Gurugram-based Indigrid Technology, which makes swappable batteries for electric two- and three-wheelers aims to expand its reach in India by setting up battery swapping stations across the country. The company aims to have over 250 battery swapping stations in several cities, across India by the end of the ongoing Financial Year 2022-23. Speaking with carandbike, Sambit Chakraborty, Member of Advisory Board - Indigrid Technology said. "The long-term plan is to have a network in NCR, Mumbai Pune and some of the secondary cities."
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Indigrid Technology, which makes swappable batteries for electric two- and three-wheelers, has battery swapping stations in Mumbai, Gwalior, and Bhubaneshwar.
Right now, Indigrid has battery swapping stations in Mumbai, Gwalior, and Bhubaneshwar. In Mumbai, the company has 5 swapping stations and around 50 electric vehicles, with Indigrid's swappable batteries, which use them. At the same time, Gwalior and Bhubaneshwar have 2 swapping stations each, which cater to around 50 EVs and 20 EVs, respectively. Chakraborty said that the company aims to expand its network in all three locations and have up to 50 battery swapping stations in Mumbai, catering to 1000 electric vehicles, and up to 10 stations in Gwalior and have 50 electric vehicles with Indigrid batteries. In Bhubaneshwar, however, Indigrid aims to set up 200 swapping stations, to support up to 2,000 electric vehicles, which will be supplied to the city's police department.
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Sambit Chakraborty, Member of Advisory Board - Indigrid Technology says the company doubled its sales numbers in 2020, and grew 300 per cent in 2021.
The company is also currently in the process of setting up its second plant, in order to increase its production capacity to match the increasing demand and the expansion plan. Talking about growth, Chakraborty did not share any numbers with us, however, he did mention that compared to the pre-covid period, the company doubled its sales numbers in 2020, and grew 300 per cent in 2021. Sambit said, "If the component shortage was not there we would have grown further, but safely we will grow, in spite all of this 300 per cent this (fiscal) year."
Indigrid currently designs and develops its battery pack in-house at the company plant in Gurugram, whereas the cells are sourced from Murata Manufacturing Co., in Japan. Having said that, Chakraborty says that in the post-Covid period the component shortage has affected production, which is why the company is now also planning to make other several components in-house. "We were outsourcing our swapping stations' software, now we have taken that in-house. The VCU or Vehicle Control Unit, the VDU or Vehicle Display Unit, and the MCU or Motor Control Unit, we have decided to start manufacturing ourselves," he added.
