IIT-M, Ashok Leyland ink deal on battery engineering research

CoBE will work towards understanding various battery issues and challenges in various areas of applications. It will also focus on the physics part of the battery technology as against other research units working on newer chemistries of the batteries. 

CoBE will target to work upon battery engineering and thorough characterisation of batteries via detailed testing, optimising battery performance for different applications and work towards better economics. CoBE will also collaborate with various cell manufacturers from across the world and will study the impact of partial charge-discharge cycles with varying depths of discharge and operating temperatures on battery life. Most importantly, it will work on developing the next generation of smart battery chargers and battery management protocols.

Karthick Athmanathan, Head, Electric Vehicles and e-Mobility Solutions, at Ashok Leyland, said, “With this initiative in battery engineering, we want to be participants in India’s aggressive thrust to stay ahead of the curve as far as electric mobility is concerned. We are confident that with the high quality of people and the special list of research initiatives, CoBE at IITM will be a key partner in the country’s electric mobility vision and will help us understand this technology better and stay ahead of global players.”

Prof. Bhaskar Ramamurthi, Director, IIT Madras, said, “Battery engineering, specifically for electric vehicles, is a very important emerging area of research and innovation. By pledging long-term support and collaborating with the CoBE at IIT Madras, Ashok Leyland is making a significant contribution to this critical technology for India’s future energy and transportation needs.”

Prof. Devendra Jalihal, Head, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras, under which the CoBE, functions, signed the MoU. He said, “The CoBE, IIT also provides policy inputs to the national electric vehicles programme. Potentially, the research can lead to greatly reducing India’s dependency on imported oil, to reducing environmental pollution, to greater employment opportunities and to a global leadership position.”