Prince William is set to name Mahindra, India's largest maker of electric autorickshaws, as the first-announced finalist for this year's Earthshot Prize, his environmental award. Electric tuk tuks are seen as a significant opportunity to cut pollution across Asia, since the vehicles are ubiquitous in cities but conventional petrol-powered versions contribute heavily to smog; their electrification is being held up as exactly the kind of scalable, real-world climate solution the prize was designed to champion.

Mahindra is one of 15 finalists shortlisted, with the remaining names due to be revealed the following Friday and five overall winners announced in Mumbai in November, each receiving £1million. The company has already put 400,000 electric vehicles on Indian roads, aims to reach one million by 2031, and has expanded exports to Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Philippines, with further growth eyed in Indonesia, Brazil and Africa; it claims to have prevented 180,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions so far. Notably, Mahindra marks a shift for Earthshot, which has traditionally recognised start-ups and charities, towards backing established corporations — the firm was founded in 1945 and is valued at roughly £29billion.