- To foray in the Indian market with active cooled Li-Ion battery solution

- India is the first overseas market for the California-headquartered company

Rising pollution level is a global concern. In recent times, almost all major car manufacturers have been investing a considerable amount of time and resources towards electric mobility development. Now the question that prevails, what will happen to the existing vehicles that run on petrol or diesel? Until now, retrofitted CNG kit was a viable alternative to conventional fuel, as it was easier on the pocket and was also comparatively, a lesser polluting option. US-based Power.Global, a public benefit corporation, is foraying into the Indian market with active cooled Li-Ion battery solution, specifically for three and two-wheeler market.

For the first time in India, Power.Global will introduce electric retrofit kit solution for existing three-wheelers (auto-rickshaws) and two-wheelers. Interestingly, India is also the first overseas market for this California-headquartered company. Currently, the auto-rickshaws plying in the Indian metropolitan cities are available with a CNG option. The company claims that CNG/petrol/diesel based auto-rickshaws and two-wheelers are expensive due to high fuel cost and maintenance. Moreover, these vehicles have long-term effects on the environment and human health. On the other hand, the company’s Li-Ion battery solution is smaller, lighter, affordable, and also, does not harm the environment.

In India, Power.Global will set up Swap Kiosks, where a standard vehicle can store two-four batteries to swap. Customers can also use the app to locate the nearest Swap Kiosks, monitor the usage, and the battery condition. Although the charging time is not known for now, the company claims that the new battery technology will offer 30 per cent more energy by weight and volume than its competitors. Some of its safety and performance highlights are as follows –

- Cell Thermal Runaway Fault Tolerant – If a cell goes into thermal runaway, the thermal runaway event will not spread to other cells in the module, like some other designs.

- Designed for high vibe and shock environments

- Designed for high ambient temperature

- Single fault tolerant to any catastrophic event (short circuits, overcharge, thermal runaway/fire, etc.)

- High cycle life at more than 1,500 cycles

- Highest environmental protection rating of IP69K (ISO 20653 – Road vehicles – Degrees of protection (IP code) – Protection of electrical equipment against foreign objects, water, and access)

In addition to the above-mentioned benefits, Power.Global is working towards eliminating the negative effects on the environment. It is believed that in addition to significant reduction in noise pollution, roughly 3.72 tonnes of CO2, 16kg of NOx, and five kilograms of PM10 per vehicle will be reduced each year. The company is also working with supply chain vendors to minimise environmental impact for items such as plastics, metals, and battery cells. Power.Global will focus on reuse and increased recyclability. Moreover, the second life EV battery modules will be reused for stationary storage applications to support micro-grid applications. It will also support the energy grid with the use of clean, sustainable, and renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and more.

Power.Global has recently incorporated its Indian entity. The company will set-up its manufacturing line and build-up its manufacturing team in the second or third quarter of 2021. The production for retrofit Kit solutions and battery modules is expected to commence before the end of 2021. Going forward, all new products will be developed within India. By 2023/2024 Power.Global aims to be listed on National Stock Exchange (NSE).