This week, Tesla introduced it plans to assemble a producing plant in India which is able to produce a automotive that sells for beneath $25,000. And why not? India is the most important nation on the planet by inhabitants and has the fourth largest new automotive market. It additionally has just lately found massive lithium deposits that might make it doable for India to develop into a significant participant within the EV revolution. BYD, which is at present the second largest producer of pure electrical autos on the planet behind Tesla and the most important producer of plugin autos, additionally introduced this week it intends to construct a battery manufacturing unit in India.
In line with Reuters, BYD has submitted a $1 billion funding proposal to construct electrical automobiles and batteries in India in partnership with a neighborhood firm, three folks with direct information of the plan mentioned. Its companion is Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructures.
BYD already has a presence in India the place it sells the Atto 3 SUV and the e6 sedan to company fleets. It plans to launch its Seal luxurious electrical sedan there later this yr. In the long run, BYD expects to fabricate a lineup of electrical automobiles in India, from hatchbacks to luxurious fashions, one of many three folks mentioned.
The manufacturing capability of the brand new BYD manufacturing unit in India is unknown right now, however sources say the corporate intends to scale up manufacturing to 100,000 EVs yearly in India over the following few years, however will probably start by importing automobile elements that can be assembled within the nation whereas it establishes a provide chain inside India. The funding proposal additionally features a plan by BYD and Megha Engineering to arrange charging stations in India and construct analysis and improvement and coaching facilities, based on the sources Reuters spoke with.
BYD In India
India, like China earlier than it, is unwilling to easily open its doorways to foreign-made autos and has imposed import duties of as much as 100%. It encourages corporations to arrange joint ventures with native companies as a substitute. BYD is following that steerage, however Tesla apparently has averted that requirement, simply because it did in China when it determined to construct a manufacturing unit in Shanghai.
India’s funding controls compelled China’s Nice Wall Motor to desert a plan to take a position $1 billion within the Indian market and pushed Chinese language state-owned automaker SAIC’s MG Motor division to search for a neighborhood companion. The MG Comet, which is mainly a rebadged model of the Wuling Air, is at present one of many least costly electrical automobiles obtainable in India. It might promote for lower than $10,000 relying on choices.
Electrical automobiles account for just one% of car gross sales in India. The Tata Nexon EV, which lists for round $18,000, is one of the best promoting EV within the nation at the moment.
BYD entered the Indian market in 2007 by producing batteries and elements for cell phone makers. In 2013, it began constructing electrical buses with Megha Engineering, beneath a three way partnership firm referred to as Olectra Greentech.
If the India funding is permitted, it will give BYD a presence in all main world automotive markets aside from the US. Take into consideration the implications of that for a minute.
BYD Begins Sodium-Ion Battery Manufacturing In China
CNEvPost stories that BYD is shifting ahead with its plans to start producing sodium-ion batteries. It has shaped a three way partnership between its FinDreams battery manufacturing subsidiary and Huaihai Holding Group that may construct sodium-ion batteries within the Xuzhou Financial and Technological Growth Zone within the Jiangsu province.
In a joint press launch, the 2 corporations mentioned the three way partnership would be the world’s largest provider of sodium-ion batteries for mini and micro autos. Does that imply they’ll discover their manner into vehicles or be used for electrical mopeds, scooters, and such? We merely don’t know the reply to that query.
Sodium batteries use supplies which can be ample and cheap, however they don’t have the vitality density of standard lithium-ion batteries. That makes them appropriate for short-range city transportation however much less so for bigger or dearer automobiles. There have been rumors within the Chinese language press that BYD would match its Seagull small electrical SUV with sodium batteries by the tip of this yr, however BYD has vigorously denied that hypothesis. The Seagull is now in manufacturing, however there was no point out of it being fitted with sodium batteries.
Huaihai will present its sources, together with advertising and marketing and software situations, and FinDreams will present services, the discharge mentioned. Huaihai mentioned it sees the large financial and social worth of sodium batteries and started its involvement within the business years in the past with a strategic funding in sodium-ion battery startup Natrium.
Sodium Batteries In China
In February, battery maker Hina Battery unveiled three sodium-ion battery merchandise and introduced a partnership with Anhui Jianghuai Car Group Corp, in any other case often known as JAC. Hina Battery and Sehol — a three way partnership model between JAC and Volkswagen Anhui — collectively constructed a take a look at automobile with sodium-ion batteries based mostly on the latter’s Sehol E10X mannequin.
On April 16, CATL introduced that its sodium-ion batteries will first be utilized in numerous fashions of automobiles produced by Chery. CATL unveiled its first-generation sodium-ion batteries in July 2021, saying that the vitality density of the cells had reached 160 Wh/kg.
In April 20, Chinese language media supply 36kr reported that CATL and BYD would use a mix of lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries in manufacturing autos this yr. The sodium batteries have higher chilly climate efficiency and are cheaper, even after the worth of lithium declined considerably since early this yr. That, in flip, has blunted among the low value benefit of sodium-ion batteries.
The China Passenger Automotive Affiliation mentioned in a report on Might 22 that even with the low value of supplies, sodium-ion batteries might wrestle to search out acceptance in EVs. Price of supplies is only one issue within the complete value of manufacturing of a contemporary battery cell.
The Takeaway
BYD clearly sees a task for sodium-ion batteries in some autos, however the large information right here is that the corporate has the US surrounded. How for much longer will or not it’s earlier than it begins manufacturing and promoting automobiles in America? It already has a big electrical truck and bus manufacturing unit in Southern California, so it’s no stranger to doing enterprise in the US.
Right here’s a prediction and it’s value exactly what you paid for: BYD will start promoting automobiles manufactured in Mexico in America by 2027. Mark that in your calendar. We’re both fools or prescient for saying so, however nobody on the latte station at CleanTechnica’s worker lounge thinks that declare is much of the mark. We will see, eh?
I do not like paywalls. You do not like paywalls. Who likes paywalls? Right here at CleanTechnica, we applied a restricted paywall for some time, but it surely at all times felt incorrect — and it was at all times robust to determine what we should always put behind there. In idea, your most unique and greatest content material goes behind a paywall. However then fewer folks learn it! We simply do not like paywalls, and so we have determined to ditch ours.
Sadly, the media enterprise continues to be a tricky, cut-throat enterprise with tiny margins. It is a endless Olympic problem to remain above water and even maybe — gasp — develop. So …
If you happen to like what we do and need to assist us, please chip in a bit month-to-month through PayPal or Patreon to assist our staff do what we do!
Thanks!
Join each day information updates from CleanTechnica on e mail. Or observe us on Google Information!
Have a tip for CleanTechnica, need to promote, or need to counsel a visitor for our CleanTech Speak podcast? Contact us right here.
Former Tesla Battery Professional Main Lyten Into New Lithium-Sulfur Battery Period:
Commercial
CleanTechnica makes use of affiliate hyperlinks. See our coverage right here.