A team of engineers from IIT Madras is working to find a comprehensive yet cheap EV solution to reduce the emission mobility with electric vehicles (EVs).
IIT Madras Centre finding cheap EV solution for India
Under the Professor Ashok Jhunjhunawala, the Centre for Battery Engineering and Electric Vehicles (C-BEEV) collaborated with few two/three wheelers and car makers, battery manufacturers and motor makers to know the EV market.
“I expect significant breakthrough any time now,” said Jhunjhunwala.
IIT Madras Centre
C-BEEV is working with Tata Motors, M&M, Ashok Leyland, Ampere, Lohia, and Kinetic among original equipment manufacturers, with Amara Raja Batteries and Exide, on the battery front, etc.
Battery swapping solution for EV
They are proposing and working on a new solution that is battery swapping that will make the capital cost cheaper. As the electric vehicles cost is more because of the batteries, that are too expensive component of the EV.
LPG in small cylinders concept from 1965
The concept is similar as in 1965 the introduction of LPG in small cylinders but the world chose to have expensive piped gas.
He said that the problem is simple, do we adopt the western idea of vehicles with large batteries and charge more or have small batteries and swap the batteries.
“We are working on both. The alternative is not considered in nations where affordability is not a serious issue. Under the swap model, the vehicle weight is also reduced, enhancing the overall efficiency,” he said.
Swapping or leasing the EV battery
When the battery runs out, you have two options to start your drive again. Either you can swap at a battery or lease it. Swapping the battery is done less than 5 minutes similar to any conventional fuel filling time.
Also, this makes the reduction in the capital cost of the vehicle. Or you have another option you can purchase it from an energy operator who charges, swaps and leases out the battery to the user.
Private vehicles travel less than 95km a day
For a taxi fleet, these options can be used having a range of 100 km. The vehicles will have a slot to equip the extra battery helps in adding up the miles for driving. Study indicates that most of the private vehicles travel less than 95km a day.
Battery without leasing costs 6.5 lakh
A conventional EV battery will cost you 14 lakhs for a range of 300 km whereas 9 lakh under C-BEEV’s model swapping model with limited power battery. Without the battery leasing, the price could be lessened to 6.5 lakh.
The leased battery could cost 4 per km
The operational cost for a full-range battery charge would be 1.25 per km where the petrol operational cost is 7 per km. EV with limited charge would cost 2.25 per km and the leased battery could cost 4 per km.
There are still issues since it is the new technology India is adopting. “Over the next two years, everyone will start working towards standardizing,” Jhunjunwala said.
Jhunjunwala Suggests govt must bring law
According to the Times, “Here is where we want the government to bring in a law. The owner of the battery should be responsible for it. Bar code it or provide cash incentives for battery recycling. Punish those who don’t. This is an absolute must as battery recyclers can use the scrap,” he added.
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