Last week, Log9 Materials—the battery-technology and deep-tech start-up—launched what it mentioned is India’s first indigenous cell manufacturing line, in Bengaluru. With this facility—claimed to be the biggest in Southeast Asia—Log9 Materials goals to attain at the very least 50 MWh (megawatt-hour) of peak cell manufacturing capability in a single yr. “At a time when majority cells and batteries used in India’s electric vehicles (EVs) are being imported, this development adds a new lease of life for the country’s mobility vision to turn to electric significantly by 2030,” says Kartik Hajela, co-founder & COO, Log9 Materials. In an interview with FE’s Vikram Chaudhary, he additionally explains why some EVs caught hearth lately. Excerpts:
What is the end-goal of the cell manufacturing plant you have got began?
We goal to attain at the very least 50 MWh of peak cell manufacturing capability in a single yr, after which scale as much as over 5 GWh in 3-5 years. Our cells have been designed ground-up in India, for India, and are finest suited to Indian working situations, local weather and prospects.
But why a cell manufacturing plant within the first place?
An EV battery is made up of varied parts: cells, a cluster of cells that make up a module, and a cluster of modules that make up a battery pack. Then there may be the battery administration system (BMS). While BMS has been largely indigenised (semiconductors for certain are imported), essentially the most primary part, i.e. the cell, is being imported.
In a daily battery, about 70% value is that of the cell, and in an EV, 40-45% value is that of the battery. So, the cell is the most costly machine in an EV, forming about 30-40% of an EV’s value. We at the moment are making that almost all costly and most necessary machine in India.
But there could possibly be elements inside a cell which might be imported…
For certain, lithium comes from outdoors India; the worldwide lithium provide chain is primarily managed by the Chinese. But different metals may be sourced from India.
Like what?
Lithium is an important aspect and is usually imported. But manganese and aluminium are considerable in India. Nickel and cobalt are additionally utilized in cells, however these are often imported so we try to not use these in our cells. While India is looking for some native lithium assets, it’s also speaking to international locations reminiscent of Australia which have enormous assets and bilateral talks are happening to supply lithium from there.
Why did some EV batteries catch hearth?
There are three causes, and one is correct on the cell stage. Quite a lot of EVs that caught hearth had batteries with NMC (nickel, manganese, cobalt) because the chemistry; NMC can simply catch hearth if the temperature wherein the EV is being operated is excessive. In China and the US, the place NMC chemistry is widespread, the ambient temperature is 25-30 diploma Celsius. In India, the ambient temperature can go as excessive as 45-50 diploma Celsius. The reply is to shift to LFP (lithium, iron, phosphate) or LTO (lithium titanate) chemistry. Tesla additionally lately shifted its commonplace vary autos to LFP. The second purpose may be very few EV firms in India have performed analysis and growth on their EVs, and most are simply assembling in India by utilizing elements from outdoors the nation. BMS is the Holy Grail for EV security and what if BMS fails? That could fail if sufficient real-world testing isn’t performed. All EV firms must do the ‘what if’ evaluation.
The third purpose is the way in which EVs are being charged. If you’re charging at, say, a 1 kW connection and the electrical energy infrastructure is poor on the market, it could possibly be a fireplace hazard.
Source: www.financialexpress.com”