The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFC), Government of India, has issued a notification on rules for battery waste management in view of the shift to electric vehicles. Anticipating a need to have an organised channel for the safe disposal and recycling of batteries, the rules, called the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, are applicable to the producer, dealer, consumer, entities involved in collection, segregation, transportation, refurbishment and recycling of waste batteries. 

All types of batteries, regardless of their chemistry, shape, volume, weight, material composition and use are covered under the rules. The rules also have a provision for penal action in case of a violation and imposition of environmental compensation. The ministry has also set a minimum recovery percentage target for recovered materials out of dry weight batteries. 

The recovered materials will be then used to produce new batteries. For FY2024-25, the recovery target is set at 70 percent whereas for FY2025-26, it is 80 percent. The target for FY2026-27 is 90 percent. Mentioning that the recovery target may be reviewed by the committee once every four years to revisit the minimum levels of recovered battery materials in light of technical and scientific progress and emerging new technologies in waste management, the notification is expected to contribute towards enhancing each and every EV’s cost to the environment in India. This is especially in connection with the fact that nearly 1.4 million EVs as of July 2022 are said to operate in India if the data shared by the ministry of road transport and highways is relied upon. More than half of this volume is claimed to consist of electric three-wheelers followed by two-wheelers and passenger cars. 

The PLI scheme and other policy changes in terms of manufacture and sale of electric vehicles, it is clear that a strong battery ELV and disposal policy has to be in place. From the cost to the environment point of view, a policy extension in terms of the manufacture of such batteries locally down to the fuel cell level should also taking into view the ability of the battery to perform efficiently through out its lifecycle, thus staying alive for longer and when it does die, it should be recyclable to a great extent. 

Dr Akshay Singhal, Founder and CEO of Log9 Materials, averred. “The newly introduced Battery Waste Management standards by the Government under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) concept addresses two important concerns. An efficient and effective waste management of all Li-Ion batteries that are nearing the end of their useful life and are expected to end up in landfills in a few years, avoiding any residual pollution impact. Second is the emphasis on investing in and nurturing the recycling of such used batteries, reducing the reliance on fresh resource mining.” 

Shubham Vishvakarma, CEO and Chief of Process Engineering of Metastable Materials, said, “The Battery Waste Management Rules announced by the Government of India is an excellent and much-needed step towards bringing to the fore innovations and myriad growth opportunities for the battery waste management and battery treatment space in our country, especially at a time when the ongoing EV boom in India is leading us to increasing concerns on e-waste.” “Under the new Rules notified, the Government has mandated a minimum percentage of recovery of various materials from end-of-life batteries, which is bound to enable the growth of novel business models such as urban mining in order to reduce India’s foreign dependency on procuring raw materials for EV batteries and other types of batteries,” he added. 

Ashok Sudrik, Chief Scientist, Infinite Orbit Research and Development Pvt Ltd, commented, “The Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, were much needed and we are happy that government has started taking cognizance of the hazardous waste being created and the recycling or waste collection. Other than waste management recycling rules, there is a need for manufacturers to incorporate extension of battery life technologies, keep the lithium content minimal and develop innovative cell chemistry. The life of a battery should be 4000 to 6000 cycles, which means a life spane of about 10 to 15 years. BaaS (Battery as a Service) concept with swappable batteries will be a big contributor to the ultimate goal of keeping cost to the environment low.”

In other parts of the world

In Canada, Li-Cycle will begin constructing a USD 175 million plant in Rochester, N.Y., for recycling of lithium-ion batteries. On the grounds of what used to be the Eastman Kodak complex, the plant will be the largest of its kind in North America with an eventual capacity of 25 metric kilotons of input material and a capability to recover 95 percent or more of cobalt, nickel, lithium and other valuable elements through zero-wastewater, zero-emissions process. Ajay Kochhar, Co-founder and CEO, Li-Cycle, said, “We'll be one of the largest domestic sources of nickel and lithium, as well as the only source of cobalt in the United States."  

In May 2022, Hydrovolt, the largest battery recycling plant in Europe started operations in Fredrikstad, Norway. A joint venture between two Norwegian companies – Hydro and Northvolt, the plant has the capacity to process 12,000 tonnes of battery packs per year, enough for the entire end-of-life battery market in Norway currently. Claimed to have the capability to recover 95 percent of the materials used in an EV battery including plastics, copper, aluminum and ‘black mass’, a powder containing various elements inside lithium-ion batteries like nickel, manganese, cobalt and lithium. 

Not just in Europe or US, the rise of Electric Vehicles (EVs) and associated battery gigafactories is pushing forward the creation of a battery recycling value chain. It is a matter of debate whether it got to be a close-loop or an open-loop design in terms of sourcing of batteries to recycle and to put the resulting material to good use so that the cost to the environment is kept minimal. As the demand for use of ‘green’ electricity source gathers pace the world over, on the other end of the spectrum, which involved the end-of-life vehicle for EVs, the demand for recycling in increasing partly due to regulations – the EU regulations have just intensified – and partly by a demand for re-use of materials due to geo-political reasons as well. A strong desire to localise supply chains and safeguard critical raw materials are also the driving factors.  

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Hindustan Zinc, a global integrated zinc producer, is advancing its mining strategy with a fleet intelligence system powered by Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Through monitoring of Heavy Earth Moving Machinery, the company is capturing real-time data on equipment uptime, reliability and energy consumption to optimise operations, enhance machine lifespan and elevate productivity.

The data-driven approach has led to measurable improvements across equipment categories over the last three fiscal years FY2024 to FY2026:

• Jumbo drilling machines achieved a 28 percent improvement in reliability and uptime.
• Load Haul Dumpers recorded a 24 percent rise in uptime.
• Low-Profile Dump Trucks showed an improvement of over 27 percent.
• Efficiency has also improved, seen in the Power Pack to Percussion ratio for Jumbo machines, which decreased from 3.8 to 3.4, indicating better energy use for equivalent output.

This transformation is managed by Hindustan Zinc’s Collaboration Centre, which serves as the central nerve for real-time data integration and decision-making. Data from sensors and IIoT devices, deployed in collaboration with Machine Max (a Vedanta Spark startup partner), is processed and analysed into insights for both frontline teams and strategic leaders.

Arun Misra, CEO, Hindustan Zinc, said, “With stronger data capture, cutting-edge IIoT integration and advanced analytics, we’re moving from reactive to predictive operations. The optimisation of our heavy earth-moving fleet has been a game-changer for our uptime and efficiency. This project is a clear step towards smarter, real-time decision-making and building a high-performance, energy-efficient mining ecosystem.”

The digital initiative is integral to the company’s strategy for automation, smart mining and sustainability. Hindustan Zinc is also deploying other technologies, including an AI-powered camera surveillance system that has resulted in an almost 50 percent reduction in manual intervention for safety and compliance. The company is currently working with over 20 technology startups on more than 50 projects through Vedanta Spark.

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Tier 1 automotive supplier Lumax Auto Technologies (Lumax) has inaugurated its new Technology Centre in Bengaluru, christened the ‘Smart Hub for Innovation and Future Trends’ (SHIFT).

The new facility will focus on accelerating the company’s electronics engineering and digital capabilities amid the global transition toward software-defined vehicles (SDVs).

The inauguration saw participation from Lumax’s key customers and partners, including leaders from Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, Hero MotoCorp, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki India, Tata Motors and TVS Motor Company.

The new centre aims to serve as a nucleus for advanced research and product development in key areas such as in-cabin experiences, ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), connectivity and embedded electronics.

Anmol Jain, Managing Director, Lumax Auto Technologies, said, “This centre marks a major step toward our Tier 0.5 vision, enhancing our strengths in electronics, mechatronics and digital systems. We aim to lead the transformation toward intelligent, connected and sustainable mobility and Bengaluru’s dynamic tech ecosystem provides the ideal environment for this journey.”

The tier 1 supplier stated that the component industry is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by electrification, digitisation and autonomous technologies. As vehicles become increasingly software-centric, Lumax Group is working to integrate intelligent systems and deliver seamless user experiences.

Deepak Jain, Promoter Director, Lumax Auto Technologies, said, “The launch of our Technology Centre reaffirms our long-term commitment to customer-centric innovation and technological leadership. As the industry transitions toward software-defined vehicles (SDV), the future of mobility will increasingly be driven by intelligence, connectivity and digital integration. SHIFT will enable Lumax Group to accelerate innovation, strengthen collaboration and shape intelligent mobility solutions of the future.”

The SHIFT Technology Centre is equipped with advanced electronics labs for hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, rapid prototyping and product validation, enabling end-to-end innovation from concept to commercialisation.

Satish Sunderesan, CTO, Lumax Auto Technologies, said, “With SHIFT, we aim to converge talent, technology and transformation to engineer software-defined and digitally driven vehicles and evolve from smart systems to autonomous intelligence.”

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Mattel, AirConsole, and BMW have launched Hot Wheels: Xtreme Overdrive, a title for BMW customers on the AirConsole gaming platform. The game was announced at the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo.

The game follows the success of Mattel’s UNO Car Party! and combines a brand, automotive innovation and social play.

A feature of the game is the Panoramic Drive track, a level where players race Hot Wheels cars inside the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X. Players can also get behind the wheel of a car inspired by the BMW iX3, the series version of the Vision Neue Klasse X, to race alongside a range of classic Hot Wheels vehicles.

This integration will be for BMW drivers until June 2026.

With the game, players can earn points from races, unlock Hot Wheels cars and customise them. Game features include:

• Race cars – Choose from a lineup of 8 Hot Wheels vehicles, as well as a BMW iX3.
• Tracks – Zoom through six courses, including the Panoramic Drive track built inside the BMW Neue Klasse X.
• Race Options – Compete in Quick Race, Cup Mode and Custom Track mode.
• Multiplayer action – Up to four players can join the fun with smartphones as controllers.
• Customisation – Unlock and customise cars to show off custom looks on the track.

The market for in-car gaming is expanding, and players expect integration and content. N-Dream, the company which developed AirConsole, aims to make the car a new frontier for shared entertainment.

Anthony Cliquot, CEO, N-Dream, said, “Cars are no longer just about driving them, they’re becoming entertainment hubs. BMW’s continuous investment into exclusive content with AirConsole is a testament of in-car entertainment’s growing importance. With BMW and Mattel, we’re proving that the passenger experience can be as iconic as the drive itself.”

Since 2022, the BMW Group and N-Dream have been pioneering gaming in BMW vehicles. AirConsole is available in current BMW and MINI models with Operating System 9 (in combination with BMW Digital Premium / MINI Connected Package) and with BMW Operating System 8.5 (in combination with BMW ConnectedDrive Professional). It will also be available with the new BMW Operating System X.

Also read: KPIT Acquires Majority Stake In AirConsole Creator N-Dream

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Tsuyo Manufacturing, an electric powertrain design and manufacturing start-up, has raised INR 400 million in a Pre-Series A round led by Avaana Capital. The investment will fund Tsuyo's next phase of growth, including the establishment of a second R&D centre and the commissioning of a new greenfield manufacturing facility.

Founded in 2020, Tsuyo has delivered over 150,000 powertrain units across various EV applications to more than 25 OEMs. The company aims for a 7-8x growth within the next three years, with expansion plans targeting Southeast Asia, Japan, Korea and Europe.

The company said it is a tier-1 supplier of integrated powertrain solutions to OEMs, including Mahindra, Volvo Eicher and Sonalika, with products covering three-wheeler, four-wheeler, Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV), Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCV) and off-road applications.

It claims to be the only Indian supplier with a validated powertrain platform for HCVs and retrofit solutions for existing ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) fleets.

The upcoming third manufacturing unit will focus on producing high-wattage electric motors (up to 250 kW) and transmission assemblies, with an initial annual capacity target of 20,000 units. The new facility will also include a vehicle testing track and end-of-line validation systems aligned with PM e-Drive and FAME standards.

The new R&D centre will concentrate on power electronics, embedded systems and prototype development. Tsuyo has filed four patents and has 25 more in the pipeline, including innovations in rare-earth-free motors and hybrid magnet-based motors.

Vikas Verma, Venture Partner at Avaana Capital, said, “Tsuyo is building the backbone of India’s energy transition. Their vertically integrated powertrain, critical for electrification across automotive and industrial applications, exemplifies the kind of indigenous, scalable innovation that will define India’s role in building globally resilient supply chains and reducing reliance on rare earth mineral-based technologies. We’re proud to partner with a team that brings together deep design and engineering innovation with the operational excellence needed to scale commercially”.

Vijay Kumar, Founder & CEO, Tsuyo, said: “Our mission has always been to design and manufacture powertrain systems from India that compete at a global level. With Avaana’s support, we’re scaling high-wattage motor production and advancing deep-tech R&D. From magnet-less designs to novel winding approaches and localised tooling, our focus is on creating more efficient, reliable and sustainable powertrain solutions.”

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