Better battery management for safer and smarter electric vehicles
The DIA programme will support Dr B Ashok in running network activities to bridge the technical requirement for a project between Indian and UK partners. The project will look at effective implementation of smart mobility aspects in the steadily growing transport sector and the consequent reduction in expenditure of petroleum products.
Tackling a major problem
According to a 2020 IQAir report, India has 21 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities – following on from a World Health Organization study in 2018, which found that 14 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities were in India. Two-wheelers account for about 20% of CO2 emissions and 30% of particle emissions in India. The measures taken by the Indian government, such as the switch from Bharat Stage V (BS-V) to BS-VI standards, will substantially increase the cost of petrol-powered two-wheelers. This is likely to encourage the development of electric vehicles. The Indian electric two-wheeler market is anticipated to grow at a 57.9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 152,000 units in 2021 to 1,080,000 units in 2025.
Waste management is a common problem across the globe. It poses significant problems in India and the UK. India is the third largest garbage generator in world and by the year 2050 the quantity of waste is expected to rise up to 436 million tonnes.
Addressing these issues contributes towards the Academy’s strategic goals of using engineering to develop equal and sustainable societies.
“This joint research initiative between India and UK investigators will provide a strong platform to develop a sustainable solution towards the implementation of electric mobility in both countries.”
Passionate vehicle engineer
Dr B Ashok started his professional career implementing electronic control systems for engines conforming to the Indian BS-VI emission standards and antilock braking systems (ABS) at Force Motors in Pune, India. This led to him becoming a professor in the automotive department at Vellore Institute of Technology.
Safe, sustainable electric scooters
This DIA-supported project will develop the design requirements for lightweight, eco-friendly and safe electric two-wheelers for the Indian market. Dr Ashok’s current project partner is Dr Byron Mason, Reader in Advanced Propulsion at Loughborough University. They will focus on developing an adaptive thermal management system along with an additive-manufactured lightweight chassis structure from waste materials to improve the safety and potential operating range of the vehicle. The improved battery safety and reduced weight of the E-scooter chassis will increase the vehicles’ affordability to middle-class and low-income families. This will help increase the proportion of affordable electric vehicles in the Indian market.
A wide network of collaboration and expertise is required to take this research further and establish a strong relationship between the UK and the Indian partners. The proposed network activities share the expertise between the partners and reflect the different needs and focus of the two markets. Various networking activities, including a joint technical brainstorming session, preliminary experimental work, data analysis, and optimisation techniques, will be carried out during the project. The DIA programme will help to support this knowledge exchange and development.
The issue with batteries
The key safety concerns on battery thermal effects and the range of the vehicle need to be addressed effectively. Generally, the batteries in Indian electric scooters are air-cooled and this currently creates a lot of safety issues, including high probability of battery explosion. The project will address the potential threat by placing the batteries at a suitable location with a unique battery casing that controls and directs the air quantity to minimise localised hot temperature regions. In addition, this proposed adaptive battery thermal management system will overcome potential dangers such as battery degradation and thermal runaway.
The project will also investigate novel, lightweight, polymeric materials made from waste to develop the chassis and body structure of the electric scooters. As well as being sustainable this will help increase vehicle range because of its reduced weight. By adopting these new materials, Dr Ashok’s team anticipate that vibration and harshness will be reduced. They also plan to manufacture the components of the electric scooters locally, boosting the supply chains in India.
These developments will support the Academy’s goal of using engineering to create a sustainable and inclusive society.