According to a joint statement by Lucas TVS and 24M Technologies Inc, the plant is expected to start commercial production in the second half of 2023. In Thervoy Kandigai, Gummidipoondi, near Chennai, the first plant with world-class safety standards will be built.
Lucas TVS, one of the leading automotive electrical components manufacturers, signed an agreement recently with 24M Technologies, Inc., a developer of the next-generation lithium-ion battery, to build one of India’s first Giga factories based on SemiSolid platform technology. According to a joint statement, the first plant with world-class safety standards will be built in Thervoy Kandigai, Gummidipoondi, near Chennai. Lucas TVS plans to construct additional plants across India to support the growing energy storage, electric mobility, and lead-acid battery replacement markets, according to the company.
T K Balaji, Chairman and Managing Director of Lucas TVS, said, “Lucas TVS believes in investing in next-generation technologies, which is why we chose to partner with 24M.” “We are confident that the innovative SemiSolid TM platform technology will enable us to provide our customers with affordable e-mobility, lead-acid battery replacement, and storage solutions that are of the highest quality and safety,” he added.
In the second half of 2023, the Chennai plant is expected to start commercial production. Lucas TVS plans to expand the plant’s capacity to a globally competitive scale of 10 GWh in two stages, based on the government’s aggressive targets in the renewable energy and electric mobility space.
The SemiSolid platform from 24M, according to the statement, has significant advantages over traditional manufacturing processes. The process, which is covered by more than 80 issued and pending patents, provides a much simpler process flow, lowering capital costs significantly.
The SemiSolid technology allows for a thicker electrode to be produced, increasing energy density while lowering material costs. In addition to cost savings, 24M’s patented cell design improves safety, reliability, and traceability by virtually eliminating potential metal contamination, which is the most common cause of shorts in traditional lithium-ion batteries, according to the press release.
In addition to these advantages, the SemiSolid electrode eliminates the need for binders, making it possible to recycle rejected or end-of-life cells in the simplest and most efficient way possible. For demanding customers in critical areas such as energy storage and electric mobility, these advantages make it a preferred choice.
“We are thrilled to join forces with a market leader like Lucas TVS, which has a 60-year track record as a leading provider of electromagnetic solutions to the mobility market,” said Naoki Ota, CEO of 24M. He continued, “Our innovative SemiSolid TM technology and ongoing R&D investments will support Lucas TVS’ ambition to become a leader in the energy storage space for mobility, lead-acid battery replacement, storage, and grid-scale markets in India.”
Lucas TVS will be the first to market with SemiSolid lithium-ion batteries made in India and designed specifically for the Indian market. The company intends to develop high-energy-density products using various chemistries in Pouch and Prismatic cell formats.
