Renault Nissan Automotive India Crosses 4.5 Million Powertrain Manufacturing Milestone

Renault Nissan Automotive India

Renault Nissan Automotive India (RNAIPL), the unique dedicated manufacturing facility for the Renault Nissan Alliance, has manufactured over 4.5 million powertrain units at its facility in Oragadam, Chennai (India). This includes 2.83 million engines and 1.67 million gearboxes since the start of production in 2010.

The facility produces Renault and Nissan cars for India and export markets with over 2.75 million cars produced since start of operations in 2010. The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility also includes end-to-end capabilities for production of engines from melting of aluminium ingots, casting the molten metal into various engine parts such as the cylinder head and cylinder block at the casting shop, machining them to the perfect size and dimensions at the machining shop and assembling them together at the assembly shop. The plant has the capacity to produce engines with ranges from 800cc to 1500cc.

RNAIPL also houses all facilities required for manufacturing gearboxes including gear machining, shaft machining, clutch house machining and gear heat treatment.

Since start of production in May 2010, Renault Nissan Automotive India has produced seven different types of engines and three varieties of gearboxes. RNAIPL’s Powertrain reached the production milestone of one million engines in 2016, within six years of start of production and has also produced more than 160,000 units of EV reducer components for exports.

Keerthi Prakash, MD, Renault Nissan Automotive India, said, “The production of 4.5 million powertrain units is a very important milestone for RNAIPL. In addition to powering the cars produced at our Chennai plant, we have also exported powertrain units and components to other countries around the world. Looking to the future, as part of the USD 600 million investment announced by the Renault Nissan alliance, we are readying our infrastructure to produce the engines and gearboxes for our new models.” 

One of the top variant engines that is currently produced by RNAIPL is the HR10 TURBO engine that features the unique mirror bore cylinder coating technology used in sports cars such as the Nissan GT-R. The technology reduces resistance inside the engine, cutting weight, improving heat management and combustion to deliver smooth acceleration and efficient fuel use.

RNAIPL’s plant uses robotic vision camera technology to ensure complete quality confirmation during the production of powertrain units and the sequential process flow ensures that each unit does not proceed to the next stage in manufacturing until it has been confirmed and certified for its quality.

Indian Forging Sector Charts Growth Roadmap Amidst EV-ICE Transition At AIFI Annual Convention

AIFI

The Association of Indian Forging Industry (AIFI), the apex body for the forging sector, successfully concluded its National Annual Convention in Pune, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers and experts to strategise on the future of the Indian forging industry.

The landmark event focused on charting a clear growth roadmap, exploring opportunities amidst global supply chain disruptions and analysing the evolving outlook for both Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Internal Combustion Engines (ICE).

In his inaugural address, Yash Munot, President, AIFI, emphasised the industry’s need to balance the dual imperatives of sustainability and competitiveness. "India’s automotive and mobility sectors are undergoing unprecedented transformation. At AIFI, we firmly believe that collaboration across industry, academia and policymakers is the key to shaping a resilient future," he stated.

A core theme of the convention was the delicate balance between the EV transition and the continuing relevance of ICE technology in India.

Dr K C Vora of NAMTECH delivered a keynote on the ‘Future of EV & ICE in Indian Scenario,’ highlighting the critical role of EV adoption, supported by policies like FAME II, while stressing the need for continued optimisation of ICE platforms given India's diverse mobility ecosystem.

The second keynote by Prenayan Kaul of PwC focused on navigating global supply chain disruptions, urging forging companies to leverage technology-driven efficiencies and tap into new growth areas to counter headwinds like raw material volatility.

A major highlight of the convention was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between AIFI and Hexagon. This strategic partnership aims to advance digitalisation and smart manufacturing capabilities within the forging sector, a move AIFI President Munot cited as a testament to the commitment to global competitiveness.

A dynamic panel discussion on ‘Current Industry Scenario - Trends, Opportunities & Challenges,’ moderated by S Muralishankar, further reinforced the importance of resilience, innovation and collaborative growth in tackling current industry trends and governmental policies.

The convention concluded with a reaffirmation of AIFI's mission to strengthen the sector’s role as a vital contributor to India’s economic growth, aligning actively with national priorities such as ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and the transition towards sustainable mobility.

Epsilon Advanced Materials, Phillips 66 Partner To Power US EV Battery Manufacturing

Epsilon Advanced Materials

Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAM), a leading global manufacturer of sustainable battery materials, and Phillips 66 have forged a strategic alliance to bolster the domestic electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage system (ESS) battery supply chain in the United States.

Phillips 66, one of the world’s leading producers of Green and Calcined Needle Coke cokes, which are the critical feedstock required for manufacturing synthetic graphite anodes – a core component of lithium-ion batteries.

As per the understanding, Phillips 66 will supply Green and Calcined Needle Coke from its Lake Charles, Louisiana refinery to Epsilon Advanced Materials. The feedstock secured through this partnership will directly support EAM's ambitious new 30,000 tonnes graphite active anode material facility currently under development in North Carolina.

The facility has completed all necessary permitting milestones and is on track to begin operations in 2027, with an expansion plan to reach 60,000 tonnes by 2030. Once fully operational, the North Carolina plant is projected to supply U.S. battery manufacturers and automotive OEMs with enough graphite active anode material to power approximately million electric vehicles annually, playing a decisive role in scaling sustainable battery production for the nation and enabling clean energy transitions.

Vikram Handa, Managing Director, Epsilon Advanced Materials, said, “This collaboration is a major step in building a secure and sustainable battery materials supply chain for the US. Phillips 66’s expertise in energy and materials, combined with EAM’s capacity and global presence, will ensure reliable, scalable and sustainable graphite anode production to power the EV and ESS industries worldwide.”

The agreement successfully brings together Phillips 66’s operational expertise in material production with EAM’s global expansion goals, reinforcing the collective effort to build a competitive and resilient supply chain for clean energy technologies across multiple regions.

L&T Tech, Siemens Expand Partnership To Accelerate AI Transformation & Smart Manufacturing

Siemens Smart Manufacturing

Bengaluru-based engineering R&D services major L&T Technology Services has expanded its partnership with Siemens, a leading technology company focused on industry, infrastructure and mobility.

The partnership aims to advance Machine & Line Simulation and IIoT Technology, setting a new benchmark for innovation within LTTS’ sustainability segment, which encompasses process engineering, discrete manufacturing and industrial products.

As per the understanding, LTTS will leverage the digital technology portfolio of Siemens to deliver simulation-driven automation and IIoT-enabled solutions for diverse sectors including automotive & transportation, industrial products and process & plant engineering.

By combining Siemens’ flagship platforms, TIA Portal, Industrial Edge and Tecnomatix, integrated with LTTS’ AI-driven engineering expertise, the partnership will accelerate digital adoption, improve precision in system design and drive faster, smarter decision-making across manufacturing ecosystems.

Alind Saxena, President & Executive Director – Mobility & Tech, L&T Technology Services, said, “Our collaboration with Siemens underscores a shared vision of driving AI-powered innovation and operational excellence across industrial ecosystems. By focusing on robust solutions such as Machine & Line Simulation and IIoT Technology, we are empowering industries to achieve greater agility, actionable insights and measurable business outcomes.”

Suprakash Chaudhuri, Head of Digital Industries, Siemens, said, “At Siemens, we believe that partnerships are the cornerstone of the digital transformation journey for Indian enterprises. By combining deep domain expertise with cutting-edge digital solutions, we can co-create scalable, future-ready innovations that empower industries to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. We are delighted to welcome LTTS as our Solution Partner and look forward to shaping the future of digital transformation together.”

Kinetic India Rolls Out Range-X LFP Battery From Ahilya Nagar Facility

Kinetic Range-X

Kinetic India, part of the Kinetic Engineering Group, has rolled out the first unit of its LFP (lithium iron phosphate) Range-X battery from the production line at its Ahilya Nagar facility.

The Range-X LFP battery is powering the company’s recently launched Kinetic DX EV electric scooter. The company shared that the Range-X LFP batteries are designed to be longer, safer & superior, and are equipped with a smart Battery Management System (BMS) to optimise performance, extend lifecycle and ensure consistent reliability.

Ajinkya Firodia, Vice-Chairman, Kinetic India, said, “These first batteries rolling off our production line represent more than just a milestone for Range-X, they signify the backbone of the Kinetic DX EV and the next wave of clean mobility in India. With AIS 156 certification, Range-X delivers on its promise of combining durability, safety, and sustainability in every battery we produce.”