Bajaj Auto announces their new EV manufacturing unit for India and exports which will be coming up at Akurdi, Pune. The new facility will feature cutting-edge robotic and automated manufacturing systems from logistics and material handling to fabrication and painting, assembly, and quality assurance.
Bajaj Auto has announced an investment of ₹300 crores and begun work on a brand-new manufacturing facility for electric and hybrid vehicles in the two, three, and light four-wheeler categories in Akurdi, near Pune, five months after announcing a new subsidiary for electric and hybrid vehicles in the two-, three-, and light four-wheeler categories. The original and renowned Chetak scooter was built on this site.
“In 2001, Bajaj 2.0 got off on the blazing Pulsar, and in 2021, Bajaj 3.0 debuts on the lovely Chetak,” stated Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director of Bajaj Auto Limited. Except for the implementation of one state-of-the-art ICE platform that is now in development, all of Bajaj’s R&D drivetrain resources are now laser-focused on developing future EV solutions.
"This partnership shows our opinion that light electric vehicles for sustainable urban mobility are a concept whose time has now arrived. As a result, this investment at Akurdi completes a virtuous cycle of hi-tech R&D competencies, high-efficiency engineering capabilities, world-class supply chain synergies, and a global distribution network that should propel us into a market-leading position in EVs in India and beyond", added Rajiv Bajaj.
The new facility, according to Bajaj Auto, will feature cutting-edge robotic and automated manufacturing systems for everything from logistics and material handling to fabrication and painting, assembly, and quality assurance. The systems were created with a flexible product mix in mind, as well as the best worker ergonomics and process efficiency.
The facility will cover half a million square feet and employ approximately 800 people. Bajaj Auto’s investment will be matched by a number of vendors who will put in an additional Rs 250 crore (USD 33 Mn). By June 2022, the first vehicle from this unit should be on the road.
