ISRO Shortlists 15 Companies For Low Cost Lithium-Ion Battery Technology Transfer To Boost EV Growth In India

Back when ISRO came up with its low cost lithium-ion (li-ion) technology earlier this year, the state owned space agency had received an overwhelming response from the firms that wanted to get their hands on the technology. Months on, ISRO has now shortlisted 15 firms to which the agency is ready to transfer the manufacturing technology of lithium-ion (Li ion) batteries.

As for its commercialisation, the battery technology will act as a big boost for the production of electric vehicles (EV), one of the most prevalent uses of li-ion batteries in today¡¯s world. The technology is expected to bring down the production cost of a li-ion battery. And since the batteries add up to a major part of the cost of an EV, the cost reduction will trickle down to the price of EVs as well.

ISRO

At the time when ISRO was accepting applications for the technology, around 140 companies had applied for the technology transfer. The battery technology, developed by 12 scientists at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) back in 2011, will now be shared with the 15 shortlisted firms. For the same, the technology buyers will have to visit VSSC for the required training, complete from the technology transfer to documentation.

As for its own use, ISRO has been using the said batteries in several of its missions over the years, on its space launch vehicles including the PSLV, GSLV, GSLV Mk-III as well as the GSAT 19 satellite. ISRO¡¯s decision to sell the technology comes as a move that seeks commercialisation of the same technology within India. That is why the space agency has restricted the technology transfer to firms operating within the country, without exposure to any foreign equity. The same was conveyed by S Somanath, Director - Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), in an interview with Financial Express, also mentioning a one-time fee of Rs 1 Crore for the technology to be paid by the shortlisted firms.