In order to move the electric mobility ecosystem forward in India, Bhavish Aggarwal has recently launched his new EV battery ‘Bharat Cell’. The aim of ‘Bharat Cell’ is not just technological advancement but to make India self-reliant. According to Aggarwal, this battery will prove to be a game-changer for the electric vehicle industry in the country due to its low cost and high performance.
A podcast session by Bhaish Aggarwal stated: “It is the 5G of lithium cells. It is a cutting-edge technology that we have created in India, and only a few companies are capable of using it globally.” According to the founder of Ola, he hasn’t made any partnerships for this technology.
Currently, the 2170 battery dominates the market and is expected to replace the 4680 soon, especially due to its additional benefits – greater energy capacity, faster charging ability, and lower cost (both manufacturing and retail). The “Bharat Cell” will be used in vehicles, for energy storage at home, in addition to grid energy storage. Bharat Cell will be produced at a 1500-2000 acre-sized EV hub in Tamil Nadu.
According to Bhavish Aggarwal, this technology has received more than 70 patents. Earlier in an exclusive conversation with CNBC-TV18, he said that Ola Electric’s lithium cell initiative started four years ago, and it is important to reduce the cost of EVs and promote domestic innovation in core technology. A 20 GWh allocation from the Government of India’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has been secured by Ola Electric as the largest beneficiary.
Bharat Cell has reportedly received certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards, a mandatory requirement before commercial production can begin at the Ola Gigafactory. India, which largely imports lithium cell batteries, has not made any yet. Batteries account for a significant portion of the cost of manufacturing a unit electric vehicle. Aggarwal said the mission statement of his electric mobility company Ola Electric is to make India a global EV hub.
