Altigreen, an electric three-wheeler maker, recently launched its new rapid-charging EV which is claimed to be able to charge from zero to full in 15 minutes. So, we wanted to find out how has this been done and what applications can this EV have. Moreover, the company has partnered with ExponentEnergy for EV powertrain and battery. We spoke with Dr Amitabh Saran, Founder & CEO, Altigreen Propulsion Labs, and Arun Vinayak, Co-founder & CEO, Exponent Energy, to learn more about the tech, and the scope of this partnership.
1. When will deliveries of the new EV begin?
We expect our Rapid-Charge EV deliveries to begin from October 2022.
2. Are there any partnerships for the new NeEV’s fleet use or other purposes?
Altigreen has been supplying its Cargo EVs to most Ecommerce and FMCG companies for last and mid mile deliveries. These include Amazon, Flipkart, HUL, Bisleri, IFB and the like. These customers have asked for delivery vans with fast-charge options for specific use cases where multiple shifts and quick turnaround times are required. Our new Rapid-charge vehicle will be immediately deployed starting with such applications.
3. Would you share expansion plans (geographical and manufacturing) considering the recent round of funding?
With their recent fundraise of Rs 300 Cr, Altigreen is ramping up its production capabilities while developing a robust pan-India distribution network. Currently in 10 cities, Altigreen will have a dealer and service network across 40 cities by the end of the year. Simultaneously, its new factory is slated to have a capacity of 3000 vehicles a month and expected to begin operations in October 2022.
4. What is the scope of this partnership and its long-term objectives?
For all of India to go electric, EVs need to charge faster and last longer. Partnering with Exponent helps us to make a mere concept turn into a roadworthy reality. With use of Exponent’s e^pack & e^pump the concept of 15-minute rapid charging is possible. We are so confident of the safety of the pack, and the technology stack built for rapid charging, that we are offering an unprecedented, never-before given, 3000 cycle life warranty. This is equivalent to over 2.5 lakh km warranty. Most normal charge vehicles offer warranty of 1 lakh km only!
Exponent’s technology is Li-ion cell agnostic, allowing us to leverage the existing manufacturing ecosystem that produces LFP and NMC cells and scale much faster. Starting with a network of 100 e^pumps in Bangalore (there are a total of 400 petrol/diesel pumps in the city), Altigreen will deploy 2000 vehicles in the coming quarters. Thereafter, they will introduce it in all the cities where Altigreen’s dealer network is present.
5. The NeEV HD can charge from 0-100% in 15 minutes. How has this been achieved? How will this affect the cost for the owner?
Exponent Energy is simplifying energy for EVs with its battery pack & charging station- e^pack & e^pump- that together unlocks a 15-minute rapid charge, irrespective of voltage, battery capacity, and vehicle formats.
The e^pack ensures a 3000-cycle life warranty (a new industry standard) — all done on a range of affordable Li-ion cells. This is made possible by our proprietary BMS and charging algorithms, layered on top of our unique e^pack design. Exponent e^pump delivers 600A of current to the e^pack (15x industry standard) while managing individual cell characteristics including thermals to ensure safety, long battery life, and performance consistency even at 50 degrees Celsius.
Rapid charging makes it possible to have a battery size that is 30% smaller than the long-range version that Altigreen has currently, without compromising on the customers ability to use a vehicle throughout the day. During our testing with Altigreen, vehicles clocked a range of 400-km run in a single day with 5 back-to-back rapid charge cycles; and clocked over 10,000 km of city-driving in a 40-day period!
Smaller battery reduces the cost of the vehicle and rapid charging reduces the charging cost and time. Today the standard amount of energy consumers pay at charging stations is anywhere between INR 20-24 per unit and with Exponent’s rapid charging solutions it will come down to INR 12-14 per unit.
6. The type of battery packs the EV uses and the benefits of LFP cell chemistry. How do you ensure battery safety, especially the thermal management system?
Our approach to rapid charging is two-sided. Our flexible energy stack – e^pack, e^pump, and BMS- work together to ensure that impedance (chaos within a cell that restricts flow of energy) is managed well. Only because the e^pack & e^pump communicate well together, we are able to ensure the cells in the e^pack are not stressed as we follow an adaptive charging profile. That is why we can ensure rapid charging EVs across all Indian conditions, even at 50° celsius ambients.
7. How long would it take to charge fully if not charged at Exponent’s e^pump network? (Public fast charging or home charging)
Exponent Enabled vehicles (ones that have an e^pack) that don’t charge at an e^pump can charge within 60 minutes.