Ola Electric brings former LG Chem Power CEO Prabhakar Patil onto its board

The company is now scouting the globe for opportunities to invest strategically into firms focused on advanced cell chemistry research and other battery tech

Ola Electric, India’s leading manufacturer of EVs, today inducted Prabhakar Patil, former Chief Executive Officer of LG Chem Power, onto its board.

“We are investing deeply in core R&D to create indigenous advanced cell technologies as well as invest into large scale manufacturing of batteries,” said Bhavish Aggarwal, Founder and CEO, Ola. “I look forward to working closely with Dr Prabhakar as we deepen our focus and investments into advanced cell research as well as large scale manufacturing to build the best battery technologies right here in India and create a global EV hub with our Futurefactory at its centre.”

Aggarwal said the firm has already applied for the government of India’s $2.4 billion PLI  (Production-Linked Incentive) scheme for developing advanced cells. “We will set up a cutting edge cell manufacturing facility with up to 50GWh capacity right here in India. Dr Prabhakar’s expertise will help us accelerate this process of bringing indigenously designed and manufactured cells to the market,” said Aggarwal.

As part of the company’s plans to ramp up its core R&D in advanced cell chemistry & manufacturing as well as other battery technologies and new energy systems, Ola Electric is scouting the globe for opportunities to invest strategically into companies focused on advanced cell chemistry research and other battery technologies that will enable the EV maker to provide higher density and higher battery performance for its upcoming range of two- and four-wheeler EVs.

Patil joins other executives of the Board such as  Arun Sarin, former CEO,  Vodafone Group, B V R Subbu, former President, Hyundai Motor India, Sumer Juneja, Managing Partner, SoftBank Vision Fund.

The other executives include Jaime Ardila Gomez, Former Executive VP and President of South America for General  Motors, T V G Krishnamurthy on the company's Board, and Bhavish Aggarwal, Founder and CEO, Ola.