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` 100
May 2019
COMPONENTS
INDIA
Groupe PSA charts out strategy to make India sourcing hub
Voice of the Automotive Suppliers
India’s electric vehicle market plugs in
infineon: Functional safety with powerful TMR and GMR angle sensors @autocomponentsindiaofficial
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story
Cover Story 22 India has miles to go before introducing full-fledged e-mobility, says Dr Seshu Bhagavathula 28 Detroit Engineered Products is developing electric two-wheeler 30 Padmini VNA leads in emission control system parts; to focus on hybrids 32 Two-wheelers: The future is electric 36 Magenta Power presents new products for electric vehicle charging 40 Sun Mobility, SmartE to offer battery swapping technology for e-rickshaws 43 Charging infrastructure to play key role in electric mobility expansion 46 EV proliferation may increase import of high-value Chinese components 50 ICAT and Altair join hands for electric mobility testing
06 | News
Tata Tech, FutureMove link for connected mobility solutions
Revolt Intellicorp’s e-motorcycle gets ARAI approval TVS launches 4 new products in Bangladesh Motoroyale launches MV Agusta Brutale 800 RR America in India
52| by Invitation
Functional safety with powerful TMR and GMR angle sensors
55| Event
CII conference projects key R & D trends in automotive sector
58| international
Allison Transmission acquires Vantage Power and AxleTech Mitsubishi Electric launches three new TFT LCDs
JTEKT India appoints Hiroshi Li as Chairman MRF introduces ‘Nylogrip Ezeeride’ tyres Sandvik Coromant introduces CoroPlus MachiningInsights for industry New BMW Z4 Roadster exudes pure sporting pedigree
14| corporate
M&A in auto ancillary sector gains momentum Groupe PSA charts out strategy to make India sourcing hub
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EDITORIAL
Time to choose AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA
not work – for the user/driver as well as for the business investor – that will be difficult to do.
Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E),Mumbai - 400 013 Tel +91 22 43525252, Email us at s.bhargav@nextgenpublishing.net Executive Editor Bhargav TS Editorial Advisory Board H. S. Billimoria, Aspi Bhathena Web Editor Ashish Bhatia Correspondent Sricharan R (Chennai) Gunjan D. Bidani (New Delhi) Head - Design & Production Ravi Parmar Asst Art Director Ajit Manjrekar Production Supervisor Dinesh Bhajnik Publisher Marzban Jasoomani General Manager – North & East Ellora Dasgupta General Manager – South Girish Shet Deputy General Manager – North & East Chanchal Arora (Delhi) Regional Marketing Manager Salma Jabbar (Chennai) Marketing Manager Minocher Parakh (Mumbai) Manager Circulation - North and East Kapil Kaushik (Delhi) Subscription Supervisor Sachin Kelkar Tel +91 22 43525220 Apple Newsstand & Magzter Queries: help@magzter.com Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation) Srinivas Gangula (Hyderabad) Cell +91 09000555756 Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation) Vidyasagar Gupta (Kolkata) Mob: 09804085683 Regional marketing offices Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E), Mumbai - 400 013 Tel +91 22 43525252 26 B, First Floor, Okhla Industrial Estate, Okhla Phase III, New Delhi - 110020, India Tel +91 11 42346600/78, Fax +91 11 42346679 Unit No:509, 5th Floor, ‘B’ wing, Mittal Towers, MG Road, Bengaluru - 560001, India Tel +91 080 66110116/17, Fax +91 80 41472574
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s we are witnessing India’s biggest festival of democracy gripping the country, it is time for us to choose the best to take our country to the next level. It is the largest election in the world with 900 million people eligible — more than the population of Europe and Australia combined — to vote. This huge number also points to the potential of India to become one of the top 3 car markets in the world in the near future. There will be over 400 million people who will prefer to own mobility solutions by 2030. The current way of adding more cars running on imported fossil fuel along the overcrowded city roads polluting the atmosphere is unacceptable and unfeasible. One of the recent initiatives by the Indian Government is focusing on greener India. The government wants to accelerate the electric vehicle transition and it is determined to ‘bulldoze’ India’s shift to alternative fuels ‘whether the industry likes it or not’. However, if the economics does
Going ‘electric’ – as we see in many markets across the world – is a team effort. It requires government’s vision and goals (backed by legislations and financial incentives), innovations by the industry and startups (from battery technologies to mobility models), a push from car manufacturers to design affordable cars optimised for electric driving, and large-scale investments into charging infrastructure and power generation from renewable sources. It is time for us to choose the right combination. The automotive industry is already feeling the effects of electrification or e-mobility, both globally and in India. The EV ecosystem in India is in a nascent stage and is dominated by e-rickshaws and two-wheelers with a less percentage of four-wheelers. But there is a clear potential. There are a number of factors that will help EV overtake engine-based vehicles and give direction to the electrification of mobility in the country. Right EV charging infrastructure, changing the product and component mix bringing EV components and vehicles to life, building the right talent pool and skill set, improving the performance of batteries and electric vehicles and building scale, can drive the EV disruption in India. Bhargav TS Executive Editor s.bhargav@nextgenpublishing.net
Cenetoph Elite, No.5, Cenetoph 1st street, Teynampet, Chennai - 600018, India Tel +91 044 421-08-421/044 421-75-421 Devendra Mehta - Mob No.- 09714913234 Ahmedabad 201 Gera Serenity, North Main road, Koregaon Park, Pune - 411001. Tel + 91 20 26830465
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Views and opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. does not take responsibility for returning unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or other material. All material published in Auto Components India is copyright and no part of the magazine may be reproduced in part or full without the express prior written permission of the publisher Printed by Marzban Jasoomani Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E),Mumbai - 400 013. Published by Marzban Jasoomani on behalf of Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E), Mumbai - 400 013. Printed at Spring Graphics, 215 & 238, Shah & Nahar Industrial Estate, Sun Mill Compund, Lower Parel (West), Mumbai 400013, India. Published at Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E),Mumbai - 400 013
All readers are recommended to make their own independent enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement appearing in the publication. Auto Components India does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers for their products and services. The editor, publisher, printer and employees of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequence in the events of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai only. Editor Bhargav TS
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News
Revolt Intellicorp’s e-motorcycle gets ARAI approval
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endorsement to our efforts over the last 2 years.”
evolt Intellicorp Pvt. Ltd, a mobility company, has completed its homologation process and received approvals for its AI-enabled motorcycle from Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the first motorcycle to get this. Revolt Intellicorp had conducted several stringent tests internally to ensure the best combination of performance and aesthetics. The product stood true to its promise during the Gradient Ability Test, where it went up the incline smoothly at 10.2 degrees. The battery has gone through a foolproof, high-decibel internal testing process including tests performance, cycle life, nail penetration, shock, all-weather and water proofing tests. Owing to this, the Lithium-ion battery of the new electric
bike from the Revolt stable passed in a single attempt. The ARAI certified range is 156 km.
Revolt Motors works with a vision of democratising clean commute using nextgen mobility solution and a mission to create a future of next-gen mobility with 100% accessibility and 0% fuel residue. With technology at its roots and a classapart product in the works,
Rahul Sharma, Founder, Revolt Intellicorp Pvt. Ltd., said, “When we started developing the product, we had to put together performance, form factor and aesthetics into a powerful package. We invested a lot of time testing it internally to make sure we have a winner before sending it to ARAI. The speedy ARAI certification is a huge
Headquartered in Gurgaon, Revolt Intellicorp Pvt. Ltd. has a manufacturing facility in Manesar, Haryana. The R&D team based in Gurgaon headquarters has been working for close to 2 years with a joint vision of introducing India’s first AI-enabled motorcycle without compromising on the performance or aesthetics. ACI
TVS launches 4 new products in Bangladesh TVS Motor Company, a reputed manufacturer of two-wheelers and threewheelers in the world, has launched four new products in Bangladesh. The products include premium motorcycle TVS Apache RTR 160 4V single disc, 125cc motorcycle TVS Max 125, 100cc motorcycle TVS Metro special edition and utility vehicle TVS XL100 Heavy Duty ‘i-Touch Start’. These products will target the growing customer demand in each of their respective segment. TVS Motor Company distributes their two-wheelers through TVS Auto Bangladesh across the country. R Dilip, Senior Vice President, International Business, TVS Motor
endeavour to provide superior mobility experience to our customers.”
Company said, “We are delighted to launch four diverse products in Bangladesh, which is one of our key export markets. Each product will cater to the growing mobility needs of the country by addressing performance, durability and comfort. This is in line with our
J Ekram Hussain, MD, TVS Auto Bangladesh said, “We are happy to expand the TVS Motor Company product portfolio with the launch of four new products. The offerings have been designed to suit the requirements of the Bangladesh market with the value proposition of performance, fuel efficiency, durability and convenience which ensures good performance across any type of terrain. We are confident that our launches will meet with success in the country.” All the vehicles will be available in TVS Auto Bangladesh showrooms across the country. ACI
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News
Motoroyale launches MV Agusta Brutale 800 RR America in India
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three performance and riding dynamics.
otoroyale by Kinetic, the exclusive distributors of MV Agusta in India, launched MV Agusta Brutale 800 RR America in the country. The superbikes are at the pinnacle of the sports naked segment and only 5 units of the bike will be available in India. The name ‘America’ holds a prominent place in the MV Agusta heritage. The primary reference is to the ‘S America 750’, a model that dates back to 1975 which boasted of an in-line four-cylinder engine with dual overhead camshafts, 75 horsepower and air cooling. More than 25 years later, it was the first Brutale, the fourcylinder designed by Massimo Tamburini, to revive the name “America” with an immediately recognisable colour scheme;
red, white and blue. The MV AgustaBrutale RR America is a part of the Brutale 800 RR series, which is an outcome of three years of detailoriented development and improvements on a series that was already an industry point of reference in terms of style, in line-
The “extreme” naked, for maximum performance and the sportiest ride provides 140 Bhp with 87 NM torque, dual seat’s, concealed passenger grab rails, signature lights and a lightweight sub-frame. These are only some of the many elements that have made the Brutale 800 RR an instant icon. This brand new ‘America’ reiterates the attractive color scheme on a mica blue base with iridescent reflections and horizontal graphic cuts that enhance the original characteristics of the Brutale 800 RR: irreverent design, top shelf technical features and as always an extreme attention to detail. The bike is priced at INR 18,73,000 ex showroom. ACI
MRF introduces ‘Nylogrip Ezeeride’ motorcycle tyres
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RF, India’s largest tyre manufacturer, has introduced ‘MRF Nylogrip Ezeeride’ range of motorcycle tyres. MRF Nylogrip Ezeeride motorcycle tyres will be available in tube and tubeless versions for both the front and the rear in 10 sizes fitting popular commuter bikes and extending to the Enfield and HarleyDavidson motorcycles. Koshy Varghese, Executive Vice President Marketing, MRF Ltd said, “MRF has been providing customers a wide range of motorcycle tyres with legendary brands like Nylogrip, Zapper and Mogrip. MRF Nylogrip Ezeeride is a premium product designed for the discerning customer who wants a superlative riding
experience from his tyres. The MRF Nylogrip Ezeeride is designed with the added element of comfort without compromising on the grip and durability normally associated with MRF tyres truly a Biker’s Delight. What makes the tyre special is its enhanced and unique tread design that offers superior riding comfort on straight rides, enhanced stability for handling zigzag movements, and efficient water channelling on wet roads. True to its name MRF Nylogrip Ezeeride will make every ride an Ezeeride. It is available at the flagship MRF Tiretok, MRF T&S stores and MRF Exclusive dealers across the country. ACI
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News
Sandvik Coromant introduces CoroPlus MachiningInsights for industry
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andvik Coromant has launched a new CoroPlus MachiningInsights aiming to make the manufacturing workshops more efficient and profitable by using digital solutions for monitoring of equipment utilisation. Indian customers will gain from this new age solution to increase effeciency which would further result in profitability. More than a monitoring system, the solution gathers data, calls attention to issues and provides the insights required to take action. It is an easily attainable step for manufacturers that are looking to reduce waste in production and make a smooth transition into a digital way of working. For many manufacturers and workshops, knowing when a machine has stopped – and identifying the underlying reason for the stoppage – can be a major challenge
and digital solutions are creating new possibilities to overcome this issue. Replacing the traditional ways of manual tracking, manual data aggregation and manual time studies, collecting data directly from a connected machine tool as well as from operators makes it possible to visualise the machine and even tool efficiency utilisation levels and create improvements within the factory. Sunil Joshi, VP, Sandvik Coromant, South and East Asia said, “Indian manufacturers will be able to make substantial efficiency gains from this digital solution through the ability to analyse equipment utilisation and act to optimise production processes. The analysis itself is facilitated by digital connectivity and by adding the capability of operator input into the system,Sandvik Coromant has ensured that there are also opportunities for increased collaboration
and greater efficiency by combining data from the operator with data from the machine.” Transparency is ensured through the visualisation being carried out online and therefore, accessible by a web browser. This means there is no need for a complicated IT project to get up and running and there is a rapid and simple method of incorporating digital manufacturing intelligence into a production site to drive improvements. With this offer now Sandvik Coromant yellow coats would not only be able to provide quality machine and tool data but will also be able to suggest improvements of increasing efficiency through their solutions. Sandvik is introducing the MachiningInsights solution for visualisation of workshop efficiency in selected markets and India is one of them. ACI
New BMW Z4 Roadster exudes pure sporting pedigree
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4,200 rpm. The car accelerates from 0 -100 km / hr in just 6.6 seconds. The BMW Z4 M40i conjures the power required for its breathtaking performance from a three-litre six-cylinder in-line engine. The three-litre engine of the BMW Z4 M40i produces an output of 250 kW / 340 hp and a maximum torque of 500 Nm at 1,600 – 4,500 rpm. The car accelerates from 0 -100 km / hr in just 4.5 seconds.
he all-new BMW Z4 Roadster, launched in India, with unadulterated driving pleasure with the open-top twoseater exuding pure sporting pedigree. With powerful driving dynamics and a progressive design, the all-new BMW Z4 Roadster offers the freedom between road and open sky. It is available at all BMW dealerships across India as a Completely Built-Up Unit (CBU) model. The BMW Z4 sDrive20i is available in Alpine White as non-metallic paintwork and in following metallic paintworks – Black Sapphire, Glacier Silver, Mineral White, Mediterranean Blue and San Francisco Red and also exclusively available with the M Sport Package Missano are the Blue metallic
and optional paintwork Frozen Grey II metallic The two-litre inline four-cylinder petrol engine of the all-new BMW Z4 sDrive20i produces an output of 145 kW/197 hp and a maximum torque of 320 Nm at 1,450 –
The BMW Z4 M40i is available in Alpine White as non-metallic paintwork and in following metallic paintworks – Black Sapphire, Glacier Silver, San Francisco Red, Missano Blue metallic and optional paintwork Frozen Grey II metallic. ACI
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News
Tata Tech, FutureMove link for connected mobility solutions
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ata Technologies, a leading global engineering services organisation, has entered into a strategic partnership with FutureMove Automotive, a high-tech Chinese enterprise specialising in connected services, to develop comprehensive and unique connected mobility solutions for automotive manufacturers in China and worldwide. The companies signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Auto Shanghai, the biggest auto fair of the South East Asia region. The association will enable both the companies to complement their value offerings for the automotive industry and serve their customers better towards future mobility. Tata Technologies has strong capabilities in delivering end-to-end vehicle programmes. With over 9000 professionals, Tata Technologies serves clients in 27 countries from its 17 global delivery centers across Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America.
customers in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and the US. Through the agreement, the 2 companies will integrate technologies, products, solutions, and resources to respond to demands within the automotive industry. The joint strategy will help support their clients across the globe by providing the capacity, capability, competitiveness and a range of innovative solutions for future mobility and ensure their leadership in the industry.
FutureMove Automotive, with its digital and mobility services is a strategic partner to its
Warren Harris, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Tata
Technologies, said, “In support of our vision towards `Engineering a better world’, Tata Technologies is committed to building an ecosystem of partners. These strategic partnerships will be underpinned by a commitment to complementary positioning and mutual success. The relationship with FutureMove will combine Tata Technologies’ market-leading connected car service offerings with the platform and technology of FutureMove to provide a suite of services to the Chinese automotive industry. We are extremely excited about the opportunity to accelerate the value that we deliver to this dynamic and constantly evolving market.” John Wang, Founder and Chairman, FutureMove Automotive, said, “Tata Technologies is one of the most important strategic cooperation partners for FutureMove worldwide, the cooperation not only meets the current business need, but also has profound strategic significance for FutureMove to develop overseas market especially in Southeast Asia and AsiaPacific.” ACI
JTEKT India appoints Hiroshi Li as Chairman
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iroshi Li has taken charge as Chairman of JTEKT India Limited (Formerly known as Sona Koyo Steering Systems Limited). He will also serve as Chairman for all JTEKT India region companies in India. Li joins JTEKT India with over three decades of senior leadership experience. He has held a number of leadership roles within JTEKT Corporation,
for automobiles holds large potential and we are placed at the right place and time to address the needs of the growing market,” Li said.
Japan, the United States and Europe. Prior to joining JTEKT India, he was serving as President at JTEKT Europe S.A.S. “India is a key focus for JTEKT Corporation and I am determined to help reinforce the commitment. Since the acquisition in 2017, we have been strengthening our operations and will continue to
build for domestic and overseas customers. The Indian market
Li takes over from Hidekazu Omura, the erstwhile Chairman who was in India for five years and has returned to Japan for a new assignment within JTEKT Corporation. ACI
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CORPORATE
M&A in auto ancillary sector gain momentum ACI Bureau
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n the current economic scenario where regulations, technological disruptions and changing market requirements are shaping the future of the auto industry the world over, and shifts in the electric and alternative fuel areas are evident amid rising fossil fuel prices, the Merger and Acquisition (M&A) activities in the auto ancillary space are continuing to draw attention. According to India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra), investments in the auto ancillary sector in the form of acquisitions and joint ventures are expected to continue in the medium term. The driving force behind this is said to be the investment by companies in domestic and emerging markets to take advantage of the technological developments, and to increase their product availability. Buoyant domestic demand and high capacity utilisation is said to entice suppliers to tap inorganic growth opportunities.
According to an ICRA source, apart from a quest to be futureready, companies are indulging into M&A activities to diversify traditional product portfolios into more technologically advanced and software-enabled products. He drew attention to a recent move by a subsidiary of Motherson Sumi Systems Limited to acquire Reydel Automotive Holdings BV, a prominent player in manufacturing automotive interior products. He also drew attention to Minda Industries acquiring iSYS RTS GmbH, a developer of embedded systems and software for major OEMs. Highlighting the joint venture of Sandhar Technologies Limited and Precision Camshafts Ltd to leverage the advancements in their respective domains, the source said that technological arrangements with global payers have always been the case in the auto ancillary space and they are showing an upward now. Citing 11 M&A activities during the period between January 2018 and August 2018, the source stressed upon the emergence of a trend where domestic companies are acquiring foreign firms. The motive, he claimed, was to integrate and expand scale through strategic moves towards businesses that are at an early stage. The motive behind strategic acquisitions is also said to lean towards businesses that have solid technology, innovations and distinguished products to offer. With large corporates looking at expanding horizontally across geographies and building a resilient product portfolio, M&A activities come on the back of overwhelming
domestic demand and peak capacity utilisation. With revenue in the auto parts industry growing consistently in FY2016-17, and in FY2017-18, due to an uptick in demand for automobiles and aftermarket sales volume, M&A activities could bode well for Indian suppliers in the long run as automotive OEMs increasingly roll-out models with latest features on road in India. It could bode well as Indian suppliers see a rise in the exports of auto components. Exports of auto components increased at 11% CAGR in the period between FY13 and FY18. Revenue growth is expected to be 10% to 12% Year-on-Year for FY2018-19. The M&A activities are expected to help suppliers tide over the increasingly cyclic nature of the automotive industry in India. Though the CV industry is expected to enjoy stronger and faster growth than the passenger vehicle or the two-wheeler industry in the medium term, it is the CV components suppliers, or those who have greater exposure to CV OEMs, that are likely to face more challenges due to the higher elasticity of CVs in a downturn. Such suppliers could experience pressure in terms of margins and credit metrics. With higher exposure to regulations like vehicle scrappage policy, revised axle load limits, and technological changes related to electronics, it would be necessary to look carefully at the dynamics of a merger to contain the right framework. ACI
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CORPORATE
Groupe PSA charts out strategy to make India sourcing hub Story & photos: Bhargav TS
T C5 Aircross SUV to be the first product from Citroën for the Indian market
he companies that are present in the Indian market and those on the way to taste success in India need to have clear focus and strategy. Most of the global companies know India is a tough market and they do their homework well before reaching the Indian shores. Recently Kia Motors and MG Group entered India with their respective strategies. Now it’s time for the French auto major Groupe PSA, which has announced its entry
into the Indian market. For the group this is not the first time. Earlier, twice the company came to India but went with empty hands. Now in its third innings the company has come up with a clear focus of what to do and what not to. April 3, 2019 was a red letter day for Groupe PSA, as it launched the Citroën brand for the Indian market as part of its `Push to Pass’ strategy for the period 2019-2021. The flagship vehicle, Citroën C5 Aircross SUV, was also showcased at the event, which will be the first product from
the Citroën brand for the Indian customers, to be launched before the end of 2020. To beat the competition, the company has charted out a clear strategy for its Indian innings. It will have high level of localisation from day one with the help of its 2 joint ventures with CK Birla Group for vehicle assembly at its Thiruvallur plant near Chennai, and a powertrain plant with AVTEC in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. The initial manufacturing capacity of this state-of-the-art plant will be about 300,000 transmissions per annum and 200,000 units of BS-VI compliant engines. The plant will
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CORPORATE manufacture gearboxes in phase-I to support the India project and Groupe PSA in general. The C5 Aircross, which is based on Groupe PSA’s EMP2 platform, will be produced at its Thiruvallur plant with an annual production capacity of 100,000 units in phase-1. Carlos Tavares, Chairman of the Managing Board, Groupe PSA, said that the Group’s overall strategy is to become more global and increase sales outside Europe by over 50%. For the India entry, the Group has been working for the last 3 years and a lot of work and expertise have been invested in this. “India is an important next step for Groupe PSA, as part of the `Push to Pass’ plan to increase our international footprint and revenues. With the introduction of Citroen, our aim is to ‘be Indian in India’ and our association with the CK Birla Group will be important to become a major player in the Indian automotive market. Globally, we have been successful in Europe and other parts of the world because of our unique automotive experiences and mobility solutions to meet our customer expectations. We really believe that India is a strong opportunity for growth and our commitment, professionalism and the agility of our teams, combined with the pursuit of operational excellence, will sustainably drive our performance and increase the satisfaction of our future customers in the country.”
with 3 Cs: Cool, Comfort and Clever. Cool refers to the design of the models, bearing Citroen’s unique character. Comfort is a feature of the Citroen experience via wellbeing on board and ease-of use for all occupants. Clever is with reference to the intelligent design and the high level of local integration to perfectly meet the core market needs. After India, other global markets will get these new international models. In order to avoid the failures like in the previous stint, this time PSA is focusing on building the business profitably. By manufacturing both the engine and transmission locally for its India models, Citroen will aim to get a sizeable cost advantage over other global carmakers in the country. Though it doesn’t have a ‘first-mover advantage’ to enhance its chance to succeed in India, it is betting on the advantage of studying its competitors and the reasons for the previous failures in India. The company officials said because of huge investments, unrealistic volumes and some other reasons it failed previously to make a mark in India. Emmanuel Delay, Executive Vice President and Head of IndiaPacific, Groupe PSA said, “New technologies, modern production
techniques and innovative designs have played a crucial role in developing the brand for which Citroën is known. As a new player in the Indian automotive market, we will stick to remaining committed to our philosophy of constantly looking to the future and setting high standards of innovation while continuing to build on the brand attributes. Our India story will play a crucial role in making the Citroën brand more international. We are on track to meet our objective of introducing our innovative range, starting from the new Citroën C5 Aircross SUV, which will be the first of many differentiating products from the brand.” According to its India market strategy, in the beginning it is expecting 2% share of the passenger vehicle market to be profitable. According to Delay, “Our ambition is to achieve 2% market share within 4-5 years. We know India is a tough market where nothing is certain but also nothing is impossible. We want to build a full ecosystem to be ‘Indian in India’ and leverage India as a cost-efficient market. Eventually, we fully tend to leverage the best in India and integrate it into global sourcing and R&D footprint. For the brand Citroen, new technologies,
Linda Jackson, Citroen global CEO, Roland Bouchara, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Citroën India, Carlos Tavares, Chairman of the Managing Board, Groupe PSA and Emmanuel Delay, Executive Vice President and Head of IndiaPacific, Groupe PSA
Like in Europe, Citroen will position itself by rolling out its ‘Inspired by You’ brand-positioning. Citroen will manufacture a range of new models with an eye on international market. The first of which will be launched in India by the end of 2021. All the new models will follow its principle, ‘PSA Core Model Strategy’, in particular with one model launch per year. The programme ‘C Cubed’ is in line with Citroén’s positioning 17 17
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CORPORATE are looking for “QCD” (Quality, Cost & Delivery) performance, not only the lowest cost per part, but also TCO (Total Cost of Ownership). The Monosokuri approach, gathering engineering, manufacturing and purchasing, will make the difference from the competitors. Our sourcing with Indian suppliers will lead to new verticals and opportunities to meet customer needs and respond to the technological shift. The summit also focused on developing and integrating a broad network of Indian suppliers through encouraging collaborative product development, orchestrating and connecting information across the supply chain, and understanding an ecosystem of suppliers and partners within it.” Interiors of C5 Aircross SUV
modern production techniques and innovative designs have played a crucial role in developing it. As a new player in the Indian automotive market, we will stick to remaining committed to our philosophy of constantly looking to the future and setting high standards of innovation while continuing to build on the brand attributes. Our design will meet the Indian customer demands.” Citroen global CEO Linda Jackson said, “Citroen has a ‘modem disruptive approach’ which will help us stand out in India. Design and comfort will be the two factors that will differentiate and define the Citroen brand in India.” She added, “Launching a brand in a large market such as India is a unique and enthralling experience. With its boldness and its capacity to be inspired by the ways of its customers, I am convinced that Citroen has all of the assets to attract the Indian customer base. We are giving ourselves the tools to do so, with the ambition of being ‘Indian in India’,
on both the industrial front with the two local joint ventures, and with the new product offering, which we are introducing in the country, building on the formulas that have brought us success in Europe.” Soon after the Citroën brand launch in India, Groupe PSA purchasing department presented its strategy to expand globally, in order to cope with the `Push to Pass’ ambition, with an increase by 50% of its sales outside Europe. The Suppliers Summit held in Chennai witnessed participation of more than 500 Indian suppliers that included both Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers. The selected suppliers will have access to all Groupe PSA’s business opportunities worldwide. It was worth euro 42 billion in 2018. Michelle Wen, Executive Vice President, Global Purchasing and Supplier Quality, Groupe PSA, said, “In the context of fierce competition, Purchasing has a key role to play in terms of performance for projects and serial life production phases. We
The ethical, environmental and social criteria regularly assessed by a third party are crucial for the selection of a new supplier, This assessment covers topics like environment, labour practices, fair business practices, and sustainable procurement. This assessment is used for the risk identification and for the selection of sites to be audited. Each supplier assessed receives a score card covering all relevant aspects of the evaluation. Guillaume Ruffino, Purchasing Vice President, India HUB, Groupe PSA, said, “The key progress is that we have found several hundreds of suppliers, which means we have identified the suppliers, screened them and were able to assess them on quality and logistics. The supplier meet was attended by over 500 people with more than 250 different suppliers. That is the key asset for us now. With that, we can receive RFQs on a worldwide basis and put those suppliers in competition in those RFQs.”
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CORPORATE INTERVIEW Michelle Wen, Executive Vice President, Global Purchasing and Supplier Quality, Groupe PSA, and Guillaume Ruffino, Purchasing Vice President, India HUB, Groupe PSA
Q: Was it a strategic decision to start with 95% localisation?
Q: How will you tap the growing opportunities in India?
packaging and oversees logistics cost.
Wen: Yes. I think all the sourcing targets that we do today is exceeding 95% localisation.
Wen: Definitely, through RFQs, we will send the RFQ to the suppliers to support us and work with us for India and as well as for the rest of the globe. To win the deal they have to meet our global standards and also must be cost competitive.
Q: It is also understood that PSA is looking at Monosokuri approach. What is the main benefit?
Q: Is the higher localisation happening across your operations globally or is it something exclusive for the Indian market? Wen: It is a global strategy. As we have our manufacturing facilities across the globe, we do try to respect a lot of local content for each of the countries and regions. In India, I believe there are many good suppliers producing good parts at a competitive price. This allows us to export components from India to the rest of the world.
Q: What are the key factors that you look for when you select local vendors? Wen: We are looking for ‘QCD’ (Quality, Cost & Delivery) performance, not only the lowest cost per part, but also TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), as it is very important in export business. We are going to buy the product for the Indian operation plus
Wen: Basically it is the work among different functions, purchasing, engineering, manufacturing and supply chain. It is to work very closely as 1 team to have the best results. Q: Have you set any benchmark for hiring vendors? Wen: As mentioned, all the suppliers should meet our QCD performance and apart from that they must sign our CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) chart and it is very important to be compliant.
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CORPORATE Q: Apart from quality and cost, what are the other areas that you look for from the suppliers? Ruffino: First, when the parts are under mass production, we look for complete extended company approach, which means we not only look at the process of Groupe PSA or only on the process of suppliers, we look for both. So we extend the vision and we look across both the companies and sometimes even with sub-suppliers to optimise the global value chain. That is the key and this brings lot of value. Quite often between the plants and companies there is a cost involved like packaging and logistics. All these are not going to add value to our end-customers and they are not ready to pay for that, so we are looking at those areas. Second, on the development phase, this is much more difficult, because that part is not ready and is not visible. So it is like how to design a part in the best way. To do this, now we want to enter in a way, where we design the parts jointly with suppliers. We wanted to look at the parts from both sides to manage to get the part at the right cost. Q: Can you compare and contrast vendors in other places to those in India? Wen: I think the Indian suppliers are competitive in powertrain chassis parts, mechanical parts, some plastic parts, and forging and stamping parts. Indian suppliers have already quite many years of experience by working with many OEMs. So on these areas we will go very fast and for rest of the parts we need more time by co-developing, by studying together.
German supplier is strict, to some extent it is good but for some it is not because when we need to look at some part in between, it is very difficult to work with those suppliers. I think people here in India are smarter, experienced and they know how to develop and engineer in a different way. This is what we are going to look for in India.
important country for us and we come to India to stay and not for a few years. To be successful in India we need to have local talent. This is also one of the important reasons why we are in India. India is a country with well educated talent and workforce. Our idea is to hire Indian talent for development and to work for PSA India and for the Group.
Q: Since you have set a high sourcing plan for India, what kind of value are you looking at?
Q: Now it is understood that you are looking India as a sourcing Hub. Is there a possibility for Indian suppliers to be present in all the programmes that PSA Group is developing?
Wen: In 2018 our global purchasing turnover was at euro 42 billion. From India we purchased components worth euro 25 million. So there is a lot of space to grow. Q: Have you set any target for sourcing components from India in the next 5 years? When will you be touching euro1 billion? Wen: We have our internal targets and we will reach that. Crossing euro 1 billion is likely to happen much earlier, I don’t think it will take 5years, I would like to go faster. Q: How do you see the talent pool here in India? Wen: As we said, India is very
Ruffino: I don’t want Indian suppliers for Indian operation alone. I am here to bring Indian suppliers on a global basis. Therefore they will be getting lot of volumes. In fact we are producing 4 million cars every year. Globally, the PSA Group will launch 116 new cars across its 5 brands – Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Vauxhall and Opel – by 2021, and launch Peugeot in the North American market. Therefore the Indian suppliers will be involved in all these programmes. Q: What average ppm level do you expect from your vendors? Wen: Zero ppm. Zero for 1 month, 6 months and 5 years and 100% on delivery rate.
Ruffino: The Indian suppliers are more agile and smart than the other suppliers in the world. 21 21
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COVER STORY
India has miles to go before introducing full-fledged e-mobility, says Dr Seshu Bhagavathula Ashok Leyland, the second largest Commercial Vehicle (CV) manufacturer in India has successfully bagged orders from 2 public transport undertakings in the country. The company is actively working on electric concepts, which include Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) and buses. Having a strategic alliance with Electric Vehicle (EV) major Sun Mobility, the Chennai-based CV OEM is having ambitious plans. In a conversation with Bhargav TS, the Chief Technology Officer of Ashok Leyland, Dr Seshu Bhagavathula, said, “The industry is in a turmoil right now. Big things are taking place in the powertrain industry. As a commercial vehicle player, we will be ready with electric vehicles depending on the market demand.” Edited excerpts:
Q: What are the challenges for India in introducing electric mobility on a national level? Ashok Leyalnd’s electric bus Circuit
Bhagavathula: One of the major problems for India is the lack of
access to battery materials, neither the original material nor the processed materials. China has lithium deposits and it has taken over the countries like Republic of Congo economically where some of the raw materials
are available abandonedly. China has secured the future of EVs for a minimum of 100 years. All the European and other countries also have lot of raw material resources. The Central Government is in talks
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COVER STORY
with Bolivia which has lithium deposits. India is not in a position to compete technologically with many other countries. Still all the leading players are interested in India since it is a big market and they want to sell their technology and products here. India manages this by placing restrictions like `Make in India’. Another important issue is that we do not see the EV development in a holistic manner covering all aspects like the source of electricity, charging infrastructure etc. We should not be burning more coal to produce electricity to charge batteries, it is terrible. It will only increase pollution which we want to
minimize with EVs. We have to look at the whole value chain. We do only a part of this. The general belief is that buses or the mass transportation will be and should be the first one to be electric. Two and three-wheelers, passenger cars and the individual transportation will be the last ones to be electrified. Shared transport will be gaining and profiting from FAME-2. Charging infrastructure is another necessity. Such stations should be everywhere. There may not be enough space in all gas stations. One solution is that individuals
can have charging stations in front of their houses and run it as a profitable business. Similarly charging stations can be established along the Highway dhabas. If people understand the viability they will do such progressive things. Electricity sustainability on the national level is important. Every state has its own Board and they have different time periods like peak hour etc. Such matters also have to be looked into when we think of electric mobility. FAME 2 is in favour of the public. It is difficult for the OEMS to operate profitably under its frame work. 23 23
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COVER STORY
Electric version of Ashok Leyland Boss
FAME 2 needs correction. Under it money should be cheaper with no or minimum interest rates, There should be subsidies for many things like the reduction in CO2, the major repairs on e-buses and for the number of people who resort to public transport leaving their cars. Q: How about battery swapping? Bhagavathula: It is a great thing. It is ideal for short distances where the buses come to the same place after 30-40 km. It will also reduce the overall cost of the bus because the size of the battery can be reduced. Small battery, less cost and less range. Swapping can be done in a few minutes. It is ideal between
two short points like Ahmedabad and Rajkot. For long distances it would be expensive as they will have to hold dozens of batteries. Ahmedabad is the first city to experiment it. Q: Can you give an update on the electric bus circuit. Bhagavathula: Series-1 with four buses has been introduced in Ahmedabad. Every week we deliver 1 or 2 buses. We already have run more than10000 km with those buses and we have the data. We are making great progress. Fine-tuning is happening and it is in the process. Q: What is happening in Tamil
Nadu? Bhagavathula: In Tamil Nadu discussions are going on. The proposal for us is to own and operate the buses with battery swapping outsourced to another company. Delta will be a partner. By running about 50 buses we will have so much of data. We will also look into the temperature issue. We will get more information. We also need to try in hilly areas like Tirupathi. Then we will be able to introduce e-buses on a national level. Q: What are your suggestions for the development of EV industry in India? Bhagavathula: We need supply
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COVER STORY chain. We need motors and batteries made and validated in India. Validation means that they are suitable to the weather and road conditions in India. We cannot take them from other countries and operate here. Everything should happen in the next 3 to 5 years. There should be invertors, e-axles, batteries managing systems, charging stations and other infrastructure in place. All these should be done ensuring safety and security. There are a lot of things that have to be implemented. It will not be that easy. Q: In terms of innovation and technology, quality and costs, how do you rate the domestic component industry, primarily Indian players?
The truck major is working on e-Dost, which is expected to hit the road in next 3-4 months
Bhagavathula: What will happen is that companies will come to India and make battery cells. Making cells by Indian companies may not happen as it is very expensive and capital intensive. Making motors is possible. NFTDC has all the ingredients to make the motor and we are working with them. We will design the motors and they will
make them. We are in talks and working on preliminary projects. But it will take time. Q: Another megatrend is connected vehicles. Are you working with any partner on any new project in this space? Bhagavathula: We are way ahead. It is of many parts. Now we have more than 125000 trucks connected through telematics. We know all its parameters. We have the ServiceMundy and we are coming up with other apps. We can locate where the truck is and diagnose what might have gone wrong and help the driver in many ways. We give the drivers a small bluetooth that can be connected to the circuit and it can detect itself and it suggests what should be done and what needs to be done. If needed, he can also be connected to a nearby service station with the number that is in the app. Q: What about Platooning? Bhagavathula: I want to see it coming first in the mining sector.
It is very expensive just to show a prototype. Technologically we have everything ready, we have got electronic steering that is important, distance control, lateral measurement, where the vehicle goes left and right, and it has to come to the middle. When the first truck is taking a turn at some point then it leaves the sight, and managing it is difficult. It may take some time. Today with BS-VI and all the electric stuff we need to be very careful. Q: Mining is a good idea, but for mining, we need high capacity engine. Are you planning for such engine? Bhagavathula: With BS-VI we will see the whole HP going up and we already have prepared for 360 hp. We are going for more than that. With the new axle norms the weight has gone up by 6-7 tonnes. We would like to give each sector 20 HP more, and 60 HP will be more than enough for the next 2 jumps at least. Every time you go up by 40HP you will require some kind of new cylinder etc. On the engine side we have about 8 projects running. Once the launch of the first BS-VI engine is done, we will have a slew of launches. From 2020 every year we will have new editions of the engine. On the vehicle side it is just the legalisation and nothing more. We will be having driving assistance etc. Q: How different will be Ashok Leyland’s BS-VI engines? Bhagavathula: In terms of functionality there will not be much of a change. The only difference will be in price and in the extraordinary performance. ACI
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COVER STORY
Detroit Engineered Products is developing electric two-wheeler Story by: Sricharan R
U
S-based Detroit Engineered Products (DEP), an engineering solutions and product development company, is developing electric two-wheeler specifically for the Indian market. Since its inception in 1998 in Troy, Michigan, USA, DEP with its passion for engineering has supported many OEMs in their design and engineering projects. The company has offices in Europe, China, Korea, Japan and India. DEP supports an array of customers worldwide in product development, vehicle engine development and a lot more. It is in partnership with most of the global OEMs including Toyota, General Motors and Apple. “We as a company is committed to bringing out electric two-wheelers to the Indian market. This is a self-
funded activity and the idea is to have significant cost reduction for the customers with many interesting features,” Radha Krishnan M, President & CEO, DEP, told Auto Components India. “For the two-wheelers, we are designing electric motors which will be mounted directly on the wheel. We will be using the swappable battery technology, which will be suitable for the Indian market. One can carry the battery to charge it wherever possible. For auxiliary power we are cladding the outer skin with solar panels. This provides a minimum of 20% energy to the bike and it is an ideal solution for the Indian market. The first prototype will be out very soon. Though the idea is ours, we will be licensing the technology, design and engineering to OEMs that are interested in manufacturing it. We are in discussion with a few OEMs
in India,” he added. DEP has decided to have a battery swapping technology because it is not sure about the charging infrastructure development in India. The battery will have a range of 150km and the E-scooter can be used for delivery services. The vehicle is being developed in a way that it is not fully dependent on the charging stations.
q DEP MeshWorks
DEP MeshWorks is its proprietary software platform. It is a CAEdriven platform for rapid concept CAE and CAD model generation, parametrization of CAE models, enabling optimization, advanced meshing and CAD morphing. It has resulted in an accelerated and transformed product development process, which has resulted in several creative solutions to many of its clients’ problems, thus providing significant value. With over 500 engineers, the company is basically into design and manufacturing. Around 70% of its workforce is in R&D and the remaining 30% is in software development. About MeshWorks, Radha Krishnan said, “We are also a software developmental company. MeshWorks, enables us to develop many products in a very compressed time frame. Software products play a big role in time reduction and optimising the products to meet the design goals. We work with many OEMs and their suppliers and make most of the development in almost a virtual way which makes it easy.” With MeshWorks, DEP also plans
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COVER STORY q Airports and bird-hits
Birds hitting aircraft is a common and major issue in many airports. DEP has designed and developed a fixed-wing drone, which will go around the runaways and scare away birds. They are working along with IAF on this and will be deploying it soon. to have integrated software, where one can have simulation-based engineering, system simulation and other analysis in one. The CEO feels an engineer would not hold all the required skills for designing and there is need for software that integrates everything required. The company is working on an upgrade for the MeshWorks where the required software is integrated and presented in a useful way. “An engineer would need to use many software to make a product and we are trying to bring them. This is where I see the virtual engineering in the next 5 years and this is where we want to be a leader,” Radha Krishnan said.
q Smart solutions
Along with a team of passionate employees and committed partners, DEP creates smart solutions. In the recently-held Geneva Auto Show, a prominent customer of DEP displayed a high-efficiency gasoline engine. DEP played a significant role in the engine development. It is an advanced light-duty engine and has a high compression ratio. The CEO said, “It has something called a pre-chamber wherein a tiny space, a small amount of fuel is injected. It is burnt and gets into the main combustion, enabling a thorough combustion. Modification is done to the piston and this helps you to achieve a tremendous amount of fuel efficiency and emission reduction.
We call it as Spark Assistant Gasoline Compression Ignition Technology. We can get around 30% of additional benefit to what one witnesses now.”
Radha Krishnan M, President & CEO, DEP
On the EV side, the software and solutions company has always been on the forefront. A 15-member special team is working exclusively on a big OEM battery design and development. It also works with various other customers to help them design battery, motor etc.
q Diesel to gasoline
DEP is also working on to convert a diesel engine to gasoline. With the modifications being done, the software and solution company has been working on it for the past 6 months. The goal is to help the light and medium-duty trucks in India to run on gasoline. “In India, we are converting a Mahindra diesel engine into a gasoline engine. It is a selffunded project and we are working on this especially for the Indian market. With the new emission norms coming in, this will be very useful because it has less emission and more pulling capacity,” Radha Krishnan said. On the design to manufacture, the spokesperson said, there would always be a prototype to run the test on the real world. “This is because it is difficult to have all variations in the virtual world. It can never be a 100% simulation but the number of prototypes can be reduced. Earlier, what used to be 4 prototype stages has now been reduced to 2. This can even be reduced to 1, but it can never be done by eliminating prototypes.”
q Autonomous tractor
With a strong team and capability, DEP has plans to bring out an autonomous tractor mainly for the Indian market. They will start to work on this by late this year or early 2020. This will be for the Indian agricultural business as labour is becoming an issue here. the product development cycle in handheld devices, the development cycle time is much shorter. So the whole industry has to adapt according to the customer needs. OEMs need to work on the car that is most required for the customers,” Radha Krishnan said. ACI
With the lifecycle of the vehicle coming down, it puts more pressure on designers and software providers. To this, the CEO feels one has to adapt to the changes. “If you look at 29 29
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COVER STORY
Padmini VNA leads in emission control system parts; to focus on hybrids Story by: Gunjan D. Bidani
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aryana-based Padmini VNA Mechatronics helps enhance fuel economy and reduce fuel losses with its solutions for the emission control systems. Established in 1990, the company supports the vehicle manufacturers to meet the emerging emission control requirements and reduce fuel evaporation, especially from hybrid vehicles.
Padmini VNAs fuel cap production line
“Despite their limitations, the hybrid vehicles are our key market as they generate some unique problems of
evaporative emissions. The fuel tank in a hybrid variant is not ‘in use’ all the time and the subsequent heating and cooling lead to fuel evaporation. As the vehicle breathes out vapour, very strict norms are to be complied with. Here, we work with the customers and customise accordingly,” Prakash Bhalekar, President and CEO, Padmini VNA, told Auto Components India. Though the electric vehicles (EVs) have been around in developed markets, and even in India, they are yet to make a dent in overall vehicle sales. Kabir Bhandari, Managing Director, Padmini VNA said, “Cost and ease of recharging would be the 2 most critical factors for
the proliferation of EVs. The population density will pose unique problems for setting up charging infrastructure. Of course for EVs to make sense environmentally, the electricity should come from a cleaner source other than the coal plants.” The immediate next step for the automotive industry would be hybrids and Padmini VNA banks on this market set to grow. For cost effectiveness and better efficiency, the company sources locally a vast range of components. It is very challenging for the in-house engineers to design and develop solutions for the vehicles to perform with less fuel consumption
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COVER STORY and fewer emissions, Bhalekar said. “The first challenge is from the high level of expectation in innovation. Then comes the very high the durability requirements.. Thirdly, many trials and simulations go in to test the range of tolerance of the product because international OEMs do not accept experience as an answer, you have to prove with calculation and testing with simulations.” With the increase in fuel evaporation during vehicle parking and operation, manufacturers today are also considering minimising the component size to reduce weight and vehicular emissions. Moreover, the system providers are also disrupting the market by making components with unique design for environment and safety concerns. Padmini VNA is working on different types of Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) modules and is expanding by adding another facility in Dhankot which is expected to start operations by August. Before entering into its current business, the company was a horn manufacturer. “After the initial failures, we came up with a very robust design in accordance with the needs of the Indian horn market,” Bhalekar said. It was a major supplier of horns to Maruti. Padmini VNA exited the business after having catered to 90% of the leading OEMs.
In the then scenario of the newlyadopted BS-I, the component industry demanded serious modifications. Making use of the opportunity, Padmini VNA started with the localisation of the different powertrain valves. Eventually, it started supplying the same to the European and Japanese markets and aced up the technology gap in 2008. Currently the company manufactures products like EGR Valves, Throttle Bodies, Vacuum Modulation Valves, Solenoid Valves, Actuators, Rollover Valves, Fuel Flap Opener, Trunk Lid Opener and Fuel Water Separator. Globally recognised, Padmini VNA has a footprint in OEMs across North America, South America, Europe and Japan. Currently churning out 15% of the revenue from the export business and planning to expand its wings futher. While discussing the company’s growth mantra in the overseas business, Bhalekar said, “I think the first step is to build credibility. So it took us a long time to build credibility. The next step is to execute well, and then the opportunities open up. It’s all about execution to justify the faith that our customers put in us. As a result of this we have almost all the OEMs in our portfolio like Audi, Mercedes, Scania, Cummins and Toyota.” Going ahead, he envisions 50% share of business from the exports market. ACI
INTERVIEW
Kabir Bhandari, Founder & Managing Director, Padmini VNA Q: Electrification, connectivity, autonomous and safety are defining the future roadmap for all OEMs globally. Which among these megatrends is the biggest bet for you? Bhandari: We have products that fit into all these categories. We will continue to focus on developing innovative products that can be used in all of them. We do not believe that we can be a system supplier, so our focus will be on making critical parts for the system. We see these megatrends as potential pillars of growth for us. Q: Do you think there would be enough room for both ICE vehicles and EVs to grow at the same pace? Bhandari: I cannot predict growth rates. But my belief is that hybrids are the best solution. Q: Starting April 2020, all vehicles sold in India will come with BS-VI engines. What kind of preparation has Padmini undertaken? Bhandari: Because of our exports, we already have BS-VI compatible products under production. So we expect to have very significant growth in 2020 with the introduction of BS-VI. We have products for two-wheelers, passenger cars, SUVs and trucks. Q: The amount of electronic content in vehicles is increasing. What is your perspective on them and how is Padmini preparing for them? Bhandari: We call ourselves mechatronics because we have melded mechanical and electronics in our products. We have had a software and hardware team since 2006. Q: What are your top growth mantras? Bhandari: Enjoy what you are doing, build a really good team that enjoys what they are doing, give them facilities to innovate and explore, and be fanatical about your reputation and quality. 31 31
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Two-wheelers: The future is electric With massive strides being made all over the world to move towards electrification of mobility, the two-wheeler segment in India, the largest market in the world, is witnessing innovative introductions in bikes and scooters from several leading players.
Story by: Nikhil Raghavan
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he government announcements, policies and guidelines for electric vehicles are being made in fits and starts. Still there is a serious undertone in all of them: the future is surely going the electric way. This has prompted several existing manufacturers and new developers of vehicles to come up with plans, ideas, prototypes and production series. All this is being done with a clear view that anytime there will be a sure necessity to resort to electric vehicles, even as there doesn’t seem to be any trend in the lowering of petrol and diesel prices.
Emflux Motors – Emflux ONE
Even before the government announced its policy on the electric vehicle introduction in India’s
immediate future mobility, there were several companies importing electric scooters for limited, localised sales. But now, things are getting hotter and there seems to be having a lot of activities among manufacturers, service providers, battery producers, motor manufacturers, charging equipment suppliers and others to undertake research and development in the two-wheeler segment in India. In the recently-held automotive shows in different parts of the country, several manufacturers displayed their in-house developed concept vehicles, to gauge the reactions and responses from the public. Mostly favourable, especially considering the rising cost of traditional fuel, these concepts are slowly creeping into regular production lines, though tentatively. The slight hesitation is
due to the non-establishment of recharging infrastructure in public places. But, technical advancements are happening at a fast pace and in smaller vehicles, the facility to recharge the batteries overnight at home is an available option. The office goers have the facility to recharge at the work spot. For larger commercial vehicles like inter-city and intra-city buses the facility to recharge in their depots are what will be looked at. Such arrangements are possible for short distance, regular service trucks of fixed routes operated by logistics companies. The following are Some of the contenders in the two-wheeler electric mobility arena, and their products and services like Ather Energy – Ather 450, Twenty Two Motors - Flow, Emflux Motors – Emflux ONE, Ampere Electric – Reo / V48 / Magnus, and SUN Mobility – Energy infrastructure are highlighted below.
q Ather Energy – Ather 450
Co-founded in 2013 by IIT graduates - Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain, Ather Energy is one of the few hardware automotive start-ups in India. The company has built India’s first truly intelligent electric scooters and is backed by the founders of Flipkart, Tiger Global and Hero Motocorp. Designed from scratch, the Ather 450 and Ather 340 are products made in India that have been customized to Indian conditions and riding sensibilities. Every little thing in and around the products have been crafted from an obsessive attention to detail to offer a seamless ownership experience. 32 32 auto components india n may 2019
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COVER STORY The flagship Ather 450 comes with a top speed of 80 kmph, a range of up to 75 km and an acceleration of 0-40 kmph in 3.9seconds and ensures a riding experience ideally suited for city commute. Both the Ather scooters are equipped with a touchscreen interactive dashboard and an integrated app which allows firstin-its-category features like onboard navigation, remote diagnostics and over-the-air (OTA) updates for future improvements. The Ather 450 is currently plying in Bengaluru, with Chennai being next in line for expansion. Not following the typical dealership format, Ather Energy interacts with consumers at AtherSpace, their thoughtfully designed experience centre in Indiranagar, Bengaluru. Here, product specialists personally take interested customers through every detail of the vehicles and manage the test ride, while the purchases are made online, on the company website. Ather will also set up charging solutions for each consumer at their residence for overnight charging. What completes the experience is AtherGrid, a comprehensive public charging network launched in May 2018. With 30 locations on board, Bengalureans will find this infrastructure within 4 km of reach. Designed keeping in mind the lifestyle of the owners, it is set up at places they would visit, tech parks, shopping malls, multiplexes, cafes and restaurants, and allows them to charge up to 80% in an hour. AtherGrid has been opened to all electric vehicles which can charge from a 5A/15A plug point. Ather Energy has filed 43 patent applications along with 11 international patent applications and 122 design registrations of their products that have been designed in India and are being manufactured at their Whitefield facility in Bengaluru.
q Twenty Two Motors- Flow
Established in August 2016, Twenty Two Motors Pvt Ltd is a new-age smart electric vehicle innovator. The company focuses on developing advanced connected electric vehicles to change the urban commutation landscape by providing powerful smart vehicles to the technology savvy generation. The technology is enabled with artificial intelligence and the unique features include lithium ion storage, Internet of Things and advanced Electric Power Trains. The system has been dotted with state of art sensors and smart features. The technology is seamlessly supported with real time connectivity to cloud. The integrated application provides a glimpse into system even from thousands of miles of distance. The innovator aims to make electric vehicles advanced, powerful and affordable for the next generation. The company believes in designs comprising elegance and simplicity although ensuring maximum performance and safety while constantly infusing technology in automobiles.
batteries which are waterproof, lightweight, and are easy to swap. The scooter employs a combined range of 160km, and these can be charged up to 70 per cent in an hour. Further enhancing the range is a fixed reserve battery that offers up to 20km range for emergency use. This brings the total range to 180km, which is ample for an electric scooter to commute in the city. Parveen Kharb and Vijay Chandrawat, Co-founders, Twenty Two Motors, form an incredible team of engineers who focus on building differentiator technology as their core mission. Within a year, the company has grown from a two-member founding team to have more than 20 employees. Emflux Motors – Emflux ONE Emflux Motors is the brainchild of extremely passionate young people who were wanting to do awesome stuff for the future of the human race based on a shared vision Electric Vehicles in this case - well,
Ampere’s product model – Reo
Twenty Two Motors’ “Flow” scooters are enabled with IOT technology and have 60 IOT sensors that provide essential data to the company to keep a track on the performance of the vehicle. The scooters have accelerometers and gyroscopes and also sensors that feed data via machine to machine chips to its cloud services. This data covers speed, acceleration, distance covered, condition of the battery and other critical components. Use of such technologies helps to minimise breakdowns. It also has inbuilt geo fencing feature which allows security against theft as the vehicle alerts its owner if it goes beyond its geographical boundaries. In partnership with KYMCO, Twenty Two Motors is coming up with ionex 33 33
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COVER STORY at least for a start. Emflux aims to build beautiful, desirable, and meaningful products and services with zero compromise on quality and the vision these products are based on, and the very first culmination of all of these factors has been willed into solid reality in the avatar of the Emflux ONE - a fully faired superbike that packs enough tech and mech to go neck to neck in performance with 700cc plus motorcycles. Its journey from vision, to concept, to prototype has been riddled with challenges at every turn, but the passionate Emflux team overcame every single one of them successfully to build their first prototype. It was a journey that spanned a little over 500 days, and countless sleepless nights. And finally, it’s here for the world to see.
Parveen Kharb and Vijay Chandrawat, Co-Founders, Twenty Two Motors and Allen Ko, Chairman, KYMCO
The Emflux team consists of 25 young engineers, designers, and others from various fields, most of them fresh out of college, and it was founded at the core by the confluence of a common vision shared by three young men from very different backgrounds Varun Mittal, Ankit Khatry, and Vinay Raj Somashekar.
It all starts with the design. The first contact that the world has with any product is the way it looks, followed by the way it feels. The Emflux ONE was designed to have the proportions and aggression of a superbike coupled with the calm and quiet of an electric vehicle. The idea was to have big, clean, and beautifully flowing surfaces guided by sharp purposeful lines, combined with a confident stance, strong proportions, and a sculpted overall volume. Electric technology is clean and beautiful – and the design must be an embodiment of that emotion. All the design panels were meticulously hand-crafted with fibreglass. But design is not only about the external parts, and it is not only about looking good – it’s also about what goes inside and how it works. In this regard, the design team worked in tandem with the Mechanical Engineers to create a product that functions as beautifully as it looks. Barring the brakes, tyres and the suspension, every single component on the motorcycle has been designed and engineered in-house. The electric drivetrain components available in the market were nowhere
near as powerful or inter-compatible as the ones that would be needed to run this motorcycle, so the engineers at Emflux decided to develop all the components in-house. It was important that all the electronic components work together as one cohesive unit. The drivetrain includes the battery pack, the BMS, an on-board charger, the motor controller, and the motor which is run by a powerful master controller capable of running powerful neural networks. Everything is controlled digitally to improve performance and convenience via over-the-air SW updates. These are some of the most power-dense circuits in the industry. For example, the motor controller which weighs only 2 kilos including the casing and heat sink can still deliver 60 kW of power. The charging stations christened WARP Charger will be installed on highways and other strategic points once the law allowing resale of electricity is changed. Emflux aims to help other companies develop their EV solutions by leveraging the patentable technologies they developed for Emflux ONE. They can develop the electric drivetrain including the battery, BMS, charger, motor controller and the motor for 2 as well as 4 wheelers. Emflux will generate revenue by selling premium performance bikes and also by licensing their technology to OEM companies as well as developing customized solutions for others. Emflux plans to produce just 199 units of the Emflux ONE for the Indian market and another 300 for the export. The standard version of the Emflux ONE is priced at 6Lakh (~USD 9350) on road and with the three performance upgrades of Ohlins suspension, forged alloy wheels and ultralight carbon fibre panels, the price will be 11Lakh (~USD 17150) on road.
q Ampere Electric – Reo / V48 / Magnus
Greaves Cotton Limited is a diversified engineering company and a leading 34 34 auto components india n may 2019
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COVER STORY manufacturer of Cleantech Powertrain Solutions (CNG, Petrol and Diesel Engines), Generator sets, Farm equipment, E-Mobility, Aftermarket spares and services. Greaves Cotton recently acquired Ampere Electric Vehicles to strengthen its position in the last mile affordable personal mobility segment. This acquisition will give access to electric mobility solutions to millions of individuals at the bottom of the pyramid, accelerating the development of clean energy technology solutions for mobility needs of passengers and small businesses in India. Ampere’s products include electric vehicles in the personal and commercial mobility segment. Powered by lead Acid/Li-Ion Batteries, Ampere’s product models – Reo, V48 and Magnus have been well received by different types of consumers – College Students, Housewives, Office-goers, Young Executives, Senior Citizens, Traders, Businessmen, Delivery partners and Logistics Providers etc. These stylish Ampere electric scooters have low TCO and provide emissionfree transportation. These vehicles are superior solutions for commuters who otherwise walk long distances or take public transport for their daily needs and boon to various E-commerce players who seek affordable and agile solution for their quick delivery in otherwise congested locales.
q SUN Mobility – Energy infrastructure
SUN Mobility is a 50:50 joint venture between Virya Mobility 5.0 and Sun New Energy Systems, pioneers in electric mobility and clean energy. It is co-founded by Chetan Maini, founder of India’s first electric car, Reva (Now Mahindra Reva) and Uday Khemka, Vice Chairman of SUN Group, two of India’s well-established leaders
SUN Mobility – Energy infrastructure
in the new energy economy. The company was launched in April 2017 as a global leader providing energy infrastructure and services to the urban mobility sector. They got 2018 off to a great start by unveiling the Circuit S bus in partnership with Ashok Leyland at the Auto Expo. It is India’s first swappable battery bus which is designed for Indian conditions with seating capacity ranging from 25-35 passengers. With their technology of separating the battery from an electric bus, they were able to drastically bring down the upfront cost of the bus on par with a traditional diesel bus. Fully charged batteries can power the bus for 50-60 km and take under 4 minutes for swapping. Their next milestone was achieved in April as they launched the world’s first Interoperable Smart Mobility solutions for two and three wheeled electric vehicles. Launched in Bengaluru and aimed at reinforcing the electric mobility adoption in the country, their solution consists of three key aspects: Modular Smart Batteries: Intelligent enough to customise themselves to each vehicle type and versatile enough to be used in combinations of one or multiple batteries to meet customers’ different performance and range expectations. Quick Interchange Stations: These stations can be easily installed across
a city, enabling customers to swap batteries quickly and conveniently in less than one minute, addressing any concerns around refuelling time. Smart Network: This connects modular Smart Batteries and Quick Interchange Stations, optimises battery performance and allows customers to locate stations and make payments via an app.
q Partnership with Microsoft Taking forward the commitment to boost the electric mobility ecosystem, SUN Mobility has partnered with Microsoft to build a Smart Network for the EV energy infrastructure. As part of the partnership, Microsoft’s IOT technology to connect the ‘smart battery’ and the Quick Interchange Stations (QIS) will be used.
As India prepares to step into the next decade by the end of this year, the drive to develop and produce Electric Vehicles in all types of wheeled mobility systems – 2, 3, 4, 6 and beyond, is gaining full momentum. Very soon, the dependence on petrol and diesel will minimise and, besides batteries, many other sources of power generation – solar, thermal, wind – will find place in the daily scheme of things. Already a spate of scooters is in the fray. Very soon, the bike segment will follow suit and simultaneously, the 3-wheeled commercial range of people and cargo carriers will adopt EV technology. Mobility Engineering 35 35
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COVER STORY
Magenta Power presents new products for electric vehicle charging Story by: Sricharan R
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the existing public infrastructure,” he added.
he Mumbai-based energy solution company, Magenta Power, is ready with new products for the Indian customers in the electric vehicle (EV) market. Its R&D division is working on 7 different products exclusively for the charging infrastructure. “We are going to launch one by one shortly. In the EV charging series we will cover every need of the Indian market. Be it community charging or individual charger, we will be present everywhere,” Maxon Lewis, Co-Founder of Magenta Power, said.
Magenta Power is in the business of empowering clean energy solutions and ideas through its group companies and intermediaries. With the motto of making the world a better place for the future generation, the company has initiatives in setting up rooftop solar power projects and developing technology solutions specific to India for the growing renewable energy sector. They concentrate on Make in India, for India, by taking on Indian challenges to bring Indian solutions.
“We have realised that the parking lots can be used to charge vehicles in a larger manner. We are targeting and working on such things like setting up chargers in
Founded in 2016, the company holds its business in three spaces namely, generation, adoption and utilisation of clean energy. In the generation segment, the
company’s primary focus is on rooftop solar systems. For the adoption of clean energy it has a separate business called Magenta Infomatics, which focuses on developing technologies and applications. For the utilisation of clean energy, Magenta Power is setting up EV charging stations and has an open platform for charging stations called, ChargeGrid. The company has invested close to Rs 50 lakh in developing the charging stations. They are also filing patents for some of the products which are unique. The company has plans to use its R & D centre in India as a hub to deploy its ideas internationally. With an array of new products to be in the market soon, Lewis said, the first product will be ChargeGrid Mini. “This will have
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COVER STORY all the electric safety features at less cost. It will change the way people think about electric charging. It has voltage protection, current protection, earthing protection, earthing monitoring system and many more in it. An electric socket does not tell you anything. Instead of having a socket switch, we will replace it with this product. The product also has energy metering in it. A power meter through which we will know how much power has been pushed into the vehicle. It is unique and is not available anywhere in the world,” he said.
q Energy platform
On what has happened so far, Lewis said, “EV is an investment for the future and the informatics is the underline of what we have. Essentially, we are not just in the business of EV charging. It is an end to end energy generation to consumption platform. We have done close to 1 year of research to know how the market is. It also included working with the E-rickshaws in Delhi to understand their needs. We launched the ChargeGrid business in February 2018, and in June 2018 we set up India’s first solar charging station. By August 2018, to provide a platform for the EV users, we set up the country’s first EV highway, the Bombay-Pune EV highway. We then launched our app which allows users to find the charger and holds an integrated payment getaway. The app also helps when one decides to provide a charging point. In October 2018, we launched the first EV billing meter. The billing app, which helps consumers with rooftop solar systems monitor their energy generation and consumption on a daily basis. Through Infomatics, Magenta Power has resolved numerous issues in the EV billing system.
Maxon Lewis, Co-Founder of Magenta Power
The foremost issue in the country is the non-availability of tariff for EV charging.” On the other hand, the ChargeGrid Pro Community Charger, made specifically for residential societies, is the first product to be launched under the ChargeGrid Pro series. “It is light-weight and compact with maximum efficiency and superior power density. It is IoT-based and we can set it up in a building anyone can come up and charge. Payments will get deducted automatically. It has been installed in malls and housing communities,” he said. In line with its growth plans the company has partnered with Mahindra Susten to increase the latter’s reach and customer base in the small-rooftop segment. The partnership will also allow the interchange of customer data, which will allow both the companies to serve customers better. It also involves the development of solar carports along with EV charging stations. Meanwhile, the company is working on two off-grid charging station pilots in Maharashtra,
which will draw power from renewable energy sources. They have also partnered with many other OEMs of two, three and four-wheelers and are working with them to develop solutions.
q Challenges, solutions
According to Lewis, the Northern part of India adopts EVs more than the Southern region. With a lot of e-rickshaws already in existence, the North has adopted EVs even without the OEM and government push.. Early adopters are passionate about EVs and they are into it. The real adoption will come into play when the common people start using it. With the
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COVER STORY Humidity, Human, and Murphy Law. The temperature of the battery as well as the charger is a huge determinant of how fast a battery can be charged. An IP55certified charger is necessary to ensure the charger is not spoiled when it is drenched in water during the monsoon. The human tendency is to be impatient if something stops working. Whatever wrong can happen, will happen like Murphy’s Law. Managing this becomes critical especially when an EV comes for distress charging and options are limited.
motto, ‘Made in India. Made for India’, the company makes all its chargers in-house. This makes it suitable for the Indian conditions. However, the company has to face 4 major issues: Heat,
“One of the main challenges is the cost of setting up the charging infrastructure. As there is not enough vehicles here, the real estate cost is huge. Even setting up at a public infrastructure is not easy as we need to work with the government. Once the real estate cost is sorted out, the rest will be easy. The public view of a charging station is another problem. People may tend to play with it and we have overcome it by setting up a remote management system. If anyone is
fiddling with it, we can remotely control it. Now many do not understand the need for charging stations. So, education is another important factor,” Lewis said.
q Going forward
The company has a clear roadmap and scheduled a series of product launches with plans to set up a network to support them. The company wants to provide solutions for the entire EV platform and get into the EV segment in every way possible. On the new trends, Lewis said, “First, the new charging protocols are being brought in. Right now, India is using only the old BCP which will be changed with the protocols. In the AC side, we have seen the 3 pin socket and that will be changed to Type 2. This is going to be one big change. Internationally, we see a lot of focus on the utility side to support the infrastructure. Most of the utility there are privatized, but here it is government-based. They have to be open to more privatisation. Third, where we are ready, there is need for a lot of power management systems. The moment EV takes shape in India, there will be adoption. With so many EVs on road, they will need a power management system and we are ready with the corridors.” About the other trends like induction charging and BS-VI, Lewis said, “Induction charging in India will take time. The OEMs have to adopt it first. So let’s concentrate on the basics first and later we can look out for other things. With the BS-VI norms in place, cars will become cleaner. But, it can never be as clean as an EV, especially when a car is charged from renewable energy sources. Then there is absolutely no pollution. EVs will be cleaner and will also be cheaper.” ACI
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COVER STORY
Sun Mobility, SmartE to offer battery swapping technology for e-rickshaws ACI Bureau
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pecialising in the supply of e-rickshaws since 2014, SmartE has associated with Sun Mobility to offer battery swapping technology for e-rickshaws. Operating in Delhi, Gurugram, and Faridabad since October 2015, the company has a fleet of 1,000 electric rickshaws. They offer 80 km of clean last mile connectivity in the NCR region. Sourced from Kinetic, the GPS equipped e-rickshaws, provide zeroemission last mile connectivity covering the various metro
stations in the NCR region. They are supported by 5 charging depots. Operating in an area of 15000 sq. ft., according to Goldie Srivastava, Co-founder and CEO, SmartE, the e-rickshaws typically suffer from issues like range anxiety and an operating pattern that has them spending more time at the charging station, and in wait for passengers than ply on the road. This not only affects their ability to clock maximum uptime, it also affects the operator’s ability to achieve superior productivity. In their quest to offer cleaner last mile connectivity, and in the face of competition, the e-rickshaws
offered by SmartE, could profit from the battery swapping technology that Sun Mobility offers. Other than addressing range anxiety, the ability to swap batteries and save time that was otherwise spent at the charging station would enable the e-rickshaws to clock higher uptime. “Electric three-wheelers that run on conventional leadacid batteries often require 8 hours of overnight charging or 4 hours of opportunity charging, which reduces the actual number of trips a vehicle could make from 150 km to about
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COVER STORY 60 km per day. This amounts to a revenue loss for the owner of the erickshaw. It is in this scenario that we are offering battery swapping technology as a solution. Based on Lithium-ion batteries, which have a quicker charging cycle and last longer, our technology solution would increase the actual running time of the three-wheelers and make it more profitable for the operator to operate the vehicle,� Chetan Maini, Co-Founder, and Vice Chairman, Sun Mobility, said. With SmartE looking at raising USD 20 million in order to target 1 lakh e-rickshaws by 2025, the association with Sun Mobility could provide the much-needed boost to its business model. Apart from uplifting the existing e-rickshaw operators that are aligned with it, SmartE could also look at increasing its operating area. As part of the association, the 2 companies, in the last quarter of the current fiscal, are aiming at installing 10 battery swapping stations in Gurugram to support 500 existing e-rickshaws. Enabling SmartE to redefine last mile connectivity by providing a cleaner, more efficient and affordable mobility in the form of e-rickshaws that spend more time on the road rather than in a charging station, according to Srivastava, SmartE and Sun Mobility are looking at addressing the unreliability in the first and last mile connectivity, arbitrary pricing as well as the deteriorating environmental conditions. Stressing upon offering a clean, efficient and affordable mobility solution, SmartE is registering 35% rise in daily operations after it moved its vehicles from lead-acid batteries to Lithium-ion batteries. With
the incorporation of battery swapping technology solution Srivastava is expecting the time spent charging the batteries to go down even further. Expecting operators to clock more than 120 km that they are clocking currently (those running on lead-acid batteries are known to do 80 km per day), the company has already begun testing the battery swapping technology solution of Sun Mobility. “It is over a month now that we are testing the technology,� he said. If the test results, which led to an increase of another 40% in operational efficiency, reinforced the association between SmartE and Sun Mobility, are said to be looking at ways to increase the operating range to beyond 160 km. In the NCR market, which is claimed to account for 70% of the total market size of e-rickshaws in India (which in 2017 amounted to an estimated 15 lakh units), an operating range of more than 160 km would have an operator in good stead. It would also justify his decision to opt for an e-rickshaw from an organised sector player like SmartE in the wake of the unorganised market share accounting for 85%. Supported by Kinetic, and facing competition from the likes of Hero Electric, Lohia Auto, Terra Motors, Clean Motion India, and Saera Electric, SmartE is set to profit from the Rs 30,000 (per e-rickshaw) subsidy announced by the Delhi Government in 2016 in response to the increasing levels of air pollution in the
region. The e-rickshaw market since has proliferated at a good speed. Interestingly, a majority of the e-rickshaw market in NCR region operates with a battery capacity of around 101 Ah, and a motor capacity of between 1,000 and 1,500 watts. The Kinetic supplied erickshaw by SmartE is claimed to be powered by a 1200 watt brushless DC motor and a Lithium-ion battery capacity of 80 Ah. Drastic reduction in charging time to less than 3 hours and a significant weight saving of up to 90 kg over an e-rickshaw employing lead-acid battery are some of the significant advantages. The impact of it either on TCO or uptime is considerable.
Each Sun Mobility smart Lithium-ion battery has three onboard microcomputers to support GPS, govern power requirement and manage the battery
q Higher uptime
With stress on higher uptime, 41 41
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COVER STORY digital payment gateways are already in use. They are also found to be quite successful, according to Maini. He said, “The driver can drive his SmartE e-rickshaw into a Sun Mobility battery swapping station and pay for the amount of battery that has been used. If the driver has used only 50% of the entire battery energy, he does not need to pay 100% of use every time. The calculation is done on a pro rata basis with a secure RFID tag system, which enables complete security of the battery as well.
The battery charging system assesses the amount of energy consumed and charges the driver on a prorata basis Light and easily swappable, the battery has an average life of two years and 1,000 charging cycles
SmartE and Sun Mobility are looking at a significant rise in e-ricskhaw operator income to support the technology and tackle future challenges that may arrive. Claiming to have witnessed 50% increase in the income of the driver per month, according to Srivastava, the partnership between SmartE and Sun Mobility is said to have already done some 10,000 km, in field trials
conducted since October 2018. The move to Lithium-ion batteries and battery swapping technology solution is also expected to help SmartE up the safety of the erickshaws it supplies. While all the erickshaws that the company has supplied have been equipped with GPS, which includes tracking and geofencing, SmartE, mentioned Srivastava, is also investing in driver training as part of a strategy to improve safety and security. Passenger security is a top priority and the company is investing in driver training involving routes, vehicle parameters, behaviour towards passengers and their security. Geofencing alerts the driver and operator of having travelled out of the designated area. Working towards streamlining the battery swapping technology through secure digital payment gateways, according to Maini, SmartE is looking at a solid edge over the competition through its association with Sun Mobility. In fact, the secure
The ‘Smart’ Lithium-ion battery is said to have a life of 4,000 cycles or 5 years on an average. SmartE, in association with Sun Mobility, is looking at operator profitability for higher productivity and earnings against those that use lead-acid batteries, which are claimed to last approximately nine months with 400 cycles. “The inter-operatable batteries by Sun Mobility have seen the highest asset utilisation,” Maini said. Drawing attention to the new smart battery having different separators and cathodes for a longer life cycle over a standard Lithium-ion battery, which is known to have a lifecycle of up to 2 years with 1000 cycles, Maini explained that battery swapping makes a strong business case. He explained, “The ecosystem takes into account re-usability of batteries in respect to grid storage. Once they reach 80% of their efficiency level over a period of 5 years, they can be easily replaced by new batteries into the swapping ecosystem.” The batteries used by Sun Mobility have 3 onboard microcomputers, each for the GPS tracking, power and battery management, Maini said. ACI
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COVER STORY
Charging infrastructure to play key role in electric mobility expansion Story by: Bhargav TS
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he development of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations is an important factor for the adaptation of EVs and to eliminate `range anxiety’ among users. Range anxiety is the fear that the battery of the EV will run out before reaching the destination or a charging/ swapping point. The government of India recently announced the second phase of its FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) & Electric Vehicles in India) scheme to incentivise EV makers and buyers. Rs 10,000 crore has been allotted for increasing the adoption of green vehicles in the country. The scheme also stresses on setting up the right infrastructure for this, with a total of 2,700 charging stations planned in the second phase, to be set up at government offices and corporations across the country.
The Indian government has recently announced additional benefits to electric car owners such as special green number plates. The most important announcement in the circular is that the setting up of these charging stations will be a de-licensed activity and thus the roll-out of these charging stations are expected to be quite rapid. The charging station will also be free to obtain electricity from any power company through the open access system. Once applied for, the charging station will also be given priority for an electric connection by the distributing agency. The circular has also stated that the current fuel filling stations will be given priority and will be encouraged to set up charging stations. The companyowned and operated pumps will get priority over privately-owned pumps. Fuel pumps will have to set up a ‘firewall’ in order to separate
the electric charging infrastructure as compared to the conventional fuel. Private charging stations in housing or office complexes are free to set up for vehicles to be used internally. Public charging stations will have to have a minimum requirement of charging infrastrucutre. Every charging station should have a minimum of 3 fast chargers, one CCS (Combined Charging System) style plug, one CHAdeMO CHArge de MOve”, equivalent to “move using charge” and one Type2 AC fast charger. While the first 2 plugs will have to have a minimum output of 50kW and 200-1000 volts, the Type-2 plug will have to be a minimum of 22kW and have 380-480 volts. In addition, the charging station shouldl also have 2 slow/moderate charge points, one with a Bharat DC-001 connection with 15 kW and 72-22 volts and the
The Union Government has finally announced a policy for the roll-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. In an official document that was sent out by the Ministry Of Power on December 14, 2018, the government has outlined several key facts, figures and a plan to support the expansion of electric vehicles in the country. The plan for electric mobility charging stations will first be introduced in cities with more than 4 million residents. They include Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Surat and Pune. After much waiting and uncertainty, India will finally have public electric charging stations. 43 43
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COVER STORY Jaipur highway, Bengaluru-Mysore highway and 5 connected highways to each megacity.
other, a Bharat AC-001 with 10 kW and 230 volts. The government has also announced that in the cities mentioned above, there will be at least 1 electric vehicle charging station in a grid of 3 km. On the highway, there will be an electric car station every 25 kms. The government has also recognised
key corridors that will have electric charging stations for both small private vehicles and large commercial vehicles. These include the Expressways: Mumbai- Pune, Ahmedabad-Vadodra, Delhi-Agra (Yamuna Exp.), Surat-Mumbai, AgraLucknow, Delhi-Agra (NH2) and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway. Other major roads include the Hyderabad Outer Ring Road, Delhi-
The Noida-based electric vehicle (EV) startup EV Motors India is reportedly planning to raise about $200 Mn to set up nearly 6,500 electric vehicle charging stations in India in the next 5 years. The charging stations will be provided by Switzerland-based automation company ABB and Taiwan-based electronics company Delta Electronics. It plans to set up 20 more such outlets, consisting of 4 or 5 charging stations, within the next 6 months in residential areas, office buildings, malls, etc. The Founder and Managing Director of the startup, Vinit Bansal, said, the charging stations will comply with both the Indian and international standards, including the Bureau of Indian Standards, the Combined Charging System (CCS), and the Charge de Move (CHAdeMO). He added that the EV market in the country will pick up pace by the end of 2019, around the time Maruti Suzuki, Nissan and BMW are expected to bring their EV models to India. The Centre is also considering a proposal to mandate setting up of charging stations at residential complexes, commercial buildings, and parking spaces so as to develop the required infrastructure. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is setting up a network of Solarbased Electric Vehicle Chargers (SEVC) on the Delhi-Chandigarh Highway. The first in the series of Charging Stations was inaugurated by A.R. Sihag, Secretary, Department of Heavy Industry (DHI), in the presence of Atul Sobti, Chairman and Managing Director, BHEL, at Ethnic India Resort, at Rai in Haryana. The establishment of EV chargers at
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COVER STORY regular distaces over the entire 250 kms stretch between Delhi and Chandigarh would allay rangeanxiety among the Electric Vehicle users and bolster their confidence for inter-city e-travel. As part of the project, BHEL has also developed a Central Monitoring System (CMS) for EV chargers with a user-friendly Mobile App. BHEL’s scope of work in the project includes design, engineering, manufacturing, supply and installation of the EV charging stations along with a Central Monitoring System. Each SEVC station will be equipped with a rooftop solar power plant, to supply green energy, and EV chargers. As part of its diversification initiative, BHEL has been expanding its footprints in the e-mobility business. Notably, the company has installed DC chargers at Udyog Bhawan in New Delhi. BHEL is also executing another commercial order for installation of DC chargers across various locations in the country. BHEL is extending its offering in the e-mobility segment and has equipped itself to foray into manufacturing of EV chargers, electric buses and related critical components. As part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Government of India, in-house development of EV motors, propulsion systems and fast chargers has also been undertaken by the company.
for Tata AutoComp Systems for the task. The firm has installed its DC fast chargers In 26 countries to date. In 2018, Tritium achieved a major milestone in Europe, signing a major deal to supply its Veefil-PK HPC systems to the IONITY network (a joint charging venture between BMW, Ford, Daimler and Volkswagen). Presently, the firm has 2 varieties of charging stations to offer: Veefil RT - 50kW DC Fast Charger meant for compact spaces and existing structures, and Veefil PK high power
charging station. The former is for those seeking charging points for existing public spaces, with low installation cost and a slim and compact design. It comes with features like liquid cooling and offers a power of up to 50 kW. Meanwhile, the Veefil PK is a high power charging system for commercial operators and can deliver up to 920 V at 500 A of current. The company claims that both the products can work in a range of -35 to 50 degree Celsius. ACI
Last year, Tata AutoComp Systems, a company of the Tata Group, has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Australia-based Tritium, through which the Indian firm seeks Tritium’s Veefil-RT 50kW DC fast chargers and bring them to the Indian market. The deal will essentially ensure that the Tata Group is at the forefront of the EV revolution in India. Tritium comes as the right partner 45 45
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EV proliferation may increase import of high-value Chinese components Story by: Bhushan Mhapralkar
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he announcement of the FAME II scheme by the Government has reasserted its commitment to promote electric and hybrid vehicles in India. The Rs 10,000-crore scheme with a 3-year tenure is aimed to encourage faster adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles as it offers upfront incentive on purchase of electric vehicles and plans to establish necessary charging infrastructure for EVs. The Government has announced the setting up of an interministerial panel for monitoring and sanctioning EV projects.
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The panel (Project Implementation and Sanctioning Committee) will be chaired by the Secretary in the Department of Heavy Industries and have as members the NITI Aayog CEO, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs Secretary and the Secretaries in the power and new and renewable energy ministry among others. With the committee, as per an order by the Department of Heavy
Industries, empowered to do the overall monitoring, sanctioning and implementation of the scheme with immediate effect, a curious development is under way. It involves the import of Chinese component as more and more auto makers as well as start-ups scramble resources to design and develop electric vehicles. The Project Implementation and Sanctioning Committee’s terms of reference is said to include modification of coverage parameters for various components and subcomponents. The rising thrust on EVs will increase the import of Chinese components, sources said. The joint venture Olectra-BYD has come of age in India after the announcement of the FAME I scheme. It has sold over 100 e-buses with much of the platform sourced from the Chinese partner BYD. Sources say that the import of Chinese components for EVs includes the most important and very costly components.
With the Project Implementation and Sanctioning Committee’s terms of reference said to include the review of demand incentives annually or earlier as per the parameters like price and technology, the import of Chinese components for EVs is having a strong technology angle also. The imports from China has increased to US $4.3 billion by 27% from FY2012-13, on account of the rising use of electronics in various sectors in India, including automobiles, industry sources say. The thrust on imports is expected to rise at a rapid pace in the absence of a strong EV components manufacturing base in India. It would be too early to expect a strong EV components manufacturing base in India without a sizeable EV market in India. According to an industry observer the import of Chinese parts is expected to far outweigh their export to China. India already imports 10 times more auto components from China than it exports. The announcement of FAME II scheme is expected to address the industry’s demand for a long-term scheme with substantial fund support. Sohinder Gill, Director General, Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV), said that the scheme will also encourage associate industry players to invest in the sector. This will further help in creating a local ecosystem, he added. However, an industry observer has questioned the ability of the Indian EV proliferation to attract substantial investment owing to the high manufacturing costs in India
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COVER STORY
in the absence of the necessary infrastructure and a favourable industrial and labour policy. He pointed out the poor position of India in the manufacture of electronic components (hardware) like a resistor or a capacitor, let alone high-value components like ICs. There are attempts to produce locally PCBs. But it would be too early to say that India has a strong components base for EVs, he said. An industry source has said the lower possibility of high volume growth in EVs in the short and medium-term is like the chicken and egg story. He said that the more thrust the Government applies on EVs, the more the EV industry is going to import EV components from China. However, Rajan Wadhera, President, SIAM, on the eve of the FAME II scheme announcement by the Government, said that such a move would instill tremendous confidence in the automotive as well as in the
component industry. “The industry is poised to make huge investments to manufacture all categories of EVs and develop an indigenous supply chain to ensure ‘Make in India’. The FAME II will focus on EVs used for commercial applications, and twoand three-wheelers, he said. Olectra-BYD has been building e-buses on a platform imported from China and bodies built by the MG Group venture at Zaheerabad with a local content as low as 25 to 30%. An industry observer said it would take years to possess a local electronic components base that supplies critical and value-intensive electronic components. The efforts of Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland to manufacture e-buses as part of a critical in-house design and development policy, which means having a high level of value addition by them, should be commendable. But, an industry source said that despite the efforts to do everything in-house the 2 companies have
had to go shopping to China and Europe to source some very critical components. An R&D official has said that it would take long time before a 100% indigenised EV could be made in India. Until such a situation arises, the Indian auto industry will be importing a lot of electronic components to meet the market needs at sustainable and competitive prices, he added. With the EV industry in India developing in such a way that there is an organised part and an unorganised part (that is mostly engaged in the manufacture of two-and threewheelers), the tracking of import of Chinese components will be difficult. The growing import of auto components from China is also going to pose a threat to the local auto components manufacturing ecosystem, and the national economy as this may increase India’s huge trade deficit with China in the coming years. ACI 47 47
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COVER STORY
ICAT and Altair join hands for electric mobility testing Story by: Gunjan D. Bidani
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s vehicle manufacturers continue to develop fuel alternatives, hybrid and electric vehicle battery testing has become more important than ever. Rapid technological advancements in electric and hybrid electric vehicles require comprehensive power tests for various in-vehicular systems designed for conversion of kinetic energy to battery energy. Stateof-the-art electric powertrain systems require comprehensive tests during development and test phases to ensure maximum safety and seamless operation before the vehicle goes on the roads. The US-based, Altair, a global technology company which provides solutions in product
development, high-performance computing and data intelligence, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) of India to reduce prototyping and address the simulation and testing needs of the existing and emerging mobility industry. Altair envisions the application of its simulation technologies for traction motors of electric vehicles (motor drives or controls), Automated Driver Assistance System-enabling technology, optimization driven design technology and processes for both E-mobility and the conventional vehicles industry. This MoU with ICAT intends to set up a joint working arrangement to jointly promote, develop and offer training,
competency building solutions, technologies and practices for the industry. It allows each of the entities to utilize one’s capabilities and strengths in a synergetic way to address the combined needs of simulation and testing for the industry. The development of efficient hybrid propulsion technologies and fully electric systems requires integrated simulation solutions that can account for the multidisciplinary nature of powertrain development. To integrate virtual testing and validation requirements, while addressing challenges and opportunities faced by OEMs, “Our focus is to convert our laboratories into Centres of Excellence with the help of Altair’s tools,” Dinesh Tyagi, Director, ICAT, said. On the virtue of venturing into the virtual domain, he said, “We are more into physical testing and we wish to get into the virtual engineering domain. With Altair’s help we will be able to build the capability and provide such services to our clients. Using the tools is not an easy job; it requires a lot of training and experience.” In order to reduce prototyping and costs, Brett Chouinard, President and COO, Altair said, “Currently, relative to simulations and tests, OEMs might conduct 200-300 vehicle crash tests. They might perform 10 times less or perform thousands of more simulations; it is not about creating limited number of prototypes to develop the
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COVER STORY vehicle. They just conduct more virtual tests and less of physical tests. Physical tests are still very important, but 10,000 physical tests cannot be done.” While meeting new regulations and growing customer expectations, powertrains must be highly efficient and lightweight. Capitalising on this global shift, Tyagi said the demand from OEMs for e-mobility is mainly for the batteries. At the vehicular level, the crash test related to electric vehicles is the current demand and we are gearing up our facility for that.” In adherence to the big shift happening in simulation and testing business, Chouinard said, “Earlier testing was pretty physical and it would be more of mechanical testing to determine the durability of fatigue. Now, there’s a lot of electrical testing happening. These electrical signals determine the vehicle fatigue of electrical components, for example, thermal heat generated by the electrical components. All these are expanding dramatically as
more electrical content is being generated.” This quantum leap of the automotive world towards e-mobility, autonomous driving, connected vehicles and shared mobility, facilitates the emerging trends. Tyagi elaborated, “Tools are under development for electric mobility. For a new component like a battery, we do physical testing of the battery endurance, ageing effect, temperature performances, etc. The tools are under evolution. Similarly, for the motor, endurance, performance, torque speed, characteristics are needed to be figured out.” On testing a vehicle both with the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) or an electrified motor, Chouinard compared the two and said, “Simulations are 60 per cent the same, although they open up new opportunities for the development of the electric vehicles. For the crash test of an ICE vehicles the engine, which is placed in the front, dominates an entire area, as it occupies more space. In an electric vehicle, the motor can be installed in many
places. It can be distributed in this case. Then, energy can be managed in a car crash in a different way. Still the testing has to be done in the same fashion. Predicting that the IC engines are going to stay for much longer than expected, he said, “According to the projection of only 20% EV, it signifies that there will be 80% ICE out there. Also, there are many variations like hybrid, electric-hybrid and hydrogen. Hence, there are many different variants of the vehicles in making which in turn means more testing and more simulations. So, in a very basic sense, there’s just a lot more of it to do.” In the futuristic segment of autonomous driving, various simulation requirements and challenges are presumed. “Autonomous is happening very largely in a virtual world because ultimately the car has to simulate as it is driving on its own. It has to recognize objects essentially based on some simulation scheme. What is a person? What is a dog? What is this another vehicle? Now, this requires a combination of both physical and virtual testing. It is like teaching the software in the car as and when it operates in a testing environment. That is also a new area full of opportunities.” Chouinard said. Quoting from a Niti Aayog report, Tyagi pointed out that within the next five years, 3-5% penetration of EVs in the new fleet is expected, which means 200,000 electric vehicles. By 2030, 21% penetration is envisaged. “We are investing about $ 8 bn (either bn or mn?, crosschecking) to augment our electric EMC lab by September,” he said. ACI
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Functional safety with powerful TMR and GMR angle sensors Efficient implementation of fail-operational systems By: Michael Westpfahl, Director Product Group Position & Current Sensors at Infineon Technologies
I
nfineon offers precision angle sensors for a variety of applications in all common technologies such as AMR (Anisotropic Magnetoresistive), GMR (Giant Magnetoresitive) and also TMR (Tunnel Magnetoresitive). The xMR technologies are complementary. The sensors are available with analogue or digital outputs, as single and dual-chip channel variants and as products for safety-relevant applications. The newest members are the TMR angle sensor TLE5501 and the GMR angle sensor TLE5014 – available as a singlechannel and two-channel version. Both enable precise and fast angle measurement and functional safety according to an ISO26262-compliant development for ASIL C and ASIL D systems in automotive applications.
The TLE5501 uses the TMR sensor principle for precise, fast and energy-efficient angle detection
With magneto-resistive sensors, the electrical resistance changes when the sensor element is exposed to a magnetic field. For a GMR sensor, this change is much greater than for an AMR sensor (about a factor of 10, hence ‘Giant’). It reaches about 25-45%. Infineon supplies GMR sensors pre-calibrated for immediate use. In the simplest case, a TMR sensor consists of two ferromagnetic layers (for example CoFe) and an insulator layer made of Al2O3 or MgO in between. Below lies a layer of an antiferromagnet for fixing the magnetisation of this layer, just like with the GMR effect. The upper layer follows the outer field. The possible change in resistance is again significantly higher than with GMR - at room temperature about 40 to 200%. This results in high signal amplitudes. As a consequence,
less or no signal amplification is necessary. Unlike with AMR and GMR technology, the direction of current flow with a TMR sensor is not horizontal, but vertical.
q TLE5501 angle sensor
Infineon’s new XENSIV™ TLE5501 family includes fast, analogue, TMR-based automotive angle sensors. Their field of application ranges from steering wheel angle applications with highest functional safety requirements to windscreen wipers, pumps and actuators as well as electric motors in general. They are also suitable for industrial applications and the consumer sector, for example for robotics or gimballed suspensions. Thanks to the TMR technology, all products in the new sensor family offer high detection accuracy at high output voltages with a signal amplitude of up to 0.37 V/V. Unlike sensors used in other technologies, they connect directly to the microcontroller without further amplification, which reduces costs. The TMR sensor offers very high sensitivity, low power consumption and low jitter. In addition, TMR technology exhibits very low temperature drift, which reduces the need for external calibration and compensation. Infineon offers TLE5501 sensors in two different qualification levels.
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by invitation The TLE5501 E0001 is qualified to AEC Q100. This version is pin-compatible with the proven TLE5009 sensor, but enables more cost-effective system solutions because no additional amplifier is required. The other version, TLE5501 E0002, represents an important step in functional safety. Infineon has developed it ISO 26262 compliant and is the first provider of angle sensors to achieve ASIL D, the highest functional safety level for automotive applications, with just one sensor chip. The TLE5501 E0002 consists of decoupled bridges for redundant external angle calculation and provides extensive external diagnostic capability as demanded by common functional safety regulations. The TLE5501 has eight TMR resistors arranged in two Wheatstone bridges. The resistance values depend on the orientation of the external magnetic field. Each bridge supplies a differential output signal. The detected raw signals (sine and cosine angle components) are provided as differential output signals for processing by a microcontroller (angle calculation and further signal processing). Due to the large output voltage of the underlying bridge circuit no further signal amplification is necessary. This means that no further external components are required for the integration on the corresponding board and that the signal processing of the analogue sensor signal can be done directly in the microcontroller. This allows software based compensation algorithms (angular accuracy, linearity over temperature, etc.) to be used in order to increase sensor accuracy. In addition, the performance can be optimized for
Michael Westpfahl, Director Product Group Position & Current Sensors at Infineon Technologies
the respective target application by means of software. In terms of functional safety, the sensor can be diagnosed relatively easy since only a single sensor bridge needs to be monitored. The TLE5501 E0002 version has two independent VDD and GND pins for the P or N bridge. This means that two independent bridge signals (channels) are available, which can perform a cross check with high diagnostic coverage in safety concepts and thus avoid malfunctions. Since even fewer external components are necessary, valuable space can be saved and system costs can be reduced in safetycritical applications such as the accelerator and brake pedal or brushless DC motors in power steering, gearboxes and clutches. For a supply voltage of 5 V, the supply current is specified as only 2 mA. The magnetic field range is 20 to 100 mT. The typical angle error is (not compensated) only 1° over the temperature profile and the lifetime. The TLE 5501 comes in a compact DSO8 package.
q Highest functional security
With XENSIV™ TLE5014, Infineon has launched a new family of
magnetic angle sensors that are also ready for demanding applications, including functional safety, whilst being easy to use. At the Sensor+Test 2018, for example, the company demonstrated the efficient integration of the TLE5014 into an electrical power steering system. The application example showed a fail-safe/fail-operational architecture for the power steering with high availability. Infineon’s family of sensors based on the proven GMR technology achieves ISO 26262 ASIL C levels on product level for single-chip and even maximum ASIL D values for twochip sensors. This makes TLE5014 sensors suitable for applications with the highest functional safety
Block diagram of the discrete TMR bridge circuit of the TLE5501-E0002 with two independent channels. In the dualchannel safety concept, the microcontroller measures the sine and cosine signals of the N and P bridges for crosscomparison. This makes it possible to implement functional safety with just one sensor chip 53 53
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by invitation TLE5014 sensors in GMR technology are available in single-chip and two-chip versions. They are preconfigured and/or calibrated as plug-and-play sensors and can therefore be used directly
requirements. The sensors, like the TLE5501 counterparts, have an extremely small angle error of less than 1° over the entire temperature profile and lifetime. This is very useful in applications that require high-precision position sensing, such as steering angle detection or motor commutation. Other possible uses include electrical power steering systems and the detection of pedal positions. All TLE5014 sensors are available in single-chip and two-chip versions. They are preconfigured and calibrated as plug-and-play sensors and can therefore be used immediately. Customers can choose between the SENT, PWM and SPC interfaces - versions with SPI interface are in preparation. In
Block diagram for an electrical power steering system based on the TLE5014. The chipset used (sensors, drivers, safety power supply and AURIX microcontroller) with the TLE5014 supports failoperational operation
addition to these protocol options, the sensors can be adapted to any application environment via the programmable E²PROM interfaces. All products are compatible with high input voltages up to 26V.
q Functional safety in cars In order to ensure high functional safety in cars according to ASIL C or even ASIL D, a corresponding system partitioning with redundancy and efficient, reliable sensors is required. This is the only way to ensure high availability and that the system remains fully functional in the event of a component failure. This is why Infineon develops and documents the respective sensors from the very beginning according to ISO26262.
The placement of the sensors has a major impact on safety partitioning – whether locally on the ECU board or remotely via a separate board. The TLE5501 is designed for onboard applications and has been developed from the outset to meet ASIL D requirements. It is based on a proprietary safety concept with two independent full-bridge channels. Together with external safety mechanisms (safe power supply, bridge partitioning, compliance with the ASIL D metrics) and an AURIX microcontroller, ASIL D can be supported at system level. With the TLE5014 in the TDSO-16 package, the required redundancy in system designs can be achieved either through the use of two single-chip versions or one dualchip version.
q Summary
The TLE5501 takes full advantage of TMR technology with its high sensitivity, high speed and low power consumption. The two independent channels and the associated integrated redundancy also increase functional safety. ASIL D capability at system level is already possible with a single sensor chip. The TLE5014 in the proven GMR technology excels due to its flexibility with single or dual-chip products as well as a digital 12-bit interface with various protocol options and simple operation thanks to pre-configuration and calibration. Both the TLE5501 and the TLE5014, as well as all corresponding sensors currently under development, are designed to ISO26262 right from the start. Development support in the form of evaluation kits is also available for both new sensors. ACI
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EVENT
CII conference projects key R&D trends in automotive sector ACI Bureau
“T
amil Nadu has always been leaders in the automotive segment. It constitutes 7.1% of India’s GDP by volume and it has the potential to grow fast. Tamil Nadu also has a robust public transport system which is mainly provided by State Transport Undertakings. The Transport department is set to release 12,000 buses, of which 2000 are electric buses & the rest are in line with BS-VI Emission Standards,” Dr J Radhakrishnan IAS, Principal Secretary to Government, Transport Department, Government of Tamil Nad, said. He was speaking at the 11th Edition of the Conference on Automotive R&D Trends, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Chennai, recently. The one-day conference provided the strategic focal point for the Indian automotive research and development to stakeholders to collaborate on a unified platform and deliberated on the auto industry progress. This event projected the key research and technology trends in the automotive industry. “The rise of technology in the auto components manufacturing sector globally and its by-products such as mobility, connectivity, fuel efficiency, electric cars and autonomous driving, have brought forward a huge playfield for Indian manufacturers to compete and innovate in the global market,” Radhakrishnan said.
Arun Jaura, Managing Director, Michelin India Technology Center LLP, in his inaugural address said that mobility is going to change rapidly in the coming years as electric vehicles proliferate, ride sharing continues to grow, and eventually, autonomous vehicles enter urban fleets.” The conference had over 250 participation from the Industry, Government, OEMS, Institutions and relevant organisations Dr Swarna Ramesh, Scientist and Additional Director (Robotics), CVRDE, Ministry of Defence, Government of India, said the defence sector is looking at the private-public partnership in a big way. “Latest trends in mobility is EASY - Electrified, Autonomous, Shared, Connected and Yearly updated. CVRDE designs and develops unmanned systems on the tracked platform
for multiple hazardous missions to support armed forces,” she said. “We have come a long way over the last 2-3 decades and we will see significant improvement in the automotive segment. India has become a critical part and is integrated into the global industry. Every turn of the century has been quite significant for mobility. In the 20th century, we witnessed a major transition in how mobility is moving. In the 21st century, we are witnessing a gigantic shift in terms of how mobility is going to be defined for the future. Connected, autonomous, shared or electric is how the industry is shaping. Mobility is going to be there for a long time,” Dr Aravind S Bharadwaj, C-FES, Mahindra & Mahindra, Limited, said. ACI 55 55
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INTERNATIONAL
Allison Transmission acquires Vantage Power and AxleTech
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llison Transmission Holdings, the largest global manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions purchased Vantage Power, a UK-based technology company specialising in developing electrified and connected technologies for heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers and tier 1 suppliers and US-based AxleTech’s electric vehicle (EV) systems division. Allison is looking at advancements with an electrification strategy that leverages and extends current electric hybrid technologies, develops new electrified propulsion solutions and expands system and integration level capabilities in alternative propulsion. Both of these acquisitions align with Allison’s leading innovator position in propulsion technology and will complement its existing capabilities to advance electrification adoption in commercial vehicles. Vantage Power is an award-winning Londonbased technology company specialising
and electric hybrid products today while differentiating ourselves in the electrification and fuel cell markets.”
in developing electrified propulsion and connected vehicle technologies for mediumand heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers. With particular focus on battery technology development, vehicle integration and control systems, as well as vehicle connectivity and telemetry, Vantage Power technologies have been deployed in a wide range of applications including complete electric hybrid repower systems for buses to grid energy storage. “Vantage Power’s entrepreneurial spirit and technological advancements complement our strategic priorities to meet and exceed our customers’ demands,” said David S. Graziosi, president and CEO of Allison Transmission. “Through this and other growth initiatives, we will continue to build upon our conventional
AxleTech is a leading technology company that designs, engineers, manufactures, sells and services axles and integrated electrified axle solutions for on- and off-highway heavyduty commercial vehicles. With industrial roots established in 1919, the company develops advanced powertrain systems, axles, components and aftermarket parts for global customers. The EV systems division is located at AxleTech’s headquarters in Troy, Michigan. “AxleTech’s highly integrated solutions in the EV space and their presence in Allison’s end markets complement our position as a leading propulsion solutions provider,” said Graziosi. “The talented individuals and products within AxleTech’s EV systems division and their capabilities will combine well with our current product expertise to create and provide unmatched propulsion solutions.” ACI
Mitsubishi Electric launches three new TFT LCDs
M
including instrument cluster, center panel and side-camera screen, ideal for space-limited car interiors. Mitsubishi claims that the highresolution screens of 1,920 (H) x 720 (V) are capable of displaying dense information with superb clarity (10.25-inch: 200ppi, 12.3-inch: 167ppi, and 15.0-inch: 137ppi).
itsubishi Electric has launched its 3 new TFT-LCD modules. The new TFT displays would be suitable not just for automobiles but also as industrial equipment in ships and construction and agricultural machinery that require large screens combined with high performance and superior quality. Mitsubishi has revealed that sales will begin July 16 through Mitsubishi Electric offices worldwide. The new models will be exhibited at Society for Information Display (SID) Display Week in the U.S. city of San Jose, California from May 14 to 16. The modules
would come in 10.25, 12.3 and 15-inch dimensions. Mitsubishi has confirmed that in addition to rear mounting, the models’ wide 8:3 aspect ratio can accommodate display elements
It further claims that the wide 176-degree viewing angles, both horizontal and vertical, high brightness of 1,000 cd/sq.m and high contrast ratio of 1,000:1 ensure excellent visibility in bright environments while being able to withstand temperatures ranging from -40 to 85 degrees Celsius. ACI
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RNI No. maheng/2014/55824