Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati has developed a technology that rates the motors and batteries of electric vehicles and suggests to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) the best drivetrain components — group of components that deliver power to the drive wheels — for the Indian scenario. This is a unique method to standardise the electronic vehicles based on Indian drive-cycles.
So far, researchers have not been considering Indian drive-cycles. The drive-cycles — a series of data points representing the speed of a vehicle versus time — developed are not focused on rural and urban drive-cycles. The electric vehicles currently available in the market also do not take into account the different climatic conditions in India.
Currently, no OEM uses this technology and they have been requesting the drive-cycle data of Indian vehicles. This research hopes to create better and more efficient drivetrains based on different regions. This is also beneficial for start-ups. This research aims to reduce emissions and reduce fuel consumption.
The researchers of the Electric Mobility Laboratory of IIT Guwahati led by Prof Praveen Kumar, Professor, Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, IIT Guwahati, focused on Indian climatic conditions for both rural and urban areas. They developed the method to suggest the best drivetrain to manufacture. Drive-cycles developed by the IIT Guwahati team, are allegedly unique and not available anywhere else.
An electronic drivetrain developed in a humid region does not work the same in a dry and colder environment. Therefore, the OEMs right now are considering creating standard drive-cycles for Indian conditions.
Commending the researchers for their work, Prof TG Sitharam, Director, IIT Guwahati, said, “The development in the field of next-generation, energy-efficient, EV technology is one of the most important breakthroughs required for the sustainable development of the country and to reduce carbon footprint. IIT Guwahati is earnestly working in this direction. This development will augment this process and maximise the outcomes.”
Explaining the long-term positive impact of this development, Prof Praveen Kumar says, “Our goal is to prepare a document that can enable the new entrants into the EV market and help in levelling the playing field. The other primary benefit of this entire exercise is to prepare the next generation of technocrats that are ready for an excellent career in EV technology anywhere in the world.”
This research has been published and its ISBN is 978-93-5578-973-0. The institute intends to extend the research to commercial vehicles working with OEMs so that they can manufacture more efficient drivetrains that suit the different climates of India better. The researchers are also working to develop this technology for four-wheelers also as the current project focuses exclusively on two-wheelers.
