The EV Battery Management System (BMS) market in India has been experiencing significant growth in recent years. The increasing adoption of electric vehicles in the country, driven by government initiatives, rising environmental concerns, and increasing fuel prices, has been a significant factor contributing to the growth of the EV BMS market. India’s EV market will continue to grow exponentially in coming years. This growth is expected to drive the demand for BMS in the country, as it plays a critical role in ensuring the safety and performance of EV batteries. Aeris Communications provides battery management and swapping solutions that enables real-time vehicle tracking. To Dive deep into this market landscape, Rajeev Ranjan, Editor, Dgitial Terminal recently held an exclusive chat with Sameer Mahapatra, Country Manager-India & SAARC, Aeris Communications. Read the conversation below.
Rajeev: Please tell about the major challenges with the adoption of Battery Management System in EVs in India?
Sameer: The Battery Management System (BMS) is the foundation of electric vehicle efficiency that ensures complete tracking, monitoring, and control of the functions performed by the battery for a dependable and safe operation. As a result, it becomes a crucial component of EV safety. It contributes to the increased performance of the EV by providing real-time information that enables timely actions and ensures the durability of the vehicle.
The major challenges that come with BMS are of enhancing battery safety, reducing costs, finding new metals for the battery, increasing capacity, and reducing the charging time. If the battery doesn’t follow the standard procedure, the automobiles also tend to catch fire. This makes it mandatory for users to adhere to all instructions, maintain the car out of the sun, charge the battery following the recommended standards, keep the vehicle in continuous use, and adhere to all usage restrictions.
As the demand for electric vehicles rises, the market for Battery Management Systems (BMS) is expected to grow. The batteries for electric vehicles will become less complicated, simpler to charge, and simpler to operate in the future. The BMS is advancing gradually, which will reduce energy consumption and boost performance.
Rajeev: What role do you think Battery Management System and Telematics can play in improving the EV infrastructure in India?
Sameer: Electric Vehicles (EVs) have emerged as the most environmentally friendly alternative in the contemporary era where traditional combustion engines have become an obsolete technology. The growing demand for batteries in India is now being driven by the deployment of energy storage systems and increased use of electric vehicles. The battery management system is the most crucial component when converting from a gasoline or diesel engine to an electric car.
BMS organises, controls, and assures the security of the complete battery set. It provides updates on the current details on battery operational properties, including type, temperature, capacity, charge status, power usage, and charge cycle. According to a recent study by a consultancy Arthur D little, India will need to invest roughly USD 10 billion to increase cell production and raw material refinement by 2030 in order to meet domestic demand for lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. For this to succeed, the Indian government and the industry ecosystem must work together to foster a locally based, self-sufficient EV value chain, with established battery manufacturers, OEMs, and start-ups engaging in ongoing R&D, collaborations, and international alliances to build a robust supply chain.
Telematics is also one of the most promising technologies today modernising India's mobility sector. They are needed for EVs to enhance the driving and riding experience. Telematics data aids in efficient route management, benchmarking vehicle utilisation, monitoring charge reporting, and gauging the success of cost- and emission-reduction strategies. It also keeps track of the vehicle's charge status to optimise charging and notifies the driver when needed. Along with map rerouting, scheduling slots at charging and switching stations, and remote access to the vehicle, including theft alarms, it may also offer the essential information on the condition of the vehicle.
Rajeev: How the battery swapping policy is critical to the growth of EV battery ecosystem? What sort of benefits does it bring along for the local EV market?
Sameer: According to the Economic Survey, the automobile industry contributes to 7.1% of the Indian GDP. The Government of India has been actively supporting the electric drive, with objectives to make India a 100% electric vehicle nation by the year 2030. Given that several states have put strict regulations in place to guarantee 100% electrification, the battery swapping policy would be very advantageous to India's fleet of e-commerce vehicles as it helps promote uniformity, standardisation, and interoperability rules to ensure a smooth ride over long distance.
Under battery swapping, the local EV users can replace the discharged batteries with charged ones at the swap stations. This assists in solving the problem of setting up charging stations, reducing the range anxiety of drivers. Moreover, battery leasing can help EV consumers to save on the cost of purchasing a battery. It consumes minimum time and infrastructure, ensuring that the installation of charging stations will no longer be a barrier. Better battery swapping facilities also help to reduce the upfront cost of the car for the consumer, which halves the cost of the vehicle. Safety is guaranteed, and the possibility of technological obsolescence is removed.
Accelerating India's shift to e-mobility requires a battery-swapping infrastructure that is both powerful and facilitating. Industry leaders' contributions to the creation of an ecosystem and infrastructure that prioritises customer needs, safety, and convenience will be necessary if the significant advantages of battery swapping infrastructure are to be realised.
Rajeev: What role is Aeris playing in ensuring safe and efficient interconnected functioning in vehicles?
Sameer: Aeris Connected Battery Management Solution offers real-time, round-the-clock tracking of the battery. It helps manage the battery life cycle, remotely track, and trace vehicles and batteries, and even show a map view of batteries with charging, temperature, and other battery-related statistics on a dashboard. Information received from this data analysis can be used to lengthen battery life. Battery geo-fencing technology from Aeris provides an additional layer of security for commercial vehicles that are only allowed to travel in specific areas, such as those used for food and grocery delivery and hyperlocal courier services. It helps in preventative maintenance by providing regular updates on the charging state, estimating the amount of battery life left, and even forecasting how long the batteries will last before needing to be recharged.
Aeris has other state-of-the-art track & trace technology assists fleets in connecting and making automobile OEMs and even aftermarket vehicles smarter. In order to enhance vehicle performance, usage, safety, and security, Aeris AerTrak provide real-time vehicle tracking as well as details on battery usage and health for electric vehicles. Aeris is committed to help our nation fulfil the goal of Net Zero 2070 and clean and green 2030 by investing in the development of adequately scaled connected technologies and battery management systems for EVs.
Rajeev: What are your future plans to grow further in Indian market?
Sameer: As the demand for electric vehicles increases, the market for Battery Management Systems (BMS) is anticipated to expand. Electric vehicle batteries will become more streamlined in the future, making them simpler to use and charge. In order to deliver real-time information about a battery in the best way possible, it also offers consumers a variety of convenience functions that are supported by the cloud. This is done while maintaining safety and security, which are top priorities from the viewpoint of the user.
EVs, smart battery charging infrastructure, and smart pricing are the way of the future. We expect that by 2025, with increased electrification of two- and three-wheelers, the Indian EV industry to be worth Rs. 50,000 crore (US$ 7.09 billion), strengthening our relationship. With the help of smart charging, preventative maintenance, and battery swapping, we can establish cutting-edge business models for our clients and even help them save on operating expenses.
