Kerala government undertaking Kerala Automobile Ltd (KAL) has formed a joint venture (JV) with Lord's Mark Industries for electric vehicle (EV) production. The first production facility of the joint venture will be set up in Kannur with an investment of Rs 20-30 crore. The factory is likely to begin its operation from December 2022, and subsequently, it also has plans to extend its operations over India by partnering up with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The company revealed that it plans to export to Eastern European and African countries. Lord's Mark Industries manufactures, established in 1998, produces a wide range of renewable energy and healthcare products. In October 2020, its subsidiary, Lords Automotive, introduced electric scooters under the brand name Zoom and Zoom Li. Sachidanand Upadhyay, the founder of Lord's Mark Industries, told the media that the brand aims for a strong native EV ecosystem and help India to become one of the leading global manufacturing hubs for EVs. Upadhyay said that with this partnership, KAL would be in an improved place to leverage the pan-India distribution network of Mark Industries to develop its market hierarchy and distribution outreach. KAL manufactures electric three-wheelers for both passenger and cargo segments under the label KERALA. The firm also manufactures high precision aerospace parts for ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU), Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), and Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) for their space programmes. P V Saseendran, managing director KAL, said that Kerala has been at the forefront of promoting clean energy initiatives in the transport sector of the country. He said that through their partnership with Lord's Mark Industries, they would be playing a vital role in accelerating the evolution towards e-mobility and sustainable development of the state. Image Source Also read: Kerala govt to lease 2.35 acres of land for MLCP development