Electric Vehicles

The second phase of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) and Electric Vehicles program offers purchase incentives for electric and hybrid vehicles and also supports charging infrastructure.

The tracked green finance for climate mitigation was an average Rs 124 thousand crore (US$19 billion) for FY 2017 and FY 2018, representing only about 10% of what the country required. 

The program aims at supporting the development of innovative electric vehicle (EV) solutions like extending range through battery capacity improvements, and battery management, fast charging infrastructure, and mobile charging solutions for emergencies. Two startups shall be supported each year with up to INR 80 lakh each to complete proof of concept and develop prototypes. 

The industry needs to cut a dependence on electric vehicle battery imports from China, according to the road transport minister, who said the government is looking to support research into alternatives to lithium-ion technology.

The Gurgaon-based data-driven fleet service provider—which launched India’s first all-electric heavy-duty truck last year—will use Faradion’s sodium-ion batteries in its commercial vehicles.

Scientists at Germany’s Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin have made a discovery they say could greatly increase the energy storage capacity of titanium-based ‘MXene’ pseudocapacitors, ultimately leading to faster-charging batteries. The group found adding urea molecules between MXene layers increased the material’s storage capacity by up to 56%.

A range of up to 600 km is possible when Lithium-ion batteries are combined with metal-air batteries that the fossil fuel giant intends to produce in India under a partnership with Israel based startup Phinergy.

The OneBox, from Indian manufacturer Vision Mechatronics, consists of a lithium battery, hybrid inverter and solar charge controller to give a hassle-free solution for electricity back-up during power outages. Solar rooftop owners are offered a grid feed feature to maximize net metering income from any excess power generated.

Leveraging Triton Solar’s battery technology and Ushva’s experienced team from IIT Bombay, the strategic alliance aims to develop one-of-a-kind car with the longest travel range on a single charge and unique user experience.

China, Hong Kong and Vietnam are the top three nations exporting batteries to India. Chinese imports were worth $773 million in the last fiscal year with Hong Kong shipping $267 million worth and Vietnam $114 million, according to the Ministry of Commerce.