Tata AutoComp Systems has started developing high-voltage EV components that are going to be suitable for electric passenger vehicles that will be introduced in overseas markets such as Europe and America, which are the demand centres for high-performance EVs.
Ravi Chidambar, CEO, Tata AutoComp Systems, said, “There is a huge opportunity in India for high-voltage EV components (above 300V) that are witnessing demand from not just India but global markets. Therefore, there will be a future in this area, and we have already started some component development for 850V for the global markets. We have components in the range of 300-850V in the works and we are investing into R&D, as well as plant and machinery in this regard.”
Chidambar made the observation that electric vehicle (EV) components—from the battery pack to the traction motors to the electric compressors—will need to be calibrated for the high-voltage play and have a lot of promise in foreign markets.
Ravi Chidambar, CEO, Tata AutoComp Systems, said, “We have a massive opportunity in terms of India’s domestic demand potential, and exports to countries like the US, Europe, and Mexico. We need to be agile and eye global markets for attaining scale.”
He explained that while such high-voltage powertrains are unlikely to see a significant potential in India, particularly in the country’s electric passenger vehicle, two- or three-wheeler segments, the electric-bus category in the country, however, could catch on the high-voltage trend. “We do not expect the two-, three-wheeler segments, or the small-commercial vehicle category in India to venture into high voltages extensively,” Chidambar said.
Regarding India’s potential to become a global center for the supply of electric vehicle (EV) components, Chidambar stated that although China’s scale cannot be transferred to India, the latter can still absorb technology and quicken its development. India needs to make significant progress in coming up to the Chinese scale, which is orders of magnitude higher than what we now have. Even without the benefit of scale, we are still able to adjust to new technologies. He made the observation, “We have to make sure that our technology is worthy of being exported to the globe and is thrifty in nature.
“Therefore, we have a massive opportunity in terms of India’s domestic demand potential, and exports to countries like the US, Europe, and Mexico. We need to be agile and eye global markets for attaining scale. Scale must also be done in a modular fashion, and component players must make incremental investments as well as hedge their bets. So, while acknowledging the fact that China is certainly a few years ahead when it comes to EV technology, and we must play catch-up in a smart way,” Chidambar added.
Tata AutoComp Prestolite Electric JV recorded a production milestone of 100,000 integrated e-drivetrain supplies in November. It plans to now manufacture and sell 100,000 e-drive units within FY2025 itself.
Click Here to get the latest EV news and exclusive updates from EV Mechanica on WhatsApp!