021, and now it seems the car is ready to roar on the roads.

Let your heart keep racing. Stay tuned. #ValentinesDay pic.twitter.com/dQNuTGAjbN

— Audi India (@AudiIN) February 14, 2021

Audi’s e-Tron will lock horns with Mercedes-Benz’s EQC SUV. The concept EQ was first unveiled in 2016 and made its debut in the Indian market last year.

Besides EQC, the e-Tron will also be competing with the likes of I-Pace, Jaguar’s first all-electric vehicle in India. The luxury brand claims I-Pace can accelerate up to 100 kph in just 4.8 seconds. It is expected to be launched in March 2021 in India.

Now, coming back to Audi’s much-anticipated e-Tron. Powered by two electric motors, the manufacturer claims, the EV accelerates from zero to 100km/hour quickly and its start-off performance can be compared with a sports car. An all-wheel-drive system makes it suitable not just for everyday driving but also for off-roading.

According to a report on Carwale.com, the front motor of the car, placed at the axle, puts out 309Nm of torque; the rear motor, on the other hand, has an output of 355Nm torque. The combined power delivery of the vehicle is a monstrous 402bhp and produces 664Nm of peak torque. The top speed of e-Tron is said to be about 200kmph.

The manufacturers offer several charging solutions at home.

“The standard mobile charging system can be used with either a 230-volt household outlet or a 400-volt three-phase outlet, while the optional ‘connect’ charging system doubles the charging power to as much as 22 kW,” it says on its website.

You can control all charging processes as well as pre-heating/pre-cooling via your smartphone with the myAudi app, the manufacturers added. Running on a 95 kWh lithium-ion battery, packed with 36 cell modules, the e-Tron, Audi claims, can last for 400 km on a single charge.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow