Batteries developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for satellite and launch vehicle applications may be used in electric vehicles in India.
ISRO supplied 50 Ah lithium-ion cells to the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI). The use of the batteries in a prototype two-wheeler was successfully demonstrated in a Symposium on International Automotive Technologies (SIAT 2017) on 19th January, 2017.
The prototype uses a 48V, 50Ah lithium-ion battery, which can attain speeds of 40-50 kmph and can run up to 98 km once charged for 2 hrs. The press release states that the technology is ready for transfer to Indian industries for undertaking the production of Li-ion batteries.
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), a state-owned manufacturing company, has expressed interest in the technology.BHEL is India’s largest power plant equipment manufacturer.
In January 2013, the government issued a National Eletric Mobility Mission Plan 2020, which set a target of 6-7 million electric vehicles on the road (two-wheelers and four-wheelers) by 2020. Total automotive sales in India are projected to cross 5 million annually by 2020.
In April 2015, the current administration launched the FAME India Scheme (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India) to support hybrid/electric vehicles market development and the manufacturing eco-system. The scheme has four areas of focus: Technology development, Demand Creation, Pilot Projects and Charging Infrastructure.
It is aimed at incentivising all vehicle segments, 2 Wheeler, 3 Wheeler Auto, Passenger 4 Wheeler Vehicle, Light Commercial Vehicles and Buses. It covers all variations of hybrid & electric technologies such as Mild Hybrid, Strong Hybrid, Plug in Hybrid & Battery Electric Vehicles.
Phase-I of the scheme was initially implemented over a period of 2 years, with an allocation of INR 750 million (~USD 12 million) for FY 2015-16 and INR 1.2 billion for the subsequent year. About 99000 hybrid/electric vehicles were given direct support by way of demand incentives. Pilot projects, charging infrastructure projects and technological development projects were approved amounting to nearly INR1.55 billion. Phase-1 was extended in March 2017 by six months or the approval of phase-2, whichever came earlier.