Intending to support India in faster adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) by leveraging entrepreneurial energy of start-up backed by industry leaders, Lithium-ion EV battery maker Grinntech has transformed into a commercial enterprise.

As part of this evolution, the company has attracted industry leaders such as Dr V Sumantran (former Vice- Chairman of Ashok Leyland) and Lakshmi Narayanan (co-founder and former Vice-Chairman of Cognizant) as investors and to serve on the company’s Board of Directors. Besides, K S Manian of Radiance Group and Ucal invested in this company. The company has received about USD2 million from these investors.

Along with a new logo, Grinntech has also unveiled a range of high-tech batteries with unique designs customised to Indian conditions and its proprietary, IoT-enabled BMS to power 2-wheelers, 3-wheelers and tractors/light vehicles.

Grinntech’s journey catalysed with the fundamental truth that the Indian automotive industry’s future is EVs, and India should be self-reliant in EV technologies.

In 2013, Nikhilesh Mishra and Puneet Jain - the two young engineers came together with a passion for making EV industry indigenous. Began with developing the battery swapping model for Tata Ace where interchanging of batteries performed in less than two minutes without any automation, the duo sharpened their focus on 12kW EV conversion kit for the same vehicle. Over 20,000km of field trials conducted to validate the system.

The break-through came with being absorbed at the incubation centre in IIT Madras Research Park in 2017, where they mentored by a leading scientist - Professor Ashok Jhunjhunwala. This period saw the development of lithium-ion batteries for two/three-wheelrs and electric buses. It also gave the company to licence the technology to a few battery manufacturers, including Exide, Amara Raja, Exicom and Cygni. During the last three years, the company generated close to USD1 million, which was ploughed back in research and development. Today, over 80 percent of the staff in the company is involved in its research and development.

After evolving from a pure R & D firm to a manufacturing company, Grinntech is now pushing itself to the operational phase with a modular production system, paying particular attention to cell-characterisation and pack testing. In addition to its new R&D and manufacturing facility in Chennai, the company is exploring a couple of options for a larger manufacturing location to scale up its production capacity.

The new facility will manufacture Robin-72 and Shikhra smart and personalised 2- and 3-wheeler battery solutions using state-of-the-art automated processes and assembly lines. The facility will also manufacture Pintail, an IoT-enabled 2-wheeler starter battery and the Falcon, a larger battery suited to tractors and light vehicles. The modular production layout will allow for easy scaling up as demand grows.

Robin 72 not only provides energy to the vehicle but also makes it smart and personalised. Designed with its patented technology (developed with Qualcomm), it is 7.5 times more capable than an average BMS - battery management system. It makes it most suited for varied EV applications like ride-sharing, delivery services, battery swapping, and personal use vehicles. The battery will last up to five years and it gets up to 80 percent of charge in 40 minutes.

Shikra reduces downtime significantly, thus ensuring better earning opportunities for drivers. Designed with quality materials, it offers segment-best durability, reliability, and longevity. It assures more than 99 percent availability of battery energy. The battery will last for four years and it can get 80 percent of charge in about two hours.

Falcon (96V) is oriented to light-vehicles, including cars, LCVs and light tractors/industrial equipment, and optimised for long-life operation.

Designed, according to JIS standard, Pintail is suitable for IoT enabled petrol 2-wheelers with continuous current draw. The battery offers reliability and life to balance between high current for cranking and long life for the constant current consumption. CAN communication adds smartness and fast charging makes it most suitable for ride-sharing vehicles. The battery can get 80 percent of charge in an hour; it has a life of up to three years.

For all the batteries, the company offers variants with customisable features according to the requirements.

Grinntech works closely with leading global technology companies and cell suppliers, bringing cutting-edge advances in semiconductors, materials, cell-chemistry and formats.”It was always our dream to create a technologically advanced lithium-ion battery product-line built-to-cost for Indian conditions and its production system. We are hopeful that we will catch the fast-growing wave for EV products by Indian customers,” the company founders said.

Mishra said, “When a technology stalwart like Lakshmi Narayanan and a visionary of mobility like Dr Sumantran join hands, I expect nothing less than building up Grinntech’s battery development and manufacturing capabilities to a position of industry leadership. Apart from affordable, high-quality batteries that employ customisable and superior thermal management, we anticipate EV makers and customers will soon require additional capabilities like battery performance analytics and connectivity. With our innovative product range and sophisticated IoT-enabled BMS systems, we are ready for this future.”

Dr Sumantran said, “I am delighted to be a part of Grinntech’s journey when EVs are rapidly gaining acceptance globally and in India, and particularly so at a time when our country has articulated a priority for self-reliance in critical EV technologies. Market conditions will reward those EV battery makers that possess technological and operational competence in the coming years. Grinntech’s combination of performance, quality and economics will play an important part in that journey.”

Narayanan said, “The future of energy is in renewables with significant potential for high growth. Digital technologies such as IoT and data analytics play a crucial role in enabling companies with newer business models to provide much-needed connectedness, high performance and superior customer experience. It is heartening to see start-ups in India boldly embrace technology-driven solutions that can meaningfully address not just India’s challenges but also global ones.”

Off late, Grinntech has been getting inquiries for the supply of batteries to global clients. The anticipated growth of products like E-powered micro-cars, e-bikes, and a range of electrified mobility vehicles in the post-COVID world offers encouraging prospects for companies like Grinntech that possess proprietary technology, a low-cost base, and high-quality products. MT

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India’s automotive industry could face fresh supply chain disruptions by mid-July 2025 due to declining inventories of rare earth magnets, following tightened export restrictions and shipment delays from China, according to rating agency ICRA.

Jitin Makkar, Senior Vice President and Group Head – Corporate Ratings at ICRA, cautioned that the situation echoes the semiconductor shortage of 2021–22, which led to the loss of nearly 100,000 passenger vehicles. “Rare earth magnet inventories are projected to last only until mid-July 2025 for several passenger vehicle and two-wheeler applications,” he said.

Neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets, critical for high-performance uses like EV traction motors and power steering systems, are heavily imported – around 85 percent of India’s USD 200 million imports in FY2025 came from China. These magnets make up nearly 30 percent of an electric two-wheeler motor’s cost, with motors priced between INR 8,000 and INR 15,000 depending on specifications.

To counter the supply challenge, Indian OEMs and auto component manufacturers are exploring several alternatives: importing fully assembled motors from China, sending rotors to China for magnet assembly, using substitute materials with similar properties, or switching to rare earth-free motors using electromagnets. However, each option faces significant logistical, regulatory, and engineering hurdles.

While the immediate impact could disrupt production planning, ICRA believes the crisis may also drive innovation and diversification in both materials and supply chains for the Indian auto sector.

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Hyundai Mobis, a part of Hyundai Group specialising in manufacturing of auto components, modules & systems, has developed a new rear safety control technology that can reduce rear-end collisions.

The company states its new active control technology uses sensors to detect approaching vehicles from behind and manoeuvre the vehicle out of danger, is expected to hit the market soon. It integrates sensors such as rear-side radars and front cameras with driving control technology.

The solution works when the driver engages the Smart Cruise Control (SCC) function on the highway. When the sensors detect any other vehicle at a proximity of 10 metres or less, it first emits an audio alarm or a visual warning on the cluster. When the situation keeps persisting after a certain amount of time, the vehicle automatically accelerates to maintain a safe distance. In addition, the rear side radars also detect the movement of the vehicle behind, while the front camera recognises the lane and vehicle ahead on the driving path to assist in safe acceleration.

Hyundai Mobis acknowledges that while some global OEMs have already integrated such technology, the functions are not yet advanced enough for the vehicle to control itself autonomously. On the other hand, its technology is able to independently adjust the distance between the front and rear vehicles and avoid dangerous situations.
The Korean company plans to further expand the scope of autonomous control for defensive driving against rear vehicles. Currently, the company is developing a lane-changing function to escape dangerous situations, in addition to an acceleration control function that allows the vehicle to speed up on its own.

Jung Soo-kyung, Executive Vice-President and Head of Automotive Electronics Business Units, Hyundai Mobis, said, “We will actively protect the safety of mobility users by providing solutions that can intelligently handle not only front-end safety, but also dangerous situations caused by rear vehicles while driving.”

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HARMAN, a leading automotive technology company and subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, has unveiled an advanced in-vehicle display that elevates the driving experience with consumer-tech-level visuals. This cutting-edge display, set to debut in the all-new Tata Harrier.ev, represents the first automotive integration of Samsung’s proprietary Neo QLED technology, exclusively licensed and optimised by HARMAN for vehicle applications.

The new 14.53-inch floating Neo QLED display delivers stunning home-theatre-quality visuals with vibrant colours, deep contrast and enhanced brightness, all powered by intelligent algorithms and a sleek, modern design. Engineered to perform flawlessly in all lighting conditions, the display incorporates HARMAN’s proprietary real-time visual control technology, which dynamically adjusts image output to optimize power efficiency. Among its key innovations are the industry’s first cadmium-free Quantum Dot display with intelligent Blue Mini-LED control, 1200-nit peak brightness, true black levels and an expansive 95 percent NTSC colour gamut. The ultra-slim design, featuring bezels under five mm, ensures a seamless and sophisticated aesthetic.

This breakthrough builds on HARMAN’s longstanding partnership with Tata Motors, which began with the integration of JBL audio systems in Tata vehicles across India. With the Harrier.ev, the collaboration now extends to premium branded displays, reinforcing both companies’ commitment to innovation and superior in-car experiences.

Shilpa Dely, Vice President – Displays, HARMAN, said, “We’ve brought together Samsung’s cutting-edge consumer display innovation and HARMAN’s deep automotive expertise to create something truly unique: a first-of-its-kind, in-vehicle visual experience that brings living room TV-level brilliance to the road. We have finally closed the gap between consumer and automotive display technology – and we’re proud to debut this global breakthrough with our trusted partners at Tata Motors.”

Anand Kulkarni, Chief Products Officer, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Limited, said, “We’re committed to delivering world-class technology to Indian consumers. Together with HARMAN, we're bringing the best of consumer display innovation in India’s most capable SUV, the recently launched Harrier.ev, transforming it into a true third living space after home and office. This collaboration sets a new standard for in-cabin experiences – not just in India, but around the world.”

Sanjeev Kulkarni, Vice President – Sales, HARMAN, said, “Our partnership with Tata Motors spans more than a decade and is built on a like-minded approach to innovation, along with a joint promise to deliver the very best in-cabin experiences to our customers,”. “From JBL premium audio to advanced intelligent cockpit solutions, HARMAN is a defining part of the Tata driving experience. With the introduction of our new display product, we’re proud to take that collaboration even further.”

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Chinese-owned Swedish automotive major Volvo Cars has unveiled a new multi-adaptive safety belt, which it claims is a world-first technology aimed to further enhance safety for everyone in real-world traffic situations. The multi-adaptive safety belt is set to debut in Volvo EX60 in 2026, the company’s fully electric offering. It uses real-time data from the cars advanced sensors to adapt to traffic variations and the user wearing the seatbelt.

Based on the data input from interior and exterior sensors the seatbelt provides customised protection, adapting the setting based on the situation and individual’s profiles, such as their height, weight, body shape and seating position. For example, a larger occupant in a serious crash will receive a higher belt load setting to help reduce the risk of head injury. While a smaller occupant in a milder crash will receive a lower belt load setting to reduce the risk of rib fractures. Using over-the-air software updates, it gets better over time.

Asa Haglund, Head of Volvo Cars Safety Centre, said, “The world's first multi-adaptive safety belt is another milestone for automotive safety and a great example of how we leverage real-time data with the ambition to help save millions of more lives. This marks a major upgrade to the modern three-point safety belt, a Volvo invention introduced in 1959, estimated to have saved over a million lives.”

The Swedish carmaker stated that modern safety belts use load limiters to control how much force the safety belt applies on the human body during a crash. This new safety belt expands the load-limiting profiles from three to 11 and increases the possible number of settings, enabling it to optimise performance for each situation and individual. Unlike traditional systems, the new multi-adaptive safety belt can utilise data from different sensors, including exterior, interior and crash sensors. In less than a blink of an eye, the car’s system analyses the unique characteristics of a crash – such as direction, speed and passenger posture – and shares that information with the safety belt. Based on this data, the system selects the most appropriate setting.

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