Amara Raja Batteries has entered into an agreement with Gridtential Energy to collaborate on bipolar battery technology.
Gridtential Energy is the inventor of the silicon joule bipolar battery technology, which combines the traditional benefits of lead batteries with the performance and life cycle of lithium-ion batteries.
Under the agreement, both the companies will assemble and test reference batteries using Amara Raja’s active material and work on the improvements in their life cycle, energy density, efficiency, charging rates, and manufacturability.
Gridtential Energy provides non-exclusive licenses for its silicon joule technology to manufacturing partners to adapt their facilities to provide high performing 24V and 48V batteries for hybrid automotive, low-speed electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and home backup markets.
Commenting on the partnership with Amara Raja, CEO of Gridtential Energy, John Barton, said, “We believe that silicon joule advanced lead battery technology is a perfect fit for the Indian market, offering a high-performance, low-cost solution. We are excited by the opportunity to show that our advanced lead technology offers superior price-performance and confidence that this will prove to be a successful platform for Amara Raja.”
Speaking on this latest development, Vice President and MD of Amara Raja Batteries Limited, Jayadev Galla, said, “The unique silicon joule bipolar technology from Gridtential holds significant potential to deliver enhanced value to our customers. And importantly, Gridtential helps meet our environmental commitment based on lead battery recyclability greater than 99%.”
This technology enables the development of an innovative class of highly effective advanced lead batteries with silicon at the core. The batteries using the patented silicon joule bipolar technology come with a wider temperature range and are 40% lighter in weight as compared to the conventional batteries.
Speaking to Mercom, a senior executive from Amara Raja Batteries said, “The Indian market is witnessing the fast expansion of new application requirements for batteries such as low voltage electric traction, telecom microsites, energy storage integrated with renewable energy sources, etc. We see an opportunity for bipolar technology with enhanced lead acid battery performance to meet the requirements of these new application demands. Additionally, it enables environmentally sound manufacturing practices as well as higher material usage efficiency.”
Last year, Amara Raja launched EV charging stations and battery swapping stations in collaboration with Tirupati Municipal Corporation. Amara Raja has set up EV battery charging and swapping stations in the temple town of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh along with a fleet of electric auto-rickshaws as part of the central government’s Smart Cities program.
In February this year, Toyota Motor and Panasonic Corporation joined hands to establish a joint venture specializing in automotive prismatic batteries for electric vehicles. Prismatic batteries offer a viable alternative for providing energy for automobiles and other forms of e-mobility, which can address the growing concerns regarding environmental issues and can play a central role in driving the e-mobility ecosystem forward.
Rakesh is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Prior to joining Mercom, he worked in many roles as a business correspondent, assistant editor, senior content writer, and sub-editor with bcfocus.com, CIOReview/Silicon India, Verbinden Communication, and Bangalore Bias. Rakesh holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).
