EQONIC Group, a UK-based battery technology company, has announced two senior leadership appointments to support the commercialisation of its lithium-free, sodium-free and rare-earth-free battery technology.

John Saunders joins as Executive Director, bringing 30 years of experience in banking, regulation and law. He has held senior roles at Coutts, Barclays, UBS and Deutsche Bank. On the other hand, Angela Knight CBE joins as Non-Executive Director, having previously served as Chief Executive of the British Bankers' Association and Energy UK, with board experience at Taylor Wimpey and Arbuthnot Banking Group.

EQONIC is developing proprietary technology that eliminates the use of lithium, sodium, and rare-earth metals. The company claims that its technology achieves materials cost savings of approximately 70 percent compared to traditional lithium batteries.

The technology utilises abundant materials that are non-flammable, which reduces the risk of thermal runaway. This approach is intended to address supply chain vulnerabilities and ensure the batteries are fully recyclable.

The company plans to license its technology to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to enable global deployment while reducing capital risk. EQONIC’s roadmap aims for its technology to surpass sodium battery performance by 2026 and reach Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) levels by 2029.

Currently, EQONIC operates a commercial division serving D2B and B2B clients with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) energy storage systems. The company has secured a multi-million-pound pipeline across multiple sectors.

John Saunders, Executive Director, EQONIC Group, said, "EQONIC's breakthrough technology represents a genuine paradigm shift in the battery sector. The combination of cost reduction, enhanced safety, and sustainable materials addresses the fundamental barriers that have constrained the industry. I'm excited to bring my experience to support the company's growth trajectory as we move toward demonstrating market-ready products and securing strategic partnerships."

Angela Knight CBE, Non-Executive Director, EQONIC Group, said, "EQONIC exemplifies the kind of innovative British technology that can lead global markets. The company's approach - developing transformative technology first, then building robust commercial frameworks around it, is hugely compelling. Strong governance will be critical as EQONIC scales its business model and establishes partnerships with established OEM’s. I look forward to contributing to the board's strategic oversight during this pivotal phase."

Jas Kandola, Founder and CEO, EQONIC Group, stated, "John and Angela bring exactly the calibre of leadership we need at this critical juncture. John's regulatory expertise and commercial acumen will be invaluable as we navigate partnerships and licensing arrangements, while Angela's governance experience across complex, regulated industries will strengthen our board oversight. These appointments reflect our commitment to building a world-class organisation capable of delivering on the enormous potential of our technology."

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Renault India has entered a partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur to conduct vehicle research and development. The collaboration will see Renault India use the National Wind Tunnel Facility (NWTF) at the institute for aerodynamic and wind-noise testing of its vehicles.

The NWTF is equipped with a test section measuring 3.0 m x 2.25 m, capable of speeds between 80 kmph and 280 kmph. It is currently being upgraded to support speeds above 400 kmph.

Dr. Vikraman V, Chief of Engineering, Renault Group India, said, "This partnership marks an important step in strengthening Renault's engineering capabilities in India. By collaborating with IIT Kanpur and leveraging the National Wind Tunnel Facility, we are bringing together world-class research infrastructure and Renault's global engineering expertise to develop futuREady vehicles. This collaboration also reflects India's growing importance within Renault's global innovation and engineering ecosystem."

Prof. Dr. Alakesh Chandra Mandal, Department of Aerospace Engineering & Co-Ordinator, NWTF, said, "We are pleased to partner with Renault India in advancing automotive research and development. This collaboration highlights the versatility of the National Wind Tunnel Facility and represents an important opportunity to extend our expertise beyond aerospace applications to support innovation in the automotive sector."

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Sun Mobility has introduced a modular multi-battery swappable solution for heavy electric vehicles, showcased on the Tata Starbus 12m EV platform at the Prawaas 5.0 exhibition in Gandhinagar.

The system aims to address barriers to fleet electrification, such as charging downtime and upfront vehicle costs. It enables the simultaneous swapping of two batteries in under five minutes. The architecture supports 50 kWh and 100 kWh configurations and is compatible with vehicles ranging from 3T to 55T gross vehicle weight. Through a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model, operators pay for energy consumption rather than purchasing the battery pack.

Chetan Maini, Co-Founder and Chairman, Sun Mobility, said, "When we founded Sun Mobility, our vision was to make electric mobility as convenient, scalable, and economically viable as conventional transport by reimagining energy infrastructure. The unveiling of the world's first Modular Multi-Battery Swappable Solution demonstrated with Tata Starbus EV at Prawaas 5.0 marks a defining milestone in that journey. We believe the modular multi-battery swapping solution has the potential to unlock large-scale electrification across the commercial vehicle ecosystem by delivering a cost-effective and operationally efficient energy solution for diverse applications. As India accelerates its transition to clean mobility, technologies designed and built here can not only transform commercial transportation at home but also position India as a global leader in next-generation electric mobility solutions."

Ashok Agarwal, CEO, Sun Mobility HEV, added, “The next phase of electrification will not be defined solely by vehicles, but by the energy ecosystems that power them. Our showcase of World’s first Modular Multi-Battery Swappable Solution on the Tata Starbus EV platform demonstrates how one battery swapping platform can serve staff, city transit, and intercity fleets alike, without compromising on affordability or operational reliability. We see this as a real step towards mass adoption of EVs in commercial transportation.”

The system operates on an intelligent network that tracks battery health, location and energy usage. It also utilises a digital twin platform to support predictive maintenance and fault diagnosis. The technology is developed in-house and is intended to be OEM-agnostic, supporting bus and truck segments from 7 to 13.5 metres and 3T to 55T gross vehicle weight.

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LICO Materials and Ather Energy have announced a partnership to establish a system for the collection and recycling of lithium-ion batteries.

Under this agreement, end-of-life batteries from Ather’s electric two-wheelers will be processed at LICO Materials' facility in Karnataka. The recovered materials will then be reintroduced into the battery supply chain for use by cell manufacturers and vehicle producers.

The initiative aims to address the recovery of materials including lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and copper. LICO Materials states that its facility can achieve recovery rates of up to 95 percent.

Gaurav Dolwani, CEO, LICO Materials, said, "India is building one of the world's largest EV fleets and it is doing without domestic reserves of the minerals that power it. That is a structural vulnerability, and battery circularity is the only answer. This partnership means those batteries can be recycled and recovered minerals can be fed into the battery supply chain. We believe this is how India can reduce its dependence on imported critical materials.”

This collaboration aligns with the Battery Waste Management Rules 2022, which require extended producer responsibility within the electric vehicle industry. By recycling battery materials, the companies intend to reduce reliance on imported minerals and support India’s commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2070.

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Bengaluru-based deeptech start-up Vimag Labs has been granted a patent in India for its Virtual Magnet Synchronous Motor (VMSM) platform titled ‘A Robust Rotating Transformer Excited Synchronous Motor and Its Control’, which protects the architecture of the motor that does not require magnets.

The VMSM platform uses power electronics and algorithms to control its magnetic field. Vimag Labs claims that the motor functions without the rare-earth magnets typically found in permanent magnet motors. This is the 5^th patent granted to the company, which also has ten patents pending and 15 trademarks filed.

The company is conducting pilot programmes with manufacturers of two-wheelers and passenger cars. Future expansion plans include light commercial vehicles, commercial vehicles and industrial systems.

Manish Seth, Co-Founder and CEO, Vimag Labs, said, “This patent is the outcome of over 87,600 engineering hours. It strengthens every dimension of our commercial roadmap- OEM partnerships, licensing, manufacturing scale-up, and future growth. Our long-term vision is to build scalable, software-driven, magnet-free motor systems for global electrification. This innovation strengthens India’s deep-tech base across electric mobility, power electronics, robotics, defence, and clean-energy systems.”

Vimag Labs recently raised USD 5 million in a Series A funding round led by Accel, with participation from Chakra Growth Fund and Thinkuvate. The company has also signed a manufacturing memorandum of understanding with Jendamark.

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