Building Stable Battery Packs

Neuron energy is looking at new battery chemistries. Deepti Thore looks at the ongoing effort to offer localised, stable packs to the OEMs.

- Deepti Thore

Batteries are at the heart of Electric Vehicles (EVs). Lately the stability of battery packs has been a big question mark with the government looking at fire incidents. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in its investigation concluded that insufficient battery testing was prima facie a key reason. That the battery packs in use were allegedly low-grade made them susceptible to fires. In an effort to standardise, by January 2023, new safety standards will be mandated for compliance. Here companies like Neuron Energy are doing their bit to offer stabilised battery packs. Addressing this issue, Pratik Kamdar, Co-Founder, Neuron Energy cited the conscious shift from chemistries like Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) to Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP). “LFP batteries are less energy density batteries and are more suited for the Indian environment,” he exclaimed.

Starting its business with lead-acid, the company is known to have switched to lithium-ion and LFP. Neuron Energy is now introducing a smart BMS with remote repair capabilities. Getting maximum traction from the electric two- and three-wheelers segment, Neuron Energy today supplies to eight-to-10 of the top Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in India, confirmed Kamdar. With two plants across Noida and Pune, the company has a design and R&D capabilities, inhouse. The team develops these batteries and distributes them across India to three key players for factory-built products and the aftermarket in turn.

Checks and balances