Why are Indian firms on a Lithium hunt?

Lithium batteries are the new oil.

The world is looking at a complete transition from conventional engines to the paradigm of electric vehicles and batteries. The developing nation of India is aiming to achieve 30% of this target within the next decade and it is important to know if this is a plausible goal. Does India have the resources crucial to this transformation?

The recent developments

Automotive market research reports affirm that, with great support from the governing body, companies are looking forward to an electric vehicle boom in the near future. As a preparatory measure for this, three state-owned companies, National Aluminium Company Limited, Hindustan Copper Limited and Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited have come together to set up a joint venture.

This joint venture is named Khanji Bidesh India Ltd. abbreviated as KABIL. The firms that are a part of this venture have been mandated to seek Li and Co assets overseas. This process is expected to get underway in the next financial year. The KABIL companies have been thus been given a deadline of fixing all suitable corporate structures and completing the necessary formalities by March 2019.

This model of operation is also open to private mining companies willing to join in. 

What necessitates an overseas acquisition?

Indian government companies are spearheading the Lithium hunt and there are specific reasons why they’re scanning through foreign lands

·       The expansion of the lithium battery market in India would be difficult because there isn’t a plenty of this novel mineral.

·       There needs to be a reduction in dependence on oil imports (although we may then become dependent on Lithium imports that can be sorted out in the initial phase itself)

·       It will help the Indian government stay in touch with foreign countries for further aid through bilateral diplomatic channels

Will the renewed interest in EVs sustain itself?

Market research reports say that recent battery technologies have allowed the mass-production of electric cars and that is why their market is slowly regaining traction. But they’re still not ranked the best when compared to their much cheaper alternatives.

Not only are liquid and gas fuel-run cars cheaper, but they’re also met with the necessary infrastructure. There are fuel stations from place to place. Charging stations need to be constructed as an all-new amenity for the introduction of electric vehicles on road.

However, there are also many benefits of Lithium battery-run vehicles

1)      Unlike the current day cars, where engines are powered by fuel and accessories by battery, in an EV, the batter will serve the requirements of the entire vehicle as one

2)      Lithium-ion batteries are highly capable and can supply a good amount of current with minimal charging.

The challenges include safeguarding the battery in the vehicle. Li is a highly reactive metal and burns spontaneously on exposure to oxygen in the air. This may pose a major threat to the lives of the passengers aboard.

There are top companies now introducing electric prototypes of their vehicles. How the batteries transform themselves in the coming years will be a noteworthy observation. 

PM Modi states 5 reasons for GST’s “success”

1^st of July 2018 will mark the one-year of GST’s existence. It will be the one-year anniversary of one of Modi’s most controversial steps after demonetization and also one of the biggest tax reforms over the globe. In our PM’s monthly radio “Mann ki baat” this Sunday, he addressed the nation and stated 5 reasons why he thinks the Goods and Services Tax rollout was successful.

1)     Cooperation from the states
Mr. Narendra Modi believes that the successful implementation of GST exemplifies cooperative federalism. True to his views, it isn’t possible to include people from different political ideologies and instrument an altogether new system without the unanimity of the states in a decentralized system. A consensus of opinions from individual state governments to serve the interest of the public is a major reason why the GST structure could function without hassles.

2)     Honesty as a valued moral
Prior to the existence of GST, there were 17 forms of taxes that an individual had to pay. Not only is it now convenient because there is a single applicable tax but is also uproots the domination of tax inspectors. The high number of complaints filed by the public in the past, that has been looked at as evidence for the prevalence of corruption, has now decreased. GST thus marks the celebration of honesty.

3)     The integration of IT into the field
It has been introduced as an integral part of the Finance and Banking sector in India. Computers have replaced the human police in the field of taxes. Income tax returns, refunds, etc. are all filed online now, so the chances of human error in evaluation or illegal maneuvers is lowered. 

4)     Decreased checkpoints, faster movement of goods
Commercial tax check posts in a large number of states were abolished after the introduction of GST. Vigilance has become easier. Not only does this benefit the government but it also facilitates the quick movement of goods. The area of logistics is reaping great benefits from this.

5)     The power of the masses
If the GST system received a revolt from the public, it wouldn’t have been possible for the nation, as a whole, to reap any of the aforementioned benefits. PM Modi thanked the citizens of the country for willingly adopting the system and making it a success. In such a vast country, with a great diversity in population, market research claims that it might take 5-7 years for proper implementations of tax reforms.

The common man’s take on the success of GST

The party is over for those who don’t pay taxes. And the citizens of India are definitely happy paying just one kind of tax for everything from shopping bills to their household items. But if there is one thing that the country still lacks, it is a robust development in the IT sector to support this drastic reform. Mapping dealer’s data with PAN and integrating banks in this process continues to be a challenge. The economic scenario of the country amidst all these developments remains hard to judge. There is no harmony in public opinion and the success of GST among them remains subjective. 

A timeline of the in-car infotainment systems

Stuck in traffic, let your virtual assistant voice the news updates. Oh, and what’s a road trip without good music?

The car audio system market has been popular right from its advent. It has been constantly evolving. And many functionalities of the car are now linked to the car audio system. A good example is the recent innovation of parking voice sensors. It helps the driver during parking maneuvers and alerts him about unseen obstacles.

Up to the 20s, driving was a silent affair. Automobile market research to trace the origins of car audio systems say that the most initial ones were to be bought from stereo shops separate from the vehicle. The sound quality wasn’t as good as the present day, and connectivity was poor. It was majorly AM radios and less of a personal touch.

Rewind to over 80 years back from today. 1930, that’s when the first ever in-car audio system was developed. It was a dashboard radio named Motorola. Then came the debut of FM radios in the early 1950s. The transition from these FM radios to cassettes and today’s speaker systems with powerful amplifiers and finely tuned frequency response curves was gradual. But a market forecast would suggest how the progress rate has always increased. Much more advancement in the car audio market is expected in the coming years.

Today’s customers are facing great trouble getting the perfect car for them. This is because luxury cars Jaguar and Land Rovers have been among the worst performers with regards to their infotainment and navigation systems according to a car audio market report. Korean brands like Hyundai have occupied the top spots.

It is important for every manufacturer to learn about the needs and expectations of the customer. In the fast-paced world of today, everybody is looking to attain their best possible productivity even on-the-go. There is an increasing number of audiobook readers these days. This biggest new reading trend while driving is an opportunity for businesses in the car audio sector. AI is increasingly penetrating the sector. Virtual assistants are being adopted to assist the driver and passengers in controlling the various systems in the car like heating and cooling and even navigation tools.

High-quality rankings in the car-audio market are dependent on how well the clientele is understood by the manufacturer. One must aim at developing a comprehensive understanding. Newer trends can be recognized and opportunities can be leveraged if a pervasive industry analysis is conducted. 

China’s next bet, the used car market

What’s a popular trend in most regions of the world, was unknown to China until the 2000s. Automotive market research reports claim that most people were only buying new cars. But China is finally adopting the trend drilling holes in people’s pockets and the ozone layer at a slower rate than earlier.

Used cars are not only economical but also reduce the carbon footprint greatly. All the energy and resources that go into procuring raw materials, the production processes, and the assembly of new cars are saved. This, according to market research data, means that about 35% of the vehicle’s lifetime carbon emissions is saved! Apart from lowering the carbon footprint of the country, what other impacts can this new trend have on the vast land of China?

The country before and after entry into the used car market

There are a plethora of considerable reasons why the Chinese did not favor the used car market. The primary reason being the poor-quality manufacturing. The prototypes were designed to be affordable and not necessarily durable. The prospective second-hand buyers had no ways that could determine the accident history or other necessary specifics of the vehicle in a concrete manner.

Moreover, the local government’s regulations did not allow choice. Cross-province sale of used vehicles was restricted as a way of supporting the indigenous makers and dealers.

Now, the government has begun freeing the population from such rules. People are starting to realize the value of secondhand cars. The sales of used cars in China have only gained pace since the 2010s and are still not at par with most of the world.

An advancement that has aided the thriving of this market is the improvement in production quality. Cars now meet the quality and safety standards and, therefore, last longer than earlier. With the prevailing conditions, a forecast analysis from market research would predict that the used car market will continue to grow while continuing to remain uncompetitive. The US has been among the behemoths of this sector and China, in 2020, despite all the progress, will remain years away from matching up to it.

The used car market has definitely added value to China’s economy. Investors are noticing its growth and have bet billions of money on it already. This creates possibilities for the entry of entrepreneurs next. Many car companies have already begun schemes for second-hand cars.

How will this serve the government’s motives?

The entry of the used car market into China sets up a network in which the government and its citizens can live symbiotically.

The government has stated its will to go completely electric on road in the coming years. The used car market is driving China towards the low-carbon future that its government wishes for while creating no financial loss for it citizens.

Gradually, as an increasing number of clean-tech based cars will be made, traditional engine run vehicles will transition to second and third owners. They will soon be eased out of the system creating no troubles.

The used car market is thus seen to build a promising model for China’s prosperous future.

Vertical farming promises a balance between demand and supply

The global population has attained a burst. With the rising number of people, there is an increased competition for land space to stay on, and to nurture resources for mankind’s sustenance. Just like every other, the Agriculture and Food market faces the challenge of decreasing availability of terrestrial space for the set-up of farms and its subsidiaries. In fact, when the demand for feed for the growing population is rising, the area for farming the produce is reducing as a sacrifice for shelter.

Space-saving architectures of buildings include multistoried structures. When we humans sensed the low availability of space, we started to convert individual apartments to flats over flats. So, now that agricultural land is on a decline, what do we do?

Yes, we stack up layers! To obtain high crop yields in the less space available to conventional agriculture, farms are rather constructed indoors as vertically inclined and integrated structures. This kind of farming is referred to as vertical farming and is looked up as a solution to feed the population despite the lack of space caused by urbanization. 

Can vertical farming take the place of conventional methods?

 

The vertical farming market is seen as capable of generating produce all-round the year through the controlled environments that are maintained. This can be much more fruitful than the traditional sow and reap cycles. What’s more?

·        There is no possibility of the pesticides or herbicides used to seep into nature and take a toll on our health

·        It saves water. Vertical farmers have devised ways to recycle water by fish farming. The water from the plants are directed to fish tanks and the waste from fish is used to nourish the crops.

·        Not just water, every other nutrient required can be supplied only in the required amounts.

·        Moreover, no heavy machinery is required to maintain the plants. So, costs are cut-down and the resources that go into their manufacture are saved.

·        Profitability is raised. The crops are less prone to extremities of climatic conditions. Artificially stimulated conditions can further optimize their growth

·        And most importantly, vertical farms save space! 

So, is vertical farming an ideal solution?

 

While vertical farms do guarantee a more sustainable solution, market research reports don’t unanimously see it as an ideal solution. After all, every new method has its pros and cons. The downsides to vertical farming include

•         High-cost involvement

                1.      To find an appropriate indoor setting in today’s urban environment is costly  
                2.      The costs of constantly maintaining an artificial environment can be prohibitive

•       Not all traditional crops are suited for vertical farming. This includes staples like wheat and potato

•       It is difficult to find an area for production that also has a good market for your crop. The high-cost involvement doesn’t allow a lot of investment in transport and logistics.

Since the positives of vertical farming are many, through extensive research, solutions can be devised for the existing challenges. This will highly increase the efficiency and productivity of the agriculture and food market.