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Industry players on Monday hailed the government's move to enhance the scheme outlay of Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (<keyword id="19912965" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fame" source="keywords">FAME</keyword>) <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword> <keyword id="20527557" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="phase-ii" source="keywords">Phase II</keyword>, saying it will enhance infrastructure, foster widespread adoption and longevity of electric vehicles across the country. The Ministry of Heavy Industries announced that the scheme outlay of FAME India Phase II has been enhanced from Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 11,500 crore under FAME India scheme Phase II in order to give a further push to clean mobility in the country. The ministry also said that it is a "fund and term limited scheme", which means that the subsidies for demand incentive will be eligible for e-two-wheelers, e-three-wheelers, and e-four-wheelers sold till March 31, 2024 or till the time the funds are available, whichever is earlier. "We applaud the government's decision to enhance the FAME India Scheme Phase II outlay to Rs 11,500 crore. This timely boost in investment is a shot in the arm for the EV industry, accelerating its growth trajectory and paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future," VG Anil, CEO of EV battery manufacturer Arenq. The main objective of the scheme is to encourage faster adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles by way of offering upfront incentives on purchase of EV and also by establishing a necessary charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. "This Rs 1,500 crore boost sends a clear message: India is serious about electrifying its mobility landscape. Lower upfront costs for EVs, coupled with enhanced charging infrastructure, will incentivize riders to choose eco-friendly travel, accelerating the transition to a zero-emission future," Mayank Bindal, Founder and CEO, <keyword id="20078292" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="snap-e-cabs" source="keywords">Snap E Cabs</keyword>, told IANS. The number of EV charging stations that are operating in the country has gone up to 12,146 (as of February 2 this year), according to the government data. "The extension of FAME II until the end of March with a substantial outlay of 1,500 crore is a positive move," said <keyword id="20300065" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="avinash-sharma" source="keywords">Avinash Sharma</keyword>, Co-Founder of ElectricPe. "This not only strengthens consumer-side subsidies but also enhances infrastructure, fostering widespread adoption and longevity of electric vehicles across the country," Sharma added. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/wd-black-sn850x-ssd-review/articleshow/107557627.cms">WD Black SN850X SSD review – a reliable gaming SSD</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-open-review/articleshow/106961567.cms">OnePlus Open review – Feature-packed foldable in a premium design</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/vivo-x100-review-top-end-camera-centric-smartphone-with-sleek-design/articleshow/106539033.cms">Vivo X100 review – Top-end camera centric smartphone with sleek design</a>

Industry hails extension of FAME II scheme to bolster EV infra

The Indian government will come out with a "<keyword id="1708150" type="General" weightage="60" keywordseo="payment-security-mechanism" source="Orion">payment security mechanism</keyword>" to support large-scale rollout of electric buses as it eyes a major transition towards green public transport across the country, <keyword id="184951" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="tarun-kapoor" source="Orion">Tarun Kapoor</keyword>, advisor to the Prime Minister at the <keyword id="6365387" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="pmo" source="Orion">PMO</keyword>, said on Thursday. He also emphasised on the need to bring down the cost of electric vehicles to accelerate their adoption. While the government will continue to provide subsidies like those being offered under the <keyword id="7723547" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="fame-ii-scheme" source="Orion">FAME-II scheme</keyword> because the price difference is huge and it has to be bridged, "we have to look at ways and means to bring down the price also, because government subsidy cannot be forever", he said, while addressing an <keyword id="1668995" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="assocham-conference" source="Orion">Assocham conference</keyword> on electric mobility here. Kapoor highlighted the need to be "a little more serious" in battery manufacturing "because we can't depend on imports". He said while China has taken the lead on lithium-ion batteries, India can catch up very fast and the government is looking at the entire ecosystem. He cited the example of the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Amendment) Bill passed by Parliament in the ongoing session, which seeks to allow larger participation of the private sector in mineral exploration and production, including that of lithium. Kapoor said a "payment security mechanism" is being established after feedback was received about the difficulties in obtaining lending by financial companies. "Something major and very good is already planned and it will come out. So we should be able to roll out a large number of electric buses all over the country," he said.

New payment security mechanism to support large-scale e-bus rollout in the works

Electric two-wheeler makers <keyword id="108831" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tvs-motor-company" source="Orion">TVS Motor Company</keyword>, Ather Energy and <keyword id="4393078" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ola-electric" source="Orion">Ola Electric</keyword> have increased prices of their products as curtailed subsidy structure comes into effect from June 1. In a statement, TVS Motor Company stated that in order to propel the electrification journey further in a sustainable manner after <keyword id="21028" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="fame" source="Orion">FAME</keyword> II scheme revision, it has increased iQube's price between Rs 17,000 and Rs 22,000 depending on the variant. The iQube base and S trims were earlier priced at Rs 1,06,384 and Rs 1,16,886, respectively in Delhi. "FAME II will gradually reduce over the next few quarters. The company will continue to deliver delightful product options and great value proposition to propel the electrification and green energy penetration in two-wheelers in the country," TVS Motor Company Director and CEO K N Radhakrishnan said. The company will offer a loyalty benefit programme for the customers of iQube, who have made bookings till May 20, 2023, for a limited period to ease the cost burden post the revision in FAME II subsidy, he added. Ather Energy said that following the FAME II subsidy revision applicable from today, it has also revised the prices of its scooters with 450X now starting at Rs 1,45,000 (ex-showroom Bengaluru). The 450X with <keyword id="17580517" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="pro-pack" source="Orion">Pro Pack</keyword> now starts at Rs 1,65,435 in Bengaluru, an increase of around Rs 8,000. "The FAME II revision has resulted in a subsidy reduction of around Rs 32,000. However, the company is absorbing a huge chunk of this price impact for its customers with a view to quicken EV adoption in the country," Ather Energy Chief Business Officer <keyword id="13554227" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ravneet-s-phokela" source="Orion">Ravneet S Phokela</keyword> stated. <keyword id="6354720" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="ola" source="Orion">Ola</keyword> said its electric scooter S1 Pro is now priced at Rs 1,39,999; S1 (3KWh) at Rs 1,29,999; and S1 Air (3KWh) at Rs 1,09,999. The product range is now roughly Rs 15,000 costlier than before. "With an unyielding dedication to customer satisfaction, we have marginally increased our product prices starting June, despite significant reduction in government subsidies, making Ola S1 the best EV proposition in India," Ola Electric Founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal said. In a statement, Hero Electric said that it will not increase the prices of its popular e-scooter models. The company said it remains dedicated to promoting the adoption of electric two-wheelers and dispelling misconceptions about their cost of ownership. "Despite the extreme financial crunch forced upon us due to subsidies stuck with Ministry of Heavy Industries for over 15 months, we will continue to do our bit in offering affordable mobility solutions to the discerning customers by holding on to our current prices till we can," said Hero Electric CEO Sohinder Gill. The Heavy Industries Ministry has notified that for electric two-wheelers, the demand incentive will be Rs 10,000 per kWh. The cap on incentives for electric two-wheelers will be 15 per cent of the ex-factory price of vehicles from 40 per cent at present. The Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles (FAME) India scheme commenced on April 1, 2019, for a period of three years, which was further extended for two years till March 31, 2024. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/royal-enfield-sales-rise-22-in-may-at-77461-units/articleshow/100679587.cms">Royal Enfield sales rise 22% in May at 77,461 units</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ikio-lighting-sets-ipo-price-band-at-270-285/share/articleshow/100679971.cms">IKIO Lighting sets IPO price band at ₹270-285/share</a>

TVS, Ather, Ola hike prices of electric two-wheelers as new subsidy norms kick in

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Queen Elizabeth II died one year ago on September 8, 2022, at Balmoral Castle.</li><li>To honor the occasion, the royal family released a never-before-released photo of the late monarch.</li></ul>Friday marks one year since <a href="https://www.insider.com/queen-elizabeth-ii-death-obituary-2022-9">Queen Elizabeth II died</a>.Buckingham Palace said in a statement at the time that Her Majesty "died peacefully at Balmoral," <a href="https://www.insider.com/queen-elizabeth-balmoral-castle-photos-2022-9">her beloved castle in Scotland</a>.She was 96 years old at the time of her death, and she remains the longest-reigning monarch in British history.To honor the anniversary of her death, the royal family shared a never-before-released photo of the late queen.King Charles III, who <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-happens-to-british-monarchy-king-charles-next-in-line-2022-9">became the British monarch</a> the moment his mother died, selected the picture himself, as Buckingham Palace said in a press release that was shared with Insider.<div type="image" title="queen elizabeth new portrait" height="4252" width="3944" msid="103501561" hostid="261"></div>The photograph shows the late Queen dressed in royal attire, including the Garter robes and the Grand Duchess Vladimir's Tiara, which was created from 15 interwoven diamonds in the shape of circles, according to <a href="https://www.itv.com/news/2023-09-08/king-pays-tribute-to-the-late-queen-in-message-on-first-anniversary-of-her-death" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ITV</a>.According to the press release, famed photographer Cecil Beaton snapped the image on October 16, 1968, during an official sitting with Queen Elizabeth.Beaton took photos of Queen Elizabeth and other members of the royal family throughout his career, first photographing the late monarch in 1942.The photo released today was taken during Beaton's last sitting with the late monarch, according to the same press release. Although the royal family had not released the photo before Friday, it was previously part of the exhibition "Beaton Portraits 1928-68" at the National Portrait Gallery from November 1968 to March 1969, the press release also noted. In addition to the photo, <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-king-charles-eats-exercises-to-stay-healthy-2023-9">King Charles</a> released a statement reflecting on his mother's legacy on Friday.<div type="image" title="Queen Elizabeth Prince Charles" height="1000" width="1333" msid="103501563" hostid="261"></div>"In marking the first anniversary of Her late Majesty's death and my Accession, we recall with great affection her long life, devoted service and all she meant to so many of us," he said. "I am deeply grateful, too, for the love and support that has been shown to my wife and myself during this year as we do our utmost to be of service to you all."He signed the message "Charles R.," which also showed the connection between them.Queen Elizabeth's <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-queen-elizabeth-ii-modernized-the-british-monarchy-2022-10#the-monarch-also-joined-instagram-writing-her-first-post-in-2019-8">official signature as monarch</a> was "Elizabeth R.," and the king appears to have followed in her footsteps.The United Kingdom was in mourning following Queen Elizabeth's death, with thousands flocking to pay their respects to her. Over <a href="https://www.insider.com/queen-elizabeth-state-funeral-photos-royal-family-world-pay-respects-2022-9">2,000 people attended her funeral</a> on September 19.The royal family shared a <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1700015782208434238" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second image</a> of the Queen on its social media accounts on Friday. The image, which shows the late monarch wearing a purple dress and pearl necklaces and smiling for the camera, was accompanied by the caption: "In loving and everlasting memory. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 21st April 1926 – 8th September 2022."

The royal family shared a never-before-released photo of Queen Elizabeth II on the first anniversary of her death

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Award-winning singer, songwriter, actor and activist, Harry Belafonte has died at age 96.</li><li>The famed entertainer and activist began his career during the 1940s and was heavily involved in the Civil Rights Movement. </li></ul>Award-winning Caribbean folk singer, actor, and human rights activist Harry Belafonte has died.The cause of death was congestive heart failure, a spokesperson <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/25/arts/music/harry-belafonte-dead.html?smtyp=cur&amp;smid=tw-nytimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The New York Times.Belafonte was 96.Belafonte's legacy in entertainment spans many decades, first beginning in the mid 1940s when he discovered his love of the arts at a segregated theater in New York. Since then, he has claimed Grammy, Tony, and Emmy awards for his unique style of folk music and songwriting, but his most salient work was fighting for civil rights alongside his late friends Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Sidney Poitier. Belafonte never missed an opportunity to use his platform in the arts to shine a light on issues facing the world."I take advantage of these forums," Belafonte <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/harry-belafonte-using-arts-to-fight-injustice/">said</a> during a talk with The Aspen Institute in 2015, "just in case there's something someone needed to hear, and I was the embodiment of that information," he said. "I don't have to worry about my conscience, that I had an opportunity to take advantage of a platform and didn't use it." <div type="image" title="This black and white photo shows two men sporting colorful outfits having a conversation." height="2650" width="3000" msid="99766041" hostid="261"></div><h2>Growing up the son of Jamaican immigrants </h2>Belafonte was born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. on March 1, 1927, to Melvine and Harold George Bellanfanti Sr., in Harlem, New York. The Bellanfantis were immigrants from Jamaica. As Belafonte describes, he grew up in a <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/harry-belafonte-using-arts-to-fight-injustice/">"ghetto inside a ghetto."</a> His neighborhood, a West Indian immigrant community, was a pocket inside the larger Black community in Harlem. In 1932, after Belafonte's parents divorced, he was sent to live in Jamaica with his grandmother. Upon returning to New York in 1940, he enrolled at George Washington High School but later <a href="https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/this-week-in-history-singeractivist-harry-belafonte-thriving-at-90/">dropped out</a> to enlist in the Navy, serving in World War II. After returning from the war, he worked as a club singer and a janitor for an apartment building. In December 1945, one of the tenants gave him tickets to see his first show at the American Negro Theater, titled "Home is the Hunter," written by <a href="https://www.nypl.org/blog/2015/06/26/harry-belafonte">Samuel M. Kootz</a>. He instantly fell in love with acting. Soon after, Belafonte began volunteering as a stagehand at the American Negro Theater and later ran across Sidney Poitier while attending acting classes there. They built an unbreakable bond over the years. In Belafonte's first acting performance, he was cast in "On Shriver's Row." However, he fell ill the night of his first performance and Poitier stepped in as his understudy. <div type="image" title="Three men standing on front voice recorders as they tell the public discontent with their organizations." height="2005" width="3000" msid="99766042" hostid="261"></div><h2>Work during the Civil Rights Movement </h2>Belafonte's mentors on civil rights were the late Paul Robeson and Dr. Martin Luther King. His awakening came at the age of <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/harry-belafonte-using-arts-to-fight-injustice/">7</a> when he watched his mother, Melvine, a dressmaker and a house cleaner, come home from work with barely any money to pay the bills. She told him to pay attention to injustice and never miss an opportunity to fight against it. In his memoir, "My Song: A Memoir," published in 2011, Belafonte wrote that Paul Robeson, a fellow artist and activist in his own right, was a critic of US policy and linked the struggle for civil rights for Black Americans in the US to the struggles against Western colonialism in Africa. Belafonte wrote that Robeson was his "first great formative influence" and gave him his "backbone."<div type="image" title="In a black and white photo a man hands another man a check as a man stands behind them with a smile on his face." height="2244" width="2992" msid="99766043" hostid="261"></div>He also wrote that Dr. King "nourished" his soul. Throughout the Civil Rights Movement, Belafonte made his presence known even if he physically couldn't be there because of his commitments as an actor and singer. In 1963, when Dr. King was arrested and sent to the Birmingham jail after protesting segregation, Belafonte participated in the efforts to raise money for King's bail and the subsequent Freedom rides during that time.Upon request by Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/books/2011/11/26/harry-belafonte-talks-about-his-life-as-an-activist/">leader</a> John Forman, in 1964, during the height of Freedom Summer, Belafonte honored Forman's request for $50,000 for demonstrators in Mississippi. Within 72 hours, Belafonte, alongside his close friend Poitier gathered $70,000 and waded through being chased by armed Klansmen to deliver the money in Greenwood, Mississippi.<h2><div type="image" title="A man dancing and singing in front of bright stage lights in the back ground." height="3005" width="2425" msid="99766045" hostid="261"></div></h2><h2>A star in the entertainment industry</h2>Belafonte found stardom in 1954 as Joe in the box office hit, "Carmen Jones." He received an Academy Award nomination for his performance. That movie catapulted his career not just in acting, but in music. In 1956 he released "Calypso," an album featuring traditional Caribbean folk music. "Banana Boat (Day-O)," a song on the album, became a huge hit. The album became the first million-selling LP record by a single artist. He later earned the nickname King of Calypso."That song is a way of life," Belafonte told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/arts/harry-belafonte-archives-schomburg.html">The New York Times</a>. "It's a song about my father, my mother, my uncles, the men and women who toil in the banana fields, the cane fields of Jamaica."In the following decades in entertainment, he would choose acting as his primary art form. He starred in "Buck and the Preacher" and 1974's "Uptown Saturday Night." His later films included "White Man's Burden" and 2006's "Bobby," a film about the assassination of Robert F. <a href="https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/this-week-in-history-singeractivist-harry-belafonte-thriving-at-90/">Kennedy</a>. <h2><div type="image" title="Two people hovering around a man in a chair posing for a photo." height="1438" width="1992" msid="99766046" hostid="261"></div></h2><h2>A critic of US foreign policy </h2>Over his career, Belafonte used his platform to speak out against injustices happening around the world. As the anti-colonialism global movement took shape in the late 1950s and early '60s, Belafonte became a prominent voice. Belafonte began to <a href="https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/this-week-in-history-singeractivist-harry-belafonte-thriving-at-90/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">support</a> African artists such as Miriam Makeba, otherwise known as "Mama Africa." Together, they won a Grammy for Best Folk Recording in 1966. He exposed her to American audiences playing a key role in bringing attention to life under South African apartheid.Belafonte said the US blockade on Cuba "pleased the right-wing Cuban-American community in Miami."In his memoir, he wrote: "I disagreed with almost every tenet of US foreign policy, from the Cold War freeze on any relations with Iron Curtain countries, to Vietnam and its aftermath, to the backing of right-wing tyrants through Africa and Latin America. But I felt a special frustration with America's stance toward an island close to home: not Grenada, but Cuba. To me, Fidel Castro was still the brave revolutionary who'd overthrown a corrupt regime and was trying to create a socialist utopia."Over the years, Belafonte <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/oct/11/news">angered</a> those within the US political establishment for his vehement critique of US relations abroad. In 2016 and 2020, Belafonte endorsed Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. "I think he represents a moral imperative. I think he represents a certain kind of truth that is not often evidenced in the course of politics," Belafonte <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NunNrElCRDs">said</a> in an announcement of his support. <div type="image" title="This black and white photo shows a man holding up a sign at a protest as reporter surround him." height="2067" width="3064" msid="99766047" hostid="261"></div><h2>Fight for human rights</h2>Belafonte won several humanitarian awards throughout his lifetime, perhaps most notably, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2014. He was also awarded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his "outstanding contributions to humanitarian causes." His longtime friend Poitier presented the award to him during the Oscars that year. Belafonte also received Cuba's Friendship Medal from the Cuban Council of State for his humanitarian efforts and commitment to advocating for human rights. In 1994, Belafonte received the National Medal of the Arts. He had been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since <a href="https://www.unicef.org/goodwill-ambassadors/harry-belafonte">1987</a>. Belafonte is survived by his wife Pamela Frank, four children, two stepchildren, and eight grandchildren.

Harry Belafonte, the famed singer, actor, and human rights activist, has died at 96

<ul><li>The government is planning to make way for local manufacturing for Electric Vehicles in India. </li><li> Buyers will get direct subsidies of upto ₹88 billion. </li><li>The incentives are expected boost demand for electric vehicles in India. </li></ul>To promote domestic electric vehicle manufacturing, the Indian government is offering incentives to both ends of the automobile market – the makers and the buyer. At least 40% of the inputs that bus manufacturers use have to be made in India. The limit will be higher at 50% for other electric vehicles such as two-wheelers, three-wheelers, cars and e-rickshaws. The proportion will be based on the on ex-factory price of the vehicles. Complying with these norms will ensure that companies receive benefits under the 'Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India Phase II (<keyword id="105175" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Fame-India">FAME India</keyword> Phase II)’ scheme, reported <a href="https://tech.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/corporate/government-tightens-localisation-norms-for-electric-vehicles/68294648">ET</a>. The report further mentioned that direct subsidies of upto ₹88 billion will be given to consumers to promote EVs in India. The scheme is also expected to invest into setting up 300 new charging stations for electric/hybrid vehicle batteries, which will help “in allaying range of anxiety among consumers,” an ASSOCHAM spokesperson had told Business Insider. The Indian government had recently approved the FAME India Phase II scheme, having set aside a budget of ₹100 billion for it. The idea behind the implementation of the scheme is to offer upfront incentive on purchase of electric vehicles and also establish a necessary charging Infrastructure for electric vehicles, according to official documents. The benefits of the scheme will further be given only to those who use lithium ion batteries in their vehicles. This is the second phase of incentives for electric vehicles in India and it is expected to draw around ₹3.5 billion to be invested majorly in R&amp;D and manufacturing of batteries and its components in India. “Part of this allocation will also go towards development of motors using rare-earth magneticmaterials and electronic control systems used in hybrid and electric vehicles,” the spokesperson said. “This is expected to lead to reduction in cost of development of hybrid vehicles and bridge the viability gap.” According to <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/cabinet-approves-rs-10000-crore-package-for-phase-ii-of-fame-scheme-3596961.html">reports</a> under Phase 1 of the FAME scheme, which was launched in 2015, a whopping 2,65,335 electric/hybrid vehicles were given a boost through “demand creation” and steps taken under “charging infrastructure and technological support”. However, infrastructure for electric vehicles is still in the basic stages in India, with the government <a href="https://www.news18.com/news/auto/bjp-government-to-install-electric-vehicle-charging-stations-at-every-25-km-in-india-2040029.html">still planning</a> the installation of charging stations across the country with few successful installations. It can only hope that the second round of incentives achieve the goal. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/uber-and-ola-have-a-new-challenger-in-india-and-its-a-large-car-maker/articleshow/68163955.cms">Uber and Ola have a new challenger in India – and it’s a large car maker</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/can-latecomer-maruti-suzuki-rev-up-electric-car-sales-in-india/articleshow/67534315.cms">Can latecomer Maruti Suzuki rev up electric car sales in India?</a> <a href="http://cms">India and China in talks to manufacture e-vehicles together</a>

India’s new rules, incentives to boost electric vehicle manufacturing also has a discount for buyers

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Higgins boat is one of the iconic vessels of World War II.</li><li>The Higgins boat, known as an LCVP, took US and allied troops ashore across Europe and the Pacific.</li></ul>A day after Japan's surprise <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-us-navy-aircraft-carriers-avoided-destruction-at-pearl-harbor-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attack on Pearl Harbor</a>, New Orleans-based shipbuilder Andrew Higgins filed an idea with the US Patent Office for a landing craft that could transport US soldiers from ships at sea to enemy-controlled beaches.Two and a half years later, on the morning of June 6, 1944, the LCVPs — short for Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel — designed and built by Higgins' firm were unloading wave after wave of American GIs on Normandy's Utah Beach during <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mulberry-harbors-help-dday-landings-by-supplying-troops-in-france-2019-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the D-Day landings</a>.Equipped with an innovative ramp design, two .30-caliber machine guns, and room for some 36 infantrymen, "Higgins Boats" proved instrumental on D-Day. Those landings, still the largest seaborne invasion in history, were a major turning point in the war.<div type="image" title="US troops on LCVP Higgins boat Utah Beach Normandy D-Day" height="1403" width="2000" msid="98786482" hostid="261" sizebytes="125096"></div>The Normandy invasion was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-dangerous-jobs-american-troops-carried-out-on-d-day-2019-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a harrowing task of unprecedented scale</a>.To succeed, the Allies needed the ability to put troops, vehicles, and other equipment ashore on beaches littered with fortifications and obstacles emplaced by the Nazi defenders. Higgins' landing craft made this possible.Gen. Dwight Eisenhower later referred to Higgins as "the man who won the war for us." The shipbuilder's reputation extended to Germany, where Adolf Hitler begrudgingly complimented him as "the New Noah."<h2>Who was Andrew Higgins?</h2><div type="image" title="Andrew Higgins" height="1410" width="1880" msid="98786484" hostid="261" sizebytes="133758"></div>Higgins manufactured more than 20,000 boats during his decades-long career. His landing craft were used in every major amphibious assault of World War II, from the shores of Europe to the Pacific islands."He was the right person with the right ideas and the right drive at the right time," Joshua Schick, curator and restoration manager at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, told Insider.Two Higgins landing craft are on display in the main pavilion of the museum, which also named its World War II-themed Hilton property the <a href="https://www.higginshotelnola.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Higgins Hotel &amp; Conference Center</a> in a nod to the hometown hero.Higgins, who Schick described as a "flamboyant industrialist," was relatively new to building military hardware when World War II began, but he had a long record of entrepreneurship, innovation, and problem-solving.<div type="image" title="Higgins boat" height="1540" width="2000" msid="98786485" hostid="261" sizebytes="388132"></div>Born in Nebraska in 1886, Higgins ran newspaper routes and started a lawn-mowing company as a child. Serving in the Nebraska Army National Guard exposed him to the boats used to move troops by water during militia maneuvers on the Platte River.He moved to Mobile, Alabama in 1906 to break into the lumber business. By the 1930s, he'd formed Higgins Lumber and Export Company and was working as a lumber manufacturer in New Orleans. In the 1920s, Higgins developed the Eureka boat, a vessel designed for oil work that got the US Navy's attention for its effectiveness in shallow water.As the US military sought new ways to move large numbers of troops and supplies to beaches during amphibious operations, Higgins Industries saw enormous demand and explosive growth.Anticipating the government's need for boats and the size of the contracts to come, Higgins began building factories before the war started and began constructing boats in them before the factories had been completed.<div type="image" title="Army LCVP Higgins boat Anzio Italy" height="1553" width="2000" msid="98786488" hostid="261" sizebytes="328344"></div>Higgins eventually secured major government contracts that allowed him to expand production at an unprecedented rate and make extensive contributions to the war effort.Higgins and his employees earned a reputation for quick and innovative design and construction. In one instance, Navy officials expressed interest in seeing a design for a new 56-foot tank landing craft three days before a scheduled visit to see another type of landing craft.Using a tugboat they had on hand, and working without blueprints, Higgins and his engineers built a new landing craft that they successfully tested for the Navy officials during their visit.The LCVP for which Higgins was famed was based on the design of a Japanese landing craft used in the late 1930s. Higgins had a mock-up made based on a photo of the Japanese vessel. Within a month of beginning work on the new boat, tests on Lake Pontchartrain showed its design was viable.Each LCVP could carry 36 combat troops or 8,000 pounds of cargo, and 23,000 were built during the war.<div type="image" title="Higgins boat LCVP" height="1439" width="1919" msid="98786491" hostid="261" sizebytes="248594"></div>Designing and manufacturing amphibious landing vehicles was the focus of his organization, but he also branched into other initiatives, at one point securing a contract to produce carbon components and metal parts for the Manhattan Project.Higgins worked tirelessly and innovated obsessively, Schick said. By 1943, Higgins Industries employed some 20,000 employees working across seven plants.His facilities spread across New Orleans and extended into new activities, such as refurbishing trucks and manufacturing components for aircraft, plastics, and other equipment. "He just explodes onto the scene," Schick said.Jerry E. Strahan, author of "Andrew Jackson Higgins and the Boats that Won World War II," details Higgins' progressive, efficiency-minded approach to business.<div type="image" title="Higgins boat LCVP Balikpapan Borneo" height="1498" width="1997" msid="98786494" hostid="261" sizebytes="283852"></div>Higgins rejected the discriminatory hiring practices that excluded women and people of color from wartime work. He prioritized employing people who could do the job. Higgins also felt illnesses would be costly to productivity and started a clinic to provide free healthcare for his workers.Higgins remained at the helm of his company until he had a stroke and died in 1952.Schick hopes Higgins' legacy will be celebrated through the museum's tributes to him — especially the Higgins Hotel, located on Andrew Higgins Boulevard, adjacent to the museum. The hotel's lobby displays a 1943 portrait of Higgins that once hung in his office."We look at all of these unnamed people who created this vast machine that ended up winning the war, and it's a really great symbol of the arsenal of democracy," Schick said of Higgins' work. "I encourage people to read more. There's always something to learn about Andrew Higgins."Katie Sanders is a journalist based in New York City. Her reporting has brought her to prisons, JDate, the CIA, and the White House. Follow her at <a href="https://twitter.com/katiessanders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@KatieSSanders</a>. Mara Storey is a people analytics manager at Deloitte. She lives in Nashville. Follow her at <a href="https://twitter.com/mtruslowstorey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@mtruslowstorey</a>.

How an often overlooked World War II-era shipbuilder designed the boat that Eisenhower said 'won the war for us'

<ul><li><keyword id="6077461" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Okinawa-Scooters">Okinawa Scooters</keyword> has become the first electric two-wheeler company to get the Fame-II approval and incentivization.</li><li>The <keyword id="143042" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Okinawa">Okinawa</keyword> scooters start at a price range of ₹45,000 and go upto ₹1,46,000. </li><li>With the approval, customers could get subsidies between ₹17,000–₹26,000 based on kwh.</li></ul>India’s polluted air badly needs <keyword id="6354973" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-vehicles">electric vehicles</keyword> and a bunch of brands are nearing their launch. The latest one is from the startup Okinawa Scooters, which has become the first electric two-wheeler company to get the Fame-II approval and incentivization. Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &amp;) Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme was announced by the Indian government in 2015 to push forward the production and use of electric vehicles. With their inclusion in the Fame scheme, consumers will get a subsidy in the purchase of Okinawa scooters, depending on the model battery kilowatt hour. The Okinawa scooters start at a price range of ₹45,000 and go upto ₹1,46,000. “For Okinawa Ridge+ &amp; i-Praise the subsidy would be between ₹17,000–₹26,000 based on kwh,” said Jeetender Sharma, Founder &amp; Managing Director, Okinawa Autotech Pvt. Ltd. India has seen growth of many EV startups who are manufacturing bikes in India. Okinawa also faces competition from other Indian startups like Ather Energy. Ather Energy’s bikes start at a price range of ₹1,13,000 and it has raised funding from the likes of Hero Motocorp. Pune-based Tork Motors which was one of the first in India to announce electric motorcycles is set to launch the motorbikes soon with an expected price range of ₹1.5 lakh. Another rising competition in the space comes from Revolt Motors, which has been founded by Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma. Revolt will be launching AI-powered electric bikes in India by June 2019. <a href="https://www.carblogindia.com/revolt-electric-motorcycle-riding-range/">Rumours</a> suggest that the bike, which will be initially launched in Delhi NCR, could be priced between ₹1-1.20 lakh. “With the thought process to provide the consumer with the ‘Make in India’ product we started working initially on localization of our electric two-wheeler components which helped us in getting the FAME-II approval,” said Sharma. The company’s official statement said that their products have met all the government parameters that help in availing subsidy – a speed of around 40 kilometres (km) per hour, a range of about 80 km/charge, sourcing 50% of the inputs from within India and using Lithium-ion battery. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/electric-vehicles-policy-under-fame-ii-offers-incentives-for-local-manufacturing-and-subsidies-for-buyers/articleshow/68314114.cms">India’s new rules, incentives to boost electric vehicle manufacturing also has a discount for buyers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/can-latecomer-maruti-suzuki-rev-up-electric-car-sales-in-india/articleshow/67534315.cms">Can latecomer Maruti Suzuki rev up electric car sales in India?</a>

Waiting for electric scooters in India? Here are some options to choose from

New Delhi, Jan 5 () Mass segment electric two-wheeler makers are learning to "live without government support" as FAME II scheme to promote electric mobility has not met its objective, according to industry body SMEV.
 The Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicle (SMEV) said after getting a "shock" when FAME II was implemented from April 1, 2019, the industry has devised ways to keep afloat by selling low to mid-speed vehicles, which don't qualify for incentives at heavy discount but incurring losses in the process.
 "Industry got a big shock when FAME II started. People are now learning to survive without government assistance to some extent at least. The result of this is that subsidised vehicle sales have dropped drastically but industry sales has not dropped," SMEV Director General Sohinder Gill told .
 He was responding to a query on the impact of FAME II on the electric two-wheeler market.
 Gill further said, "If it was only customer-incentivised vehicles (under FAME II), the industry would have totally collapsed."
 As per SMEV data, sales of FAME II qualified electric two-wheelers in April-December 2019 period stood at just 3,000 units as against 48,671 units in the year-ago period when FAME I was in place, a decline of 93.84 per cent.
 On the other hand, as per industry estimates, non-subsidised electric two-wheeler sales stood at 49,000 units during the period as compared to around 10,000 units in the year-ago period when FAME I was in place.
 "What happened was that many players came with alternate products and models and tried to make some business out of it. Prices of subsidised products have become very high so the industry had to resort again to bring mid- and entry-level products to get volumes with heavy discounts," he added.
 Gill said many companies are now making more losses than earlier.
 Expressing similar views, Hero Electric Managing Director Naveen Munjal said that technically one year has almost been "wiped out from our balance sheet" and the company is only going ahead as it makes senses "in the long run and in the bigger scheme of things but we are bleeding in the process". 
 Pointing out that FAME II hasn't met its objective, Gill said, "Market should have shifted towards higher speed and greater performance, which has not happened."
 He further said, "In the current avatar of FAME II, you will find volumes (for incentivised electric two-wheelers) very very low." 
 Gill, however, expressed optimism that from next year onwards volumes will start coming back in a much better way "not because of government incentives" but due to the business models that companies have pursued such as focussing on low- and mid-range models, and B2B deliveries.
 He said the government needs to have a rework on FAME II, especially eligibility criteria based on range and battery power while also relaxing localisation level, which will be 75 per cent from March this year, up from 50 per cent since March 1, 2019.
 "Internal combustion engine vehicles, even after 40-50 years have not reached 75-80 per cent localisation. So in electric mobility they expect that 75 per cent must be localised from March 1, 2020," Gill lamented. 
 He cautioned that if "FAME II is not reworked, industry will bottom out".
 "They will still get volumes but subsidised products will be very less. The market will continue to sell products, which are liked by customers which are low- and mid-speed range," he said. RKL MKJ

Electric 2-wheeler makers learning to survive without subsidy, FAME II not worked: SMEV

New Delhi, Jan 1 () Leading electric two-wheeler maker Hero Electric has put on hold investment of up to Rs 700 crore by a year with the sector taking a nosedive as FAME II, scheme aimed to promote electric vehicles, has failed to deliver, according to a top company official.
 Calling for a complete revamp of the policy, the company wants the government to include low speed two-wheelers for subsidy arguing that for mass adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in India these cost effective vehicles are critical.
 "From an industry standpoint, there was a certain trajectory which was going on when we had FAME I. With the coming in of FAME II, whatever be the logic and reason, the manner in which FAME II was introduced, the whole industry took a downturn and now the industry is recovering from that," Hero Electric Managing Director Naveen Munjal told .
 As per Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicle (SMEV), sales of FAME II qualified electric two-wheelers in April-December 2019 period stood at just 3,000 units as against 48,671 units in the year-ago period when FAME I was in place, a decline of 93.84 per cent.
 Under FAME I, low speed two-wheelers with top speed of up to 25km/hr had qualified for incentives of up to Rs 17,000 and Rs 22,000 for high speed ones.
 However, under FAME II, which came into effect from April 1, 2019, electric two-wheeler are mandated to have a minimum range of 80 km per charge and minimum top speed of 40 kmph to qualify for an incentive of Rs 20,000.
 CRISIL had predicted that more than 95 per cent of the electric two-wheeler models produced earlier would not be eligible for incentive under FAME-II.
 When asked about the impact on the company's future investments, Munjal said, "we had to push back the plans. Fund raise has been pushed back to next year, so are the investments."
 Earlier in August 2019, the company had said it was looking to invest around Rs 700 crore in the next three years to ramp up production capacity of its electric scooters to 500,000 units annually from about 100,000 units. It was looking to raise fund for the same by roping external investors.
 Munjal said the company lost four months in the beginning of the year on completely homologating products for FAME II.
 "It has taken a lot of time. Technically, one year is almost wiped out from our balance sheet," Munjal said, adding it made no sense to go ahead with investments as the company had to first get the products out of the door.
 He, however, said the company is now getting back on track and has started working on capacity increase, "which we should have done six months back".
 Calling for a total re-look at FAME II, Munjal said, "FAME II has not delivered for sure... The policy has to be completely changed. If the industry has to pick up then it has to be from ground-up. What we have been saying is that it has to be the low-speed vehicles, which have to be targeted for masses."
 Arguing that 95 per cent of electric two-wheelers is low-speed in India, he said, "If you have to really make this (EV) industry work, you have to focus at the base of the pyramid and the base is the low-speed. Everything else can ride on top of it, we are not saying you dissuade others."
 He cited examples of Europe, China, US and Japan, where low speed electric two-wheelers are supported by the government for mass adoption.
 "When we look at electric two-wheeler mobility around the world, it is all low-speed," he said adding efficiencies are at only at a particular speed band in electric two-wheelers and high speed EVs are expensive thereby making it unsuitable for a "price sensitive" market like India. RKL DRR

Rs 700-cr investment on hold by a year; FAME II failed to deliver: Hero Electric

<ul class="summary-list"><li>In February 1952, 25-year-old Princess Elizabeth became Queen when her father George VI died. </li><li>At the time, she and <keyword id="11971678" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="prince-philip" source="Orion">Prince Philip</keyword> were visiting <keyword id="12305366" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kenya" source="Orion">Kenya</keyword>'s oldest safari lodge - Treetops Hotel.</li></ul>Kenya's oldest safari lodge, the place <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/treetops-the-kenyan-safari-lodge-where-princess-elizabeth-became-queen-forced-to-close-9mgt0mz50">where a young Princess Elizabeth became Queen</a>, has been forced to close its doors forever, the Times of London reports.<a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/africa/articles/The-Queen-at-Treetops-Africas-royal-safari-lodges/">Treetops Hotel</a>, once a fixture of Aberdare National Park in central Kenya, was known for its prime location above a watering hole where wildlife frequented, according to Brian Jackman's 2012 review for The Telegraph.The Times reports that it rose to global fame on February 6, 1952, for being the spot where 25-year-old Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip were staying the evening her father King George IV died in his sleep, marking the start of her now nearly 70-year reign as Queen of England.Jim Corbett, a big-game hunter and the Queen's armed escort at the time, wrote the following line in the hotel's logbook: "For the first time in the history of the world, a young girl climbed into the tree as a princess and climbed down as a queen," the publication added.<div type="image" title="Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are shown around the 'Treetops' hotel by Richard Prickett on November 13, 1983 near Sagana in Kenya. It was thirty two years beforehand that the Queen had been staying at 'Treetops' when she learnt of her father's death and that she had become monarch. This return was a part of a 'Royal Tour' of Kenya" height="960" width="1280" msid="87111397" hostid="261"></div>Originally built in 1932, Treetops was a seemingly special place for the Queen as she returned to visit it twice more in 1959 and 1983 along with Prince Philip, The Times reports. According to the Mail Online, the original Treetops visited by the Queen was <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-10095337/Kenyas-oldest-safari-lodge-Treetops-Princess-Elizabeth-Queen-forced-close.html">burnt down by guerrilla fighters in 1954</a>, two years after her first visit, and was later rebuilt. The days spent she spent on safari enjoying the paparazzi free-stay at the resort in Kenya before learning of her father's death were also recreated in episode two of season one of "<keyword id="12118752" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="the-crown" source="Orion">The Crown</keyword>" on Netflix, the Mail Online added. The program showed how the stay was part of a four-continent Commonwealth tour initially intended for her father, King George, to embark on before he fell ill. Treetops was later visited by the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/april/blue-peter-royal-safari/">couple's daughter Princess Anne</a> in 1971 during her own first solo tour, according to the BBC. Despite its royal connections and reputation as Kenya's oldest safari lodge, Treetops has been forced to close alongside two other historic hotels in the park due to the lingering effects of the pandemic on the country's tourism sector. Kenya Wildlife Service reported a 90% drop in tourist revenue since travel restrictions were imposed, according to the Times, leaving the parks and reserves especially hard-hit.Representatives for Buckingham Palace and Kenya's Tourism Department did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Kenya's oldest safari lodge, where a young Princess Elizabeth became Queen, has closed permanently due to the pandemic

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US Coast Guard rescued a man as the ship he was on capsized on Friday. </li><li>Jericho Labonte was on a stolen ship and was also wanted in connection with dead fish left on the porch of the "Goonies" house. </li></ul>The US Coast Guard rescued a man from a stolen boat that almost capsized only to learn that he was the same man suspected of leaving a dead fish on the porch of the "Goonies" house in Astoria, Oregon, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AstoriaPolice/posts/561682116002104">police</a> said. In a series of tweets, the Coast Guard said they were conducting a training mission at the mouth of the Columbia River when two aircrews received a mayday call from a boat named Sandpiper. The video shows the boat was in the middle of the surf just floating back and forth on Friday morning. Since the conditions were so bad, boats could not be sent in to rescue the man. Instead, the Coast Guard said aircrews decided to lower a rescue swimmer and have the man on board jump into the water. The boat capsized right as the man on the boat entered the water. According to the Coast Guard, the on-scene conditions were "20-foot seas and extremely high windspeeds.""As he entered the water the vessel capsized but the rescue swimmer was able to safely recover the individual. He was flown back to Coast Guard Base Astoria where EMS was waiting to evaluate and treat the man," the Coast Guard <a href="https://twitter.com/USCGPacificNW/status/1621614095442255872?s=20&amp;t=yQK17snCu77uBIEmAMOOkg">said</a>. Local station <a href="https://www.kptv.com/2023/02/03/man-rescued-by-coast-guard-swimmer-after-waves-flip-boat-columbia-river-mouth/">KPTV</a> reported that police in Astoria, Oregon, arrested the man, identified as 35-year-old Jericho Labonte of Canada, later that night.Two days before the Coast Guard rescued Labonte, police said they received a call about the dead fish incident. Labonte had been caught on surveillance footage two days prior to the rescue leaving a dead fish on the porch of the house made famous from the cult classic film "The Goonies," Astoria police said in a <a href="https://astoria.response.news/astoria-police-needs-your-help-locating-jericho-labonte/?utm_source=dlvr.it&amp;utm_medium=twitter">statement</a>.Labonte also appeared to have <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jericho144000/videos/736561707774307" target="_blank" rel="noopener">videotaped himself as he left the dead fish on the porch</a> and uploaded it to his Facebook. The <a href="https://www.kgw.com/video/news/local/north-coast/surveillance-video-man-leaves-dead-fish-on-goonies-house-front-porch/283-f1de72d9-92c7-4eba-a22c-ce4fe3e3748e">surveillance footage was shared with local station KGW</a> and appears to show a man also trying to cover the security cameras with stickers. On Friday, after Labonte has been discharged from the hospital, the police received a call from Port Security Chief Matt Hansen that the ship that was involved in the rescue was stolen. "He recognized the vessel on the video, contacted the owner, and confirmed that it had been stolen. At about the same time, we received calls from several citizens identifying the rescued victim as Labonte," the police said. Police said Labonte was wanted on charges of Theft I, Endangering Another Person, Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle, and Criminal Mischief II, and was later found and arrested at a warming center on Friday night. Labonte is also wanted in Canada on warrants for criminal harassment, mischief, and failure to comply, the Victoria police department shared in a <a href="https://twitter.com/vicpdcanada/status/1616227856542998530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1616227856542998530%7Ctwgr%5Eaa5b7fc51d7a35112bb5e7b9a9143fa9e939a042%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-41410733853356064678.ampproject.net%2F2301181928000%2Fframe.html">tweet</a>.

You Searched For "fame ii" and got 12 results

Industry hails extension of FAME II scheme to bolster EV infra

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TVS, Ather, Ola hike prices of electric two-wheelers as new subsidy norms kick in

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The royal family shared a never-before-released photo of Queen Elizabeth II on the first anniversary of her death

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Kenya's oldest safari lodge, where a young Princess Elizabeth became Queen, has closed permanently due to the pandemic

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