Light electric mobility, particularly in the form of e-two- and three-wheelers, is on the upswing in India. The electric two-wheeler, and three-wheeler segments have been the low-hanging fruits, witnessing a rapid growth in EV adoption, led by a whole host of product options catering to various consumer needs, and price points.
In CY23, the combined sales of electric two-wheelers (857,052 units / up 36%), and e-three-wheelers (581,696 units / up 66%), accounted for an overwhelming 94.25 percent of the Indian EV market, thereby, accelerating the industry’s drive towards the localisation of key components that make these vehicles.
One among many such players, SEG Automotive, which, around five years ago, spun-off from German Tier-1 giant Bosch, as an independent electric motor, starter, and generator maker, says it is intensifying its localisation journey in India, in line with the growing sales of EVs.
“We started developing a 48V motor for electric two-wheelers around five years ago, and the road that led us to this success is our customer connect, and our local supplier base. We have over 125 local suppliers for the housings, and copper windings of our starters and generators. Barring the chips of the PCB, and magnet, our products have over 90 percent localisation levels,” revealed c.
Nowak was a speaker at the Autocar Professional InnerCircle held in Bengaluru on February 20, and said, “While it is cheaper still to import these components into India at the current volumes, the localisation aspect acts as a key enabler while initiating talks with our potential customers. It even falls in line with our global strategy of making things locally a said market.”
The company is planning to commission a new state-of-the-art line for its high-voltage 400V motor in Hosur, Karnataka, and says that with SEG Automotive being the largest manufacturer of mild-hybrid e-drives in Europe, it is also bringing this technology to India.
However, Nowak cautioned that cheaper imports from China continue to act as a roadblock in exploring the full potential of the market. “What we see in India, in comparison to Europe, and the US markets, is that functional safety, and cybersecurity do not yet play a role in this market. This puts us in a disadvantageous position compared to cheap imports from China. Having said that, the market will evolve, and we will see more awareness in the future towards these aspects of EV components, leading to companies conducting proper systems engineering, and safety management in their components, getting an edge,” he signed off.