The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFC), Government of India, has issued a notification on rules for battery waste management in view of the shift to electric vehicles. Anticipating a need to have an organised channel for the safe disposal and recycling of batteries, the rules, called the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, are applicable to the producer, dealer, consumer, entities involved in collection, segregation, transportation, refurbishment and recycling of waste batteries. 

All types of batteries, regardless of their chemistry, shape, volume, weight, material composition and use are covered under the rules. The rules also have a provision for penal action in case of a violation and imposition of environmental compensation. The ministry has also set a minimum recovery percentage target for recovered materials out of dry weight batteries. 

The recovered materials will be then used to produce new batteries. For FY2024-25, the recovery target is set at 70 percent whereas for FY2025-26, it is 80 percent. The target for FY2026-27 is 90 percent. Mentioning that the recovery target may be reviewed by the committee once every four years to revisit the minimum levels of recovered battery materials in light of technical and scientific progress and emerging new technologies in waste management, the notification is expected to contribute towards enhancing each and every EV’s cost to the environment in India. This is especially in connection with the fact that nearly 1.4 million EVs as of July 2022 are said to operate in India if the data shared by the ministry of road transport and highways is relied upon. More than half of this volume is claimed to consist of electric three-wheelers followed by two-wheelers and passenger cars. 

The PLI scheme and other policy changes in terms of manufacture and sale of electric vehicles, it is clear that a strong battery ELV and disposal policy has to be in place. From the cost to the environment point of view, a policy extension in terms of the manufacture of such batteries locally down to the fuel cell level should also taking into view the ability of the battery to perform efficiently through out its lifecycle, thus staying alive for longer and when it does die, it should be recyclable to a great extent. 

Dr Akshay Singhal, Founder and CEO of Log9 Materials, averred. “The newly introduced Battery Waste Management standards by the Government under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) concept addresses two important concerns. An efficient and effective waste management of all Li-Ion batteries that are nearing the end of their useful life and are expected to end up in landfills in a few years, avoiding any residual pollution impact. Second is the emphasis on investing in and nurturing the recycling of such used batteries, reducing the reliance on fresh resource mining.” 

Shubham Vishvakarma, CEO and Chief of Process Engineering of Metastable Materials, said, “The Battery Waste Management Rules announced by the Government of India is an excellent and much-needed step towards bringing to the fore innovations and myriad growth opportunities for the battery waste management and battery treatment space in our country, especially at a time when the ongoing EV boom in India is leading us to increasing concerns on e-waste.” “Under the new Rules notified, the Government has mandated a minimum percentage of recovery of various materials from end-of-life batteries, which is bound to enable the growth of novel business models such as urban mining in order to reduce India’s foreign dependency on procuring raw materials for EV batteries and other types of batteries,” he added. 

Ashok Sudrik, Chief Scientist, Infinite Orbit Research and Development Pvt Ltd, commented, “The Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, were much needed and we are happy that government has started taking cognizance of the hazardous waste being created and the recycling or waste collection. Other than waste management recycling rules, there is a need for manufacturers to incorporate extension of battery life technologies, keep the lithium content minimal and develop innovative cell chemistry. The life of a battery should be 4000 to 6000 cycles, which means a life spane of about 10 to 15 years. BaaS (Battery as a Service) concept with swappable batteries will be a big contributor to the ultimate goal of keeping cost to the environment low.”

In other parts of the world

In Canada, Li-Cycle will begin constructing a USD 175 million plant in Rochester, N.Y., for recycling of lithium-ion batteries. On the grounds of what used to be the Eastman Kodak complex, the plant will be the largest of its kind in North America with an eventual capacity of 25 metric kilotons of input material and a capability to recover 95 percent or more of cobalt, nickel, lithium and other valuable elements through zero-wastewater, zero-emissions process. Ajay Kochhar, Co-founder and CEO, Li-Cycle, said, “We'll be one of the largest domestic sources of nickel and lithium, as well as the only source of cobalt in the United States."  

In May 2022, Hydrovolt, the largest battery recycling plant in Europe started operations in Fredrikstad, Norway. A joint venture between two Norwegian companies – Hydro and Northvolt, the plant has the capacity to process 12,000 tonnes of battery packs per year, enough for the entire end-of-life battery market in Norway currently. Claimed to have the capability to recover 95 percent of the materials used in an EV battery including plastics, copper, aluminum and ‘black mass’, a powder containing various elements inside lithium-ion batteries like nickel, manganese, cobalt and lithium. 

Not just in Europe or US, the rise of Electric Vehicles (EVs) and associated battery gigafactories is pushing forward the creation of a battery recycling value chain. It is a matter of debate whether it got to be a close-loop or an open-loop design in terms of sourcing of batteries to recycle and to put the resulting material to good use so that the cost to the environment is kept minimal. As the demand for use of ‘green’ electricity source gathers pace the world over, on the other end of the spectrum, which involved the end-of-life vehicle for EVs, the demand for recycling in increasing partly due to regulations – the EU regulations have just intensified – and partly by a demand for re-use of materials due to geo-political reasons as well. A strong desire to localise supply chains and safeguard critical raw materials are also the driving factors.  

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Hindustan Zinc has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Advantek Associates and Aero Eagle Automobiles to explore the use of green hydrogen and clean energy solutions.

The company aims to evaluate hydrogen applications across its operations, including underground mining, heavy earth-moving machinery and surface vehicles.

This partnership is part of the company’s strategy to achieve Net Zero by 2050. It marks an effort to integrate hydrogen fuel into mining, an industry that remains difficult to decarbonise.

Arun Misra, CEO, Hindustan Zinc, said, “At Hindustan Zinc, we are focused on pioneering solutions that can redefine the future of sustainable mining. Hydrogen has the potential to support cleaner mobility, reduce emissions from heavy-duty equipment and create new pathways for decarbonising hard-to-abate industrial operations. This collaboration is a forward-looking step in evaluating hydrogen-based technologies, including their potential application in underground mining, as we continue to build a future-ready metals business aligned with global sustainability benchmarks.”

The collaboration will follow a phased approach, beginning with feasibility studies covering green hydrogen generation, storage and dispensing infrastructure. Assessment of Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H2-ICE) and fuel cell technologies. Potential use in underground mining equipment, heavy earth-moving machinery and power generators.

This initiative aligns with Hindustan Zinc’s ESG roadmap and its commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The company has already increased its renewable energy usage to nearly 18 percent of its power mix. Hindustan Zinc was ranked as a sustainable metals and mining company in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2025.

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KPIT Technologies has inaugurated a new technology centre in Hanoi, Vietnam, marking an expansion of its operations in Southeast Asia. The company has also established strategic partnerships with the Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST) and VinUniversity.

The new facility will serve as a hub for engineering and innovation, supporting mobility programmes across the Asia-Pacific region. KPIT currently employs local engineers in Vietnam and plans to add over 100 positions in the near future.

The partnerships with HUST and VinUniversity aim to foster industry-academia collaboration, develop talent in the mobility sector, and create employment opportunities for students and professionals.

Sachin Tikekar, President & Joint MD, KPIT Technologies, said, “Vietnam is an important long-term market and talent hub for KPIT in Southeast Asia. We see strong potential in its talent, energy, and pace of innovation, with both homegrown and global vehicle makers continuing to invest in the country. With our new technology centre and partnerships with leading universities, we are committed to building local talent, creating high-quality jobs, and establishing a meaningful long-term presence in the region.”

KPIT aims to support the mobility industry’s focus on manufacturing efficiency, vehicle development speed, and consumer experience. The company currently operates in markets including Germany, Japan, the USA, China and India.

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AutoVRse, a Bengaluru-based enterprise VR platform, has secured USD 2.4 million in a funding round co-led by Singularity AMC’s Large Value Fund III and Early Opportunities Fund, with continued participation from Lumikai. The investment arrives as automotive manufacturers face pressure from the EV transition, complex assembly, supply chain disruptions, labour shortage, and production line defects. Many of the world’s largest auto makers have already turned to AutoVRse’s technology.

The company provides VR simulation and smart-glasses-enabled field guidance for manufacturing, heavy industry and energy. It serves over 500,000 users across 50 enterprise clients in North America, Europe the GCC, and India, including Bosch, TVS Motors, Ashok Leyland, Tata Autocomp, Panasonic, KPIT and Godrej.

Three forces are driving Indian automotive interest in AI-driven training. The EV shift has made legacy internal combustion engine training obsolete, forcing manufacturers to rebuild training libraries. A shortage of skilled labour has made faster onboarding a necessity. AI-powered smart glasses now enable real-time guidance for line workers. Use cases include assembly training for new vehicle launches, EV battery safety, quality inspection and technician training for ADAS-equipped vehicles.

With the new capital, AutoVRse plans to expand its smart-glasses-based guidance product, which it believes will become standard on assembly lines within two years. It also aims to scale its North American presence, where deployments are running at several Fortune 500 firms, while strengthening its dominance in India and the GCC.

Ashwin Jaishanker, Co-Founder and CEO, AutoVRse, said, “AutoVRse moves safety and training culture from documentation to evidence. Our training products meet workers where they are – e-learning modules, dynamic SOPs, VR simulations – so they're certified before they ever go on-site. Our AI products replace tedious safety busywork like form-filling and performative inspections with real intelligence: helping workers make better decisions in dangerous situations or catch unsafe conditions before they arise. We're grateful to Singularity AMC for backing this vision, and to Lumikai, who've believed in this bet for years.”

Vikram Jaish, Head – HSE, WCL Pipes Anjar, Welspun Corp, said, “Pipe coating operations involve multiple high-risk touchpoints where early hazard recognition is critical. With AutoVRse’s VR training, our teams can experience and identify these hazards in a realistic, controlled environment before stepping onto the shop floor. This has significantly improved awareness, preparedness and safe decision-making compared to traditional training methods.”

Yash Kela, Founder & Chief Investment Officer, Singularity AMC, said, “Most people think of AI in the context of consumer apps. AutoVRse is creating real impact with AI on the assembly line, and that is what our investment thesis is built on. The company operates at the intersection of AI and India's manufacturing revolution. We believe this is how the world will train and operate its industrial workforce over the next 10 years. AutoVRse sits at the edge of a massive, largely untapped market, and we believe the growth from here will be extraordinary.”

Aditya Deshpande, Principal, Lumikai, said, “We're thrilled to deepen our partnership with AutoVRse as they build out cutting-edge AI and VR infrastructure for Fortune 500 enterprises. With VRseBuilder, AutoVRse has demonstrated how immersion, participation and personalisation are finding consequential real-world applications across industrial training in warehouses, labs, plants and field operations of high-precision industries such as pharma, life sciences, manufacturing and petrochemicals, globally. We're excited to back Ashwin, Adarsh and the team as they make immersive AI the operating layer for global industry.”

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European auto major Stellantis and American technology company Factorial Inc. have integrated solid-state battery technology into a Dodge Charger Daytona development vehicle and launched a road-testing programme. The initiative represents the first integration of solid-state cells into a Stellantis vehicle and the first automotive application of the technology in North America.

The development vehicle utilises Factorial's Factorial Electrolyte System Technology (FEST), which combines a lithium-metal anode with a solid polymer separator. In validation testing, the cells demonstrated a specific energy density of 375 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) and achieved a charging transition from 15 percent to 90 percent state-of-charge in 18 minutes. The cells also verified thermal stability across an operational temperature envelope spanning minus 30 degrees to 45 degrees Celsius.

Integrating the solid-state cells into a production-based car required a modification of the vehicle's battery enclosure. Stellantis designed and implemented a patented mechanical architecture to house the cells within the existing pack layout. Engineers also modified the electronic control systems and pack management software to optimise current distribution while satisfying automotive durability and crash safety regulations.

The newly initiated tracking and calibration programme on public roads will evaluate the performance, structural durability and overall safety of the modified pack under real-world driving and charging cycles. The project is a phase within a multi-stage development agreement between the two entities. Factorial, which recently listed on the Nasdaq exchange following a business combination, develops scalable battery technologies and counts Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai and Kia among its strategic investors.

Ned Curic, Chief Engineering and Technology Officer, Stellantis, said, "Battery development is a balancing act. It’s not enough to optimise a single metric. We need a system that delivers real benefits in a real vehicle. This milestone shows we are bringing solid-state batteries closer to our customers with the potential for longer range, faster charging and lower costs. Just as important, FEST’s strong compatibility with lithium-ion manufacturing processes gives us a critical path to scale this technology.”

Siyu Huang, CEO, Factorial, said, "We are deeply honoured to work alongside Stellantis, one of the world's great mass-market automakers, on this STLA Large-based development car. What we have built together, from cell chemistry to pack architecture to enable real-world road testing, is exactly the kind of deep, full-stack collaboration that solid-state has always required. This milestone doesn't just validate FEST; it sets a new bar for what automotive-grade solid-state batteries can deliver and supports the development of future vehicles designed to meet the evolving needs of drivers."

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