Gadkari asks EV makers to shift towards indigenous battery technology

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday asked the EV industry to shift towards indigenous battery technologies.

With electric vehicles (EVs) fast becoming the new reality, Road Transport & Highways Minister Gadkari has stressed on the need to emerge as pioneers in developing leading battery and power-train technologies, as per a statement from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the ministry said in a statement.

"Noting that the challenge we presently face is the control on strategic reserves of Lithium, which is used to manufacture Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries used in vehicles, the minister has called upon the EV sector to shift towards a completely indigenous battery technology in the coming years," the statement said.

This could be metal-air, metal-ion and other potential technologies in the R&D pipeline. Pointing out the need to achieve Atmanirbhar Bharat's goal in transport sector,

Gadkari said it is necessary to dedicate the coming years to rigorous research and development of such alternative battery technologies with the support of Institutions of Eminence (IoEs), industry, scientists, engineers and the government.