31 July 2022

Can Ola Electric ensure safety of its new EV batteries?

Ola Electric is set to be among three Indian firms that would come up with locally-manufactured electric vehicle (EV) battery cells in a bid to boost the EV ecosystem in the country but the company along with others must first ensure safety while making batteries.

Along with Reliance New Energy and Rajesh Exports, Ola Electric has inked pacts under the central government’s production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme of Rs 18,100 crore to make battery cells.

Can Ola Electric ensure safety of its new EV batteries?
Ola Electric lithium-ion battery.

Ola had recently seen a spate of battery fire incidents with its two-wheelers and it must ensure that this is not repeated. For this, it must not import cheap raw materials from China just to give its customers a “budget” deal.

Ola makes electric scooters currently and is now targeting to put its first electric car on the road soon.

The EV maker is scouting for tie-ups to set up a new factory to make EV batteries and this unit may also double up as the electric car manufacturing facility for Ola.

The trio, a part of the PLI scheme now, would set up battery manufacturing units having a capacity of 95 GWh. 

They will have to set up manufacturing units within two years, as per government condition under the PLI scheme.

The incentives by the Centre would be doled out to the firms for the next five years on the sale of EV batteries that they manufacture.

Minister for heavy industries Mahendra Nath Pandey said, “This will be favourable to the EV ecosystem. It would support the demand for EVs and draw investors to the sector.”

Earlier, the central government had launched the PLI scheme under three categories. The first two are for the auto sector and amount to Rs 25,938 crore.

Then, there is the FAME policy worth Rs 10,000 crore to promote hybrid and electric vehicles. The third is for advanced chemistry cells.

Jointly, this scheme is expected to help India grow the EV ecosystem in the country and make it a major hub for manufacturing electric cars.

Ola Electric had earlier unveiled an indigenous lithium-ion battery cell that it plans to make, starting next year.

The battery is a high nickel cylindrical cell and uses nickel, manganese and cobalt (NMC) on the cathode side. The anode will comprise graphite and silicon, according to Ola Electric.

Bhavish Aggarwal, Ola Electric chief executive officer (CEO), had made ambitious claims, saying, “Ola is building the world’s most-advanced cell research centre. This would enable us to ramp up and innovate at a much faster pace. With this, we can build the most advanced and affordable EV products in the world with great speed.”

He added, “Our first indigenously-made Li-ion cell will also be among the first of many offerings from our cell technology. Having a robust electric vehicle ecosystem is mandatory if India wants to become a global EV hub.”

According to electric vehicle companies, the battery fire incidents could be the biggest learnings for them. Getting to know the reason for these fires could help them plug the faults and make batteries safer. So, EV fires could either become rare or a thing of the past. 
 
There should be intense research and development (R&D) focus to give a fillip to battery adaptability.
 
More R&D and knowing the reasons for the fires would surely help Ola Electric and others evolve and ensure the making of safer batteries.

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