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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Chinese technology company InfiMotion presented its latest electric drive technologies at the 5th International Forum on Automotive Power Systems held in Songjiang. The event gathered industry experts to discuss the theme of ‘dual carbon drive, diversified win-win.’

The company showcased a dual motor assembly featuring a magnesium aluminium alloy shell, which it identifies as a world first for mass production. The assembly uses a patented 360-degree bidirectional, full oil cooling technology for heat dissipation. According to the organisation, the magnesium aluminium alloy housing reduces weight by 25 percent compared to traditional aluminium versions while maintaining hardness, aiding vehicle range and energy consumption.

InfiMotion also showcased magnetic field adjustable motors, which is intended to reduce no-load drag losses and optimise power consumption.

Furthermore, it also displayed ultra-high speed motors capable of 36,000rpm for high-performance applications and 9-in-1 electronic control units designed to integrate power domain control and reduce drive weight.

During the forum, Xu Zhe, a technology expert at InfiMotion, delivered a speech titled ‘The Era Wave of Cross Integration of Electric Drive Calibration and Data Science.’

The presentation addressed the integration of product technology with data science during the research and development process.

The exhibition resulted in exchanges between InfiMotion and several domestic and international enterprises regarding the production and application of future power systems.

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Bengaluru-headquartered AI fleet safety and performance solutions company Netradyne has announced the acquisition of Moove Connected Mobility, a European fleet intelligence and mobility company with presence across European markets.

The acquisition is part of Netradyne’s expansion and its strategy for the European region. By combining Netradyne’s platform with Moove’s presence, customer relationships and experience, the company aims to serve customers across the continent.

Moove will join Netradyne Europe, serving as a hub for regional sales, customer engagement, partnerships and market development. This structure allows Netradyne to increase growth in Europe while remaining close to customers, regulators, and partners.

Avneesh Agrawal, CEO and Co‑Founder, Netradyne, said, “Europe is a critical pillar of our global strategy. This acquisition reflects a clear commitment to building long‑term presence, leadership, and trust in the region. By bringing together Moove’s local expertise and relationships with Netradyne’s AI platform, we are uniquely positioned to support European fleets at scale while staying deeply anchored in the region.”

Moove’s leadership team has experience in the European regulatory and operational landscape for mobility. Jeroen Bruinooge, Former CEO of Moove Connected Mobility, will become SVP & GM, Europe at Netradyne. He will lead the European strategy, partnerships and customer success.

The teams will focus on solutions to help fleet operators with safety outcomes, driver performance, and operational insights. The acquisition also increases Netradyne’s ability to support customers seeking a platform across North America, Europe, and Asia. This move is part of Netradyne’s mission to build an AI company with investment in the markets it serves.

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Italian technology company Brembo has announced that its intelligent braking platform, Sensify, has entered commercial production for a major global vehicle manufacturer. The system is being fitted as standard across the entirety of the vehicles in the initial programme, representing the platform's first full industrial deployment.

Sensify is designed as a fluid-free architecture that replaces centralised hydraulic circuits with distributed intelligence at the wheel level. This design allows for the precision control, wherein the system enables continuous and accurate modulation of braking forces to maintain vehicle stability in variable driving conditions. The platform integrates with software-defined vehicle architectures, allowing manufacturers to deploy advanced functions across different vehicle segments. It is engineered to be adaptable with the technology supporting a range of applications from driver assistance systems to fully autonomous vehicles.

Following this production milestone, Brembo has secured additional contracts with new customers for the Sensify platform. The company expects to equip hundreds of thousands of vehicles annually, moving toward large-scale deployment of by-wire braking systems.

Daniele Schillaci, CEO, Brembo, said, “Sensify translates our vision of an intelligent, integrated braking platform into industrial reality. Designed to orchestrate the entire corner ecosystem, it supports safer mobility, while paving the way for the next generation of software-defined vehicles, reflecting our long-term purpose of shaping a Zero Accident Future”.

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Bengaluru-based technology company Tsuyo Manufacturing has been granted two patents for electric vehicle motor designs, increasing its portfolio to 29 innovations.

The company claims it has supplied 300,000 powertrains to 25 manufacturers across the commercial vehicle, agriculture and industrial sectors.

The first patent covers a bridge design for synchronous reluctance motors. This architecture increases torque density and efficiency whilst reducing energy losses and the requirement for rare-earth materials. The second patent focuses on a five-phase permanent magnet motor using a dual inverter system. This technology allows the motor to switch between modes for startup and torque demands and maintains operation if a phase failure occurs.

These technologies were developed through research and collaboration with the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur. The company recently received approval from the Government of Karnataka for a manufacturing expansion to increase powertrain production.

Vijay Kumar, Founder and CEO, Tsuyo Manufacturing, said, "These patents mark a significant milestone and recognition in our mission to develop and promote Design-In-India technology for both domestic and global EV markets. At Tsuyo, we are not merely creating components; we are engineering a comprehensive design approach, crafting fundamental technology to drive sustainable and impactful innovation. Our goal is to offer a resilient powertrain system that addresses real-world performance challenges in electric mobility. Our commitment to deep-tech innovation, supported by a strong in-house R&D team and robust academic collaborations, enables us to challenge conventional construction and topology in hardware. This approach allows us to create niche, modular designs that are manufacturable and scalable, delivering solutions that enhance efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness for OEMs. We take pride in being India's fastest research and engineering startup, consistently advancing our research from TRL1 to TRL9 levels. As India moves towards electrification, we are proud to contribute to the 'Design in India, for the world' vision while expanding our IP portfolio with numerous innovations in the pipeline."

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