Emphasis on EV Battery Cell Manufacturing to Democratise Access to Clean Transportation
– Deepak Pahwa, Chairman, Pahwa Group & Managing Director, Bry-Air
In order to pave the path for democratising clean transport, there is an incessant need to reduce the performance issue of an electric vehicle. Understanding that faulty batteries can give rise to safety issues in vehicles, manufacturing of the highest-quality EV battery cell manufacturing should be prioritised in the industry.
The automobile industry has been undergoing a radical transformation, with electric vehicles gaining significant traction in recent years. As the world is consciously embracing clean tech solutions with alacrity, even India is showing active participation to become a net-zero country by 2070. Staying true to the commitment, the country has been making great strides to expedite the adoption of EVs aimed at significantly curbing carbon emissions into the environment.
With India making a paradigm shift toward cleaner and more efficient transportation alternatives, the EV industry is poised to gain considerable momentum in the near future. On similar lines, if the FADA report is to be believed, then India witnessed a jump in sales of electric vehicles by 49 percent in 2023. In the pursuit to meet the surging demand for cleaner transportation, the country aspires to achieve 30 percent electrification of vehicles by 2030.
To achieve the purpose, it is the need of the hour that the industry top gear its manufacturing game to achieve the target set for 2030. Understanding that Li-ion batteries are an important aspect of the EV ecosystem, the industry can democratise access to clean transportation by making significant advancements in battery technology. With the ability to power electric vehicles on electricity, Li-ion batteries emerge as an effective technology to provide green solutions. They play a crucial role in curbing the vehicular exhaust released into the air, which is otherwise emitted by fossil fuel-powered vehicles.
In addition to this, Li-ion batteries are responsible for driving the unrivaled performance of electric vehicles. They are highly preferred in the market for the wide gamut of benefits they have to offer. From providing high energy per unit weight to enabling high energy efficiency, it has immense capacity to achieve exemplary high-temperature performance. Likewise, the high power-to-weight ratio and the low self-discharge capacity make it the ideal option available in the market. Moreover, coming with the advantage of better storage density, the batteries require a smaller size. Adding to that, the proficiency to charge and discharge energy safely, that too in the shortest period of time establishes the supremacy of Li-ion batteries in powering electric vehicles. Therefore, it can be perceived that the efficiency of the battery immensely contributes to the performance of EVs. As a result, Li-ion batteries account for 40-50 percent cost of electric vehicles.
In order to pave the path for democratising clean transport, there is an incessant need to reduce the performance issue of an electric vehicle. Understanding that faulty batteries can give rise to safety issues in vehicles, manufacturing of the highest-quality battery cell should be prioritised in the industry. This necessitates the manufacturing of Li-ion batteries in a highly controlled environment with real-time monitoring. Understanding that moisture acts as a major deterrent in battery cell production, it can give rise to defective Li-ion batteries responsible for incompetent EVs in the market.
Considering that various materials in the battery are highly hygroscopic in nature, it requires continuous regulation of humidity levels within a narrow range during the battery cell manufacturing and assembly process. To achieve strict environmental conditions, the installation of dry rooms helps in the production of quality batteries. dry rooms well-equipped with Environment Control Dehumidification System comes with the proficiency to achieve extremely low dew points within the range of -40°C to -80 °C, suitable for processing hygroscopic and moisture-sensitive materials.
But manufacturing Li-ion battery cell in a Dry Room environment consumes a lot of energy that can incur heavy production cost to the company. To address the problem, industry players are keen on adopting highly efficient Low Dew Point technology with alacrity to ace the entire battery cell manufacturing process in the most energy efficient way. As most EV manufacturers in the market are adopting Li-ion batteries for their wide range of benefits, going for a low dew point job becomes a prerequisite, considering that lithium as a material is highly hygroscopic in nature. The affinity to absorb moisture presents a major challenge, considering that in extreme cases, it can even lead to serious safety issues such as vehicle explosions and fire incidents.
Given the criticality of environmental control in the production of Li-ion batteries – the backbone of electric vehicles – the selection of patented, internationally recognised technology and experienced partners that can successfully deliver under such conditions increases confidence and trust in the curation of the highest quality Li-ion batteries.
To further accelerate EV adoption across the country, industry players are enthusiastic about acing Li-ion battery cell manufacturing with the help of battery recycling. It can empower the entire manufacturing process with the help of a circular chain, enabling recovery and reuse of materials, saving the entire effort and time invested in extracting and arranging for new resources.
With India working towards encouraging the growth of EVs in the country, laying a strong and resilient foundation for EV manufacturing can be considered the first step in achieving the larger aspiration of becoming an EV-first nation by 2030. This will not only help the country meet the demand projected by the local market but will also help emerge as a leading player in the international market as well. Therefore, by installing domestically produced high-performance desiccant dehumidifiers, the country can produce high-quality Li-ion batteries to increase the performance of electric vehicles, which can invariably reduce the chances of EV revocation from the market due to quality concerns. The industry can further bolster the prospects for EV market by adopting Low Dew Point Dehumidifiers for battery cell manufacturing that play a crucial role in embracing sustainable practices. The technology contributes to significantly reducing the energy consumption in the manufacturing process, translating into lowering the production cost. In the long run, it plays an essential role in decreasing the cost of the vehicle that can boost the chances of deeper EV penetration in the country.