India’s electric vehicle drive: Challenges and opportunities

Gautam said:

Exclusive! Nahak P14, India’s fastest electric sportsbike launching next month: Top speed, price detailed​


Nahak Group is soon coming up with India's fastest all-electric sports bike, better known as the P14. The bike was first showcased at the Auto Expo 2020 and is capable of reaching speeds of up to 120 kmph. Here is what all the company is coming up with in future along with its expansion plans.

By: Pradeep Shah
Updated: Oct 09, 2020 5:12 PM
View attachment 18205

There are fast bikes, there are electric bikes and then, there are fast electric bikes! Well, with India moving in the direction of pure electric mobility, two-wheeler manufacturers, even the mainstream ones are now trying to offer the most of range and performance in a package that doesn’t hurt the pocket of the customers much. During Auto Expo 2020, a lot of EV makers showcased their innovations and creations in the form of prototypes and final production models as well and some of these included fast electric bikes as well. One such maker was Nahak Group that showcased two striking-looking all-electric motorcycles at the biennial event namely P14 and the RP46. Now, the brand is gearing up to launch the P14 in India very soon. Apart from electric bikes, the company also has plans to bring vehicles in different segments and the electric bus territory is one of them. In order to understand what all the company has in store, its investment plans and more, we recently had an insightful interaction with Pravat Kumar Nahak, Chairman, Nahak Group.

View attachment 18204

Express Drives – Kindly give us a quick brief of the electric superbike you displayed at the Auto Expo 2020 and from when it will go on sale ?

Pravat – Nahak Motors had launched India’s two of first high-speed sports electric bikes in Auto Expo 2020, named P14 and RP46. The top speed of these bikes is 120 km/h and in a single charge, the bikes will run 150 to 180 km. We have recently received government approval for P14. We plan to start selling this sports electric bike from November 2020. The P14 electric bike will be launched in India at a price of Rs 2.50 lakh (approx).

What all the company has in store in near future in terms of the product launches ?

We are in the advanced stage of launching an electric bus. The manufacturing of these electric Buses will majorly be in line with honorable Prime Minister’s Make In India campaign. We have plans to bring this project by March 2020 and despite some issues due to Covid-19, we are on track. We have reached out to the State Government of Orissa for the allocation of land to set up a facility for the production of e Buses. The talks are in advance stage. Again, the majority of the components will be made in India.

View attachment 18207

What are the current plant capacity and expansion plans, both in terms of manufacturing and presence ?

Our current products are electric three-wheelers and e scooters. We have our plants set up in Greater Noida and Faridabad. If we talk about the plant capacity, currently we are capable of producing 2,500 to 3,000 vehicles per month. Despite less requirement of land, we have developed 95,000 square feet plant area in these two locations. With the increasing demand, we plan to expand the capacity to 8,000 to 9,000 vehicles per month by March 2021. It will consist of e-bikes, e-Scooters and three-wheelers. I would like to highlight that FRP bodies three-wheelers that we manufacture in our Greater Noida and Faridabad plants are 100 percent “Make in India” products.

How the business got affected due to Covid-19 ?

Covid-19 has impacted all industries across the globe. We are no exception. The most affected industries are those that are heavily dependent on imports. Since our products are dominantly made in India and we work very closely with Indian partners, we are coming back to business very fast. We are already working with our 90% capacity and hopeful of resuming 100% capacity very soon. We are taking extra protection and following industry norms issued by the government strictly so that we do not get affected due to Covid-19 in future. We are providing facilities like medical insurance to all and personal vehicles to some of our specific employees.

View attachment 18206

What is your strategy for charging infrastructure ?

This is a chicken and egg situation. We cannot wait to produce electric vehicles unless there is a charging infrastructure in place. Our products are easily chargeable at home with minimal infrastructure requirements. In addition to that, we have plans to establish charging centres adjacent to our outlets/ service centres. So, at a given time, the end-users have two options for charging their vehicles.

What are your thoughts on Delhi EV policy and suggestions, if any ?

The government has come up with a good EV policy. It will affect the pricing of battery. And the subsidies announced in the policy are really lucrative which will boost the industry overall. Having said so, it will be effective only when the subsidies actually pass on timely. Implementation is the key to success. The EV policy is more beneficial for businesses like ours. Three-wheelers will get more benefits. The reduced battery cost will lower down the overall cost of the vehicles and it will be more affordable for our end users be it three-wheelers or the e-bikes and e-scooters.

www.financialexpress.com

Exclusive! Nahak P14, India’s fastest electric sportsbike launching next month: Top speed, price detailed

Nahak Group is soon coming up with India's fastest all-electric sportsbike, better known as the P14. The bike was first showcased at the Auto Expo 2020 and is capable of reaching speeds of up to 120 kmph. Here is what all the company is coming up with in future along with its expansion plans.
www.financialexpress.com www.financialexpress.com
Click to expand...
Bro both the above are Chinese ckd assembling chetos like okinawa, hero electric and revolt etc. just search the electric bikes in China and you would understand.
Made is India and designed in-house is 100% fraud.
PA: lol even Lohia motors (battery rickshaw assembler) are selling Ninza like ev bikes. WTF
 
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Trial run of India's first hydrogen fuel cell car successfully conducted by CSIR, KPIT​

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and KPIT successfully ran trials of India’s first Hydrogen Fuel Cell (HFC) prototype car running on an indigenously developed fuel cell stack at CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune. The fuel cell is a low temperature PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) type Fuel Cell that operates at 65-75 degree centigrade, which is suitable for vehicular applications.


CSIR and KPIT have successfully developed a 10 kWe automotive grade LT-PEMFC fuel cell stack based on CSIR’s know-how. The heart of the PEM fuel cell technology includes the membrane electrode assembly, which is wholly a CSIR knowhow. KPIT brought in their expertise in stack engineering which included light-weight metal bipolar plate and gasket design, development of the balance of plant (BoP), system integration, control software and electric powertrain that enabled running the fuel cell vehicle.

How it works


The fuel cell stack uses extremely thin metal bipolar plates, thus reducing the stack weight by about two-thirds.

In 2016, CSIR-NCL and CSIR-CECRI as part of the Industry Originated Project (IOP) category of the New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) scheme partnered with KPIT for the development of an automotive grade PEM Fuel Cell technology. Hydrogen Fuel Cell (HFC) technology uses chemical reactions between hydrogen and oxygen (from air) to generate electrical energy, eliminating the use of fossil fuels.

The FC vehicle is fitted with a Type III commercial hydrogen tank.

View Full Image
The FC vehicle is fitted with a Type III commercial hydrogen tank.




Further, the fuel cell technology emits only water, thus cutting down the emission of harmful greenhouse gases along with other air pollutants. The technology, with further adoption and use, is poised to make the world a cleaner place with reduced air pollution levels.

The trials were run on a battery-electric passenger car platform retrofitted with the Fuel Cell Stack. However, it is expected that the technology is more suited for commercial vehicles (CV) such as buses and trucks. Battery electric buses/ trucks require a large battery to achieve the desired operating range. In comparison, HFC technology requires a much smaller battery for a very large operating range. Hence, HFC technology offers more promise for the CV segment.

The FC vehicle is fitted with a Type III commercial hydrogen tank. Its capacity is around 1.75 Kgs of H2 stored at about 350 bar pressure, the FC vehicle should run for approximately 250 Km range under typical Indian road conditions at moderate speed of 60-65 Km/hr. The entire fuel cell stack and its associated components with power train were retro-fitted in a standard 5-seater sedan car.


Mr. Ravi Pandit, Chairman, KPIT said, " The technology has a great future and owing to its indigenous development, is expected to be more commercially viable than ever before. It is an important technology that will help India significantly reduce pollution and reduce our fossil fuel imports."

Prof. Ashwini Kumar Nangia, Director, CSIR-NCL while congratulating the teams on their first successful car run on hydrogen fuel cell using indigenous CSIR-NMITLI technology and KPIT as industry partner stated that, “the time has come for renewable energy based on hydrogen as fuel to power transportation in the country.

This will not only reduce the petrol, diesel import bill but hydrogen is the cleanest fuel with water as the only by-product. A long term investment of CSIR under NMITLI in a niche energy area has come to fruition."
www.livemint.com

Trial run of India's first hydrogen fuel cell car sucessfully conducted

Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology uses chemical reactions between hydrogen and oxygen (from air) to generate electrical energy, eliminating the use of fossil fuels.The trials were run on a battery-electric passenger car platform retrofitted with the Fuel Cell Stack
www.livemint.com www.livemint.com
 
_Anonymous_ said:
theprint.in

Elon Musk’s Tesla are headed to India, but there won’t be any green car revolution here

There are less than 500 electric vehicle charging stations in India, when the current need has been pegged at around 2,600.
theprint.in theprint.in
Click to expand...
With all due respect, this writer is an Idiot. Most of her analysis are quite wrong. Fiat UNO didn’t fail because of low ground clearance. It failed because the car was outdated when it was launched in India. Honda city was most successful in it’s segment in spite of it’s pathetic 160 mm ground clearance. Similarly HD failed for it’s price tag. India is at least 10 years away before people will be ready to spend 15 lakhs+ for a bike !!
The issue with Tesla is not the lack of charging stations. It’s fairly easy and fast to install charging stations. US had the same problem in 2012 and now one can find charging stations everywhere. The real issue is the price of the car. If Tesla can launch Model 3 at $40-50k, which translates to 30-38 lakhs, then it will sell like hot cakes. But I seriously doubt that considering the high import duties. Pricing beyond 60-70 lakhs will cap the yearly numbers to less than 10k just like the Germans.
 
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Shri Gadkari says, Government is trying to create an ecosystem to accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles in the country​

Asks auto Industry to come together to achieve broader national agenda of reducing pollution : Shri Gadkari

Government is planning set up at least one electric vehicle charging kiosk at around 69 thousand Petrol Pumps across the country : Shri Gadkari

Govt Working to Make India an Automobile Manufacturing Hub in Next 5 Years: Shri Nitin Gadkari​

Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways & MSME, today said that Government aims at creating core global competencies in India by facilitating seamless integration of the automotive industry with the world. Government is trying to create an ecosystem to accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles in the country.Addressing a virtual conference ‘9th Edition of Auto Serve 2020‘Electric Mobility Conference 2020-Seizing Opportunities in New Normal, Shri Gadkari asked the auto industry to come together to work jointly towards achieving broader national agenda of reducing pollution.

He elaborated a number of steps that Government has taken to promote electric vehicles which include reduction in GST to 5%, allowing delinking of battery cost of 2-3 swheelers from vehicle cost as it accounts for nearly 30% of the cost etc. Battery charging ecosystem is very important, as such he said Government is planning set up at least one electric vehicle charging kiosk at around 69 thousand Petrol Pumpsacross the country to induce people to go for electric mobility.

Shri Gadkari also said, “Government is also working towards making India a global automobile manufacturing hub in next five years.’ This is my dream, he stressed. This will also contribute in fulfilling the Prime Minister’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

He stressed that India is poised to become global automobile manufacturing hub in next 5 years. This, he felt, is possible as our auto industry has made significant strides in terms of development of different designs and models, robust R&D, huge market, stable government frame-work and bright & young engineering minds. He added India already is the largest manufacturer of two-wheelers in the world.

Considering the huge potential of the sector Government has earmarked over Rs51000 crore for this sector under Production Linked Incentive(PLI), the highest amongst the 10 champion sectors.He also stated that there is a huge requirement of about 25 million skilled jobs in the automobile sector in near future. This very significant as this industry is going to create maximum jobs and growth, he added.

Shri Gadkari further called upon the automobile industry to push for manufacturing flex engines which has versatility to use petrol or ethonal/CNG as fuels. He stressed that the Indian auto industry need to follow the example of Brazil and US Auto sectors in this regard. He exuded confidence that our industry would utilise the opportunity being thrown up by the alternative and less polluting fuels like CNG, hydrogen, electricity.

Shri Gadkari also said that the government is working towards making e-Highway on Delhi and Mumbai Expressway. He added that auto sector should look at making different variants including double decker busses to cater to the market needs.
pib.gov.in

Shri Gadkari says, Government is trying to create an ecosystem to accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles in the country

Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways & MSME, today said that Government aims
pib.gov.in
https://twitter.com/x/status/1330864327939637250
 
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Japanese Firms Suzuki, Toshiba And Denso To Turn Their Li-Ion Battery Manufacturing Plant In Gujarat Into An Export Hub​



by Swarajya Staff-Feb 6, 2021 02:45 PM
Japanese Firms Suzuki, Toshiba And Denso To Turn Their Li-Ion Battery Manufacturing Plant In Gujarat Into An Export Hub
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. (@vijayrupanibjp/Twitter)

In a big win for the government's Make in India programme and Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi's clarion call for the building of an Atmanirbhar Bharat, Japenese companies Suzuki Motor Corporation, Toshiba Corporation and Denso Corporation plan to turn their under construction joint Lithium (Li)-ion battery manufacturing unit in Gujarat into a global export hub, reports Livemint.

The first such facility in India for manufacturing of Li-ion cells, the unit called TDS Lithium-ion Battery Private Limited is set to open up in April with the assembling of battery packs. Eventually, the factory will graduate to domestic production of the Li-ion cells around 2024-25.

The three Japanese firms had come together in 2017 to announce the joint venture to invest Rs 1,250 crore in Gujarat's Hansalpur to build the manufacturing and assembly facility. Subsequently, the three firms had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government to invest a total of Rs 4,930 crore to manufacture 30 million lithium cells a year.

According to M K Das, Gujarat's additional chief secretary for Industries and Mines, the three firms have big expansion plans in the coming year in a phased manner.

"They not only want to cater to the domestic market but, given that Gujarat also has port facilities, they also will be able to have market access in other countries as well," Das was quoted as saying.
 
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RISING SUN said:

Shri Gadkari says, Government is trying to create an ecosystem to accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles in the country​

Asks auto Industry to come together to achieve broader national agenda of reducing pollution : Shri Gadkari​

​

Government is planning set up at least one electric vehicle charging kiosk at around 69 thousand Petrol Pumps across the country : Shri Gadkari​

​

Govt Working to Make India an Automobile Manufacturing Hub in Next 5 Years: Shri Nitin Gadkari
pib.gov.in

Shri Gadkari says, Government is trying to create an ecosystem to accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles in the country

Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways & MSME, today said that Government aims
pib.gov.in

https://twitter.com/x/status/1330864327939637250
Click to expand...
Unless the charging points are super chargers, it’s of no use.
 

500-Acre Bengaluru Campus For World's Largest E-Scooter Factory​

Bhavish Aggarwal surveys the empty 500-acre expanse encircled by neon-painted homes, tiny shrines and mango groves. The high-profile Ola founder hopes to erect the world's largest electric scooter plant on this vacant plot on Bangalore's outskirts within the next 12 weeks, cranking out about 2 million a year -- a landmark for one of India's largest startups.

A two-and-a-half hour drive southeast of Bangalore, Aggarwal's envisioned $330 million mega-factory marks a bold foray into uncharted territory for an entrepreneur who's spent 10 years building a ride-hailing giant. His follow-up Ola Electric is getting into an electric vehicle market already crowded by names from Tesla Inc. to China's Nio Inc. -- albeit with a humble two-wheeler initially -- but that could play in a $200 billion domestic EV industry in a decade.

If all goes according to plan, his Ola Electric Mobility Pvt hopes to make 10 million vehicles annually or 15% of the world's e-scooters by the summer of 2022, starting with sales abroad later this year. That would be one scooter rolling out every two seconds after the plant expands next year. It's the first step in Aggarwal's goal to eventually assemble a full line-up of electric cars in a boost for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Make in India and sustainable mobility ambitions.

"It's a vehicle we've engineered ground-up so India can get a seat at the world EV table," the 35-year-old said in an interview last week. Indian companies "have the smarts and energy to leapfrog into the future of EV."

Aggarwal is getting into the market just as the core business of ride-hailing slows during the pandemic. Fume-spewing scooters and motorcycles remain the most popular mode of transport in India's infamously polluted cities. But the country is now pushing electric vehicles and self-reliance in battery technologies that could, according to the think-tank CEEW Centre for Energy Finance, underpin a $206 billion EV market in 10 years.

That won't be easy. Middle-class Indians worry about air quality but are reluctant -- at current rates -- to fork out twice the price of a regular scooter for an electric version. Aggarwal too will have to fend off competition from not just local rivals Hero MotoCorp and Bajaj Auto, but also up-and-comers such as Ather Energy and Chinese brands including Niu Technologies.

The entrepreneur takes inspiration from the likes of Tesla, Nio and Xpeng Inc., which have out-engineered established auto giants with ever-cheaper batteries and over-the-air software capabilities, but he's taking a different tack. He wants to sell affordable two-, three- and four-wheelers for urban rides. "Our ambition is to build the world's leading urban mobility EV company," he said.

m1ehdp28

Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal is getting into the market just as the core business of ride-hailing slows during the pandemic.

Ola Electric is Aggarwal's second act. A decade ago, he pioneered ride-hailing in the country and took on Uber Technologies Inc., expanding across 200 cities before heading overseas to the U.K, Australia and New Zealand. His EV startup was incorporated in 2017 and became a billion-dollar company, or unicorn, two years later, when SoftBank Group Corp. and Tiger Global Management forked out hundreds of millions. It was the second time for the pair of global investors, even though Aggarwal had fought them to maintain control of Ola.

This time round, he's even more firmly in the driving seat. He's also secured capital from Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. and recently won over more backers whose names he wouldn't reveal.

"We're very well-capitalized and investor interest is unprecedented," said Aggarwal.


Aggarwal, who often interrupts himself to ask "What do you think?," wants to introduce five two-wheeler models at the outset, including mass-market, premium and self-balancing versions. Even more audaciously, he wants to get the first electric cars on Indian roads in 18 to 24 months. He talks about someday selling autonomous vehicles and futuristic four-wheelers that don't look like cars.

On this particular Thursday, he zipped around on a sleek scooter prototype in the office park in the Koramangala neighborhood, the epicenter of Bangalore's startup scene. He showed off novel lighting, removable batteries and a large storage trunk. His plan is to sell the scooters digitally as well as via dealerships, offering monthly payment plans to make it easier on buyers' pockets.

Vehicle affordability could be key to cracking the India market, and it boils down to the running cost per kilometer. Aggarwal's not revealing prices yet but said his product would compete with traditional scooters going for about $1,000 apiece. "We'll drive costs down by playing at scale."

To keep costs in check, Ola is designing, engineering and manufacturing its own battery pack, motor, vehicle computer and software. Like Tesla, it wants to keep costs down by building its own power cells. It's testing charging solutions and battery-swapping stations. Last year, it acquired Amsterdam-based smart scooter startup Etergo BV to jumpstart its own scooter manufacturing.

Ola's factory site will sport more than 3,000 robots working alongside 10,000 workers. Software built by its 1,000-member team -- mostly engineers -- will divvy up the work. The factory's roof will be covered with solar panels and be carbon negative. Two supplier parks at either end of the complex will make about half of the scooter components required.

Aggarwal oversees it all scrupulously. Once a week, he trudges around the construction site checking on progress. On other days, cameras mounted on tall pipes around the site relay the action directly to his desk. His pride is evident: a graduate of the elite Indian Institute of Technology, he said he designed the automated storage, retrieval and delivery system for the electric scooters and won a patent for it.
www.ndtv.com

500-Acre Bengaluru Campus For World's Largest E-Scooter Factory

Bhavish Aggarwal surveys the empty 500-acre expanse encircled by neon-painted homes, tiny shrines and mango groves. The high-profile Ola founder hopes to erect the world's largest electric scooter plant on this vacant plot on Bangalore's outskirts within the next 12 weeks, cranking out about 2...
www.ndtv.com www.ndtv.com
 

India plans to rework the EVs space as it pushes China against the wall​


1625232211537.png
FILE PHOTO: An employee works at a production line of lithium ion batteries inside a factory in Dongguan, Guangdong province, China (REUTERS)

India has few exploitable options to produce lithium, the key metal for the current generation of electric-vehicle batteries, but its eastern jungles hold large reserves of bauxite, the ore used to make aluminum.

A drive to reduce dependence on imported materials and technology, especially from China, is pushing India to invest in a battery technology that uses aluminum rather than lithium as the key ingredient. Indian Oil Corp., the nation’s largest oil refiner, has teamed up with startup Phinergy Ltd. to develop the Israeli company’s aluminum-air battery.

India has few exploitable options to produce lithium, the key metal for the current generation of electric-vehicle batteries, but its eastern jungles hold large reserves of bauxite, the ore used to make aluminum.

“Lithium is scarce in the country and we started scouting for an element which is abundantly available as a natural resource," said Indian Oil R&D Director S.S.V. Ramakumar.

India is among the top 10 bauxite producers. It has some 600 million tons of the ore in proven reserves, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, though India’s mining ministry estimates that untapped resources may be many times that amount. Moreover, the country has invested heavily in production of aluminum over the years to become the world’s second-biggest smelter of aluminum.

“Clearly the special consideration here is that aluminum is in better supply than lithium," said James Frith, Head of Energy Storage at BNEF in London. “But with the ever-falling prices of lithium-based systems, developers will be under pressure to find niche applications where Aluminum-Oxygen can gain a foothold."

An aluminum-air battery could win advantages over its lithium-ion rival in three other crucial ways, Ramakumar said: It’s potentially cheaper, vehicles using it would have a longer range, and it’s safer.

Swapping Batteries

The battery works by tapping electricity generated when aluminum plates react with oxygen in the air. It has one of the highest energy densities for a battery. But the system has a number of drawbacks that have kept it from wide-scale use since it was first proposed in the 1960s.

Chief among them is the cost of materials that need to be added to the battery to prevent the power from dropping and the fact that the cells can’t be recharged. Instead, Phinergy’s plan is for users to be able to quickly swap in a new battery and send the used one to a recycling facility.
It takes just three minutes to replace the battery, about the time it takes to fill up at a gas station, Ramakumar said. The fuel retailer plans to use its network of filling stations as swapping points.

In comparison, lithium-ion batteries often contain hazardous materials that can be toxic if not disposed of correctly, making them harder to recycle. By 2035, the world will have accumulated about 4 millions tons of Li-ion batteries that have reached the end of their lives, according to a BloombergNEF estimate.

Lithium is already entrenched in the EV market and absorbs most of the research dollars, with many potential challengers based on sodium, magnesium or aluminum focused on smaller segments such as backup power systems, energy storage or low-power transport, like forklifts.
Yet demand both from electric transport and renewable energy storage means India could provide a market big enough for aluminum-air batteries to find a role. Battery demand will rise to as much as 185 gigawatt hours by 2035, according to BNEF.

Amara Raja Batteries Ltd., India’s largest producer of lead-acid cells, is examining existing lithium-based technologies as a “next growth engine," though also sees scope for alternatives to be developed, Vijayanand Samudrala, the firm’s president of new energy, told a BNEF summit on Tuesday.

“I don’t think there’s a final word on the maturity of the technology, I can see at least two or three generations of technology shift happening in the batteries area in the next 10 years," he said.

Indian Oil made a strategic investment in Phinergy in early 2020, and the Indian firm’s 30,000 service stations can “serve as the infrastructure for the deployment of Phinergy’s technology," the Israeli company said in an e-mail.

Phinergy’s systems have been tested by telecoms companies for backup power at transmission towers and other sites. The company, which raised $60 million from an initial public offering in Tel Aviv earlier this year, has run a test car using an aluminum-air battery to keep the vehicle’s lithium-ion power pack charged that it says would have a range of 1,750 kilometers.

To assess the viability of wide-scale use in India, automakers Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd., Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. and Ashok Leyland Ltd. are carrying out vehicle tests that are expected to take almost a year. If there’s enough demand, Indian Oil and Phinergy plan to set up a gigawatt-scale facility to make the batteries in India, Ramakumar said.

Success would help Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to tackle three urgent problems for the country: cutting pollution, reducing raw material imports and creating jobs.

India’s dependence on fossil fuels has made it the the world’s third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases and its cities regularly top the rankings for polluted air, putting hundreds of millions of citizens at the risk of lung diseases and premature death. The government has also been pushing companies to reduce the imports bill and increase self-sufficiency. Indian Oil is the the nation’s biggest importer of crude oil.

The refiner has joined major oil companies including Royal Dutch Shell Plc and BP Plc in pivoting toward clean energy as governments tighten emission regulations.

“We no longer see ourselves as merely an oil company. We want to emerge as an energy player, supplying all forms of energy," Ramakumar said. “All future fuels have to have a common motive: make India self-sufficient."

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

India plans to rework the EVs space as it pushes China against the wall
 
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Gautam said:

India plans to rework the EVs space as it pushes China against the wall​


View attachment 20126
FILE PHOTO: An employee works at a production line of lithium ion batteries inside a factory in Dongguan, Guangdong province, China (REUTERS)

India has few exploitable options to produce lithium, the key metal for the current generation of electric-vehicle batteries, but its eastern jungles hold large reserves of bauxite, the ore used to make aluminum.

A drive to reduce dependence on imported materials and technology, especially from China, is pushing India to invest in a battery technology that uses aluminum rather than lithium as the key ingredient. Indian Oil Corp., the nation’s largest oil refiner, has teamed up with startup Phinergy Ltd. to develop the Israeli company’s aluminum-air battery.

India has few exploitable options to produce lithium, the key metal for the current generation of electric-vehicle batteries, but its eastern jungles hold large reserves of bauxite, the ore used to make aluminum.

“Lithium is scarce in the country and we started scouting for an element which is abundantly available as a natural resource," said Indian Oil R&D Director S.S.V. Ramakumar.

India is among the top 10 bauxite producers. It has some 600 million tons of the ore in proven reserves, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, though India’s mining ministry estimates that untapped resources may be many times that amount. Moreover, the country has invested heavily in production of aluminum over the years to become the world’s second-biggest smelter of aluminum.

“Clearly the special consideration here is that aluminum is in better supply than lithium," said James Frith, Head of Energy Storage at BNEF in London. “But with the ever-falling prices of lithium-based systems, developers will be under pressure to find niche applications where Aluminum-Oxygen can gain a foothold."

An aluminum-air battery could win advantages over its lithium-ion rival in three other crucial ways, Ramakumar said: It’s potentially cheaper, vehicles using it would have a longer range, and it’s safer.

Swapping Batteries

The battery works by tapping electricity generated when aluminum plates react with oxygen in the air. It has one of the highest energy densities for a battery. But the system has a number of drawbacks that have kept it from wide-scale use since it was first proposed in the 1960s.

Chief among them is the cost of materials that need to be added to the battery to prevent the power from dropping and the fact that the cells can’t be recharged. Instead, Phinergy’s plan is for users to be able to quickly swap in a new battery and send the used one to a recycling facility.
It takes just three minutes to replace the battery, about the time it takes to fill up at a gas station, Ramakumar said. The fuel retailer plans to use its network of filling stations as swapping points.

In comparison, lithium-ion batteries often contain hazardous materials that can be toxic if not disposed of correctly, making them harder to recycle. By 2035, the world will have accumulated about 4 millions tons of Li-ion batteries that have reached the end of their lives, according to a BloombergNEF estimate.

Lithium is already entrenched in the EV market and absorbs most of the research dollars, with many potential challengers based on sodium, magnesium or aluminum focused on smaller segments such as backup power systems, energy storage or low-power transport, like forklifts.
Yet demand both from electric transport and renewable energy storage means India could provide a market big enough for aluminum-air batteries to find a role. Battery demand will rise to as much as 185 gigawatt hours by 2035, according to BNEF.

Amara Raja Batteries Ltd., India’s largest producer of lead-acid cells, is examining existing lithium-based technologies as a “next growth engine," though also sees scope for alternatives to be developed, Vijayanand Samudrala, the firm’s president of new energy, told a BNEF summit on Tuesday.

“I don’t think there’s a final word on the maturity of the technology, I can see at least two or three generations of technology shift happening in the batteries area in the next 10 years," he said.

Indian Oil made a strategic investment in Phinergy in early 2020, and the Indian firm’s 30,000 service stations can “serve as the infrastructure for the deployment of Phinergy’s technology," the Israeli company said in an e-mail.

Phinergy’s systems have been tested by telecoms companies for backup power at transmission towers and other sites. The company, which raised $60 million from an initial public offering in Tel Aviv earlier this year, has run a test car using an aluminum-air battery to keep the vehicle’s lithium-ion power pack charged that it says would have a range of 1,750 kilometers.

To assess the viability of wide-scale use in India, automakers Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd., Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. and Ashok Leyland Ltd. are carrying out vehicle tests that are expected to take almost a year. If there’s enough demand, Indian Oil and Phinergy plan to set up a gigawatt-scale facility to make the batteries in India, Ramakumar said.

Success would help Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to tackle three urgent problems for the country: cutting pollution, reducing raw material imports and creating jobs.

India’s dependence on fossil fuels has made it the the world’s third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases and its cities regularly top the rankings for polluted air, putting hundreds of millions of citizens at the risk of lung diseases and premature death. The government has also been pushing companies to reduce the imports bill and increase self-sufficiency. Indian Oil is the the nation’s biggest importer of crude oil.

The refiner has joined major oil companies including Royal Dutch Shell Plc and BP Plc in pivoting toward clean energy as governments tighten emission regulations.

“We no longer see ourselves as merely an oil company. We want to emerge as an energy player, supplying all forms of energy," Ramakumar said. “All future fuels have to have a common motive: make India self-sufficient."

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

India plans to rework the EVs space as it pushes China against the wall
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last time we were hyped up on gas now it is metal. We certainly have made some solid progress.

ONGC - India's Largest Crude Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited Compa

ONGC has a unique distinction of being a company with in-house service capabilities in all areas of Exploration and Production of oil and gas and related oil-field services.
www.ongcindia.com www.ongcindia.com
 
jetray said:
last time we were hyped up on gas now it is metal. We certainly have made some solid progress.

ONGC - India's Largest Crude Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited Compa

ONGC has a unique distinction of being a company with in-house service capabilities in all areas of Exploration and Production of oil and gas and related oil-field services.
www.ongcindia.com www.ongcindia.com
Click to expand...
The KG basin has started producing gas. Reliance has operationalized the KG-D6 gas block. ONGC also has a few active oil blocks in the KG basin & is also producing gas from there. Gas exploration is expanding rapidly in Tripura & other NE states too. ONGC is currently looking for gas in some 14 or so wells. Tripura alone has some 4 active gas blocks, 2-3 more waiting to be operationalized.

All of this will go well with the National Gas Grid project.
 
Gautam said:
The KG basin has started producing gas. Reliance has operationalized the KG-D6 gas block. ONGC also has a few active oil blocks in the KG basin & is also producing gas from there. Gas exploration is expanding rapidly in Tripura & other NE states too. ONGC is currently looking for gas in some 14 or so wells. Tripura alone has some 4 active gas blocks, 2-3 more waiting to be operationalized.

All of this will go well with the National Gas Grid project.
Click to expand...
No , this is not about oil/gas drilling.
This is about methane hydrate present on seabed . Even though there is supposed to be large quantity of those in India's EEC, we have not been able to successfully harvest them commercially as we dont have a viable technology.

Baruna asked: What are the prospects of methane hydrates in India? | Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses

Shebonti Ray Dadwal replies: In 2006, India’s National Gas Hydrate Programme (NGHP) established the presence of significant quantities of hydrates (also known as methane hydrates) in the Krishna Godavari, Mahanadi and Andaman basins.
idsa.in idsa.in
 
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