- Chennai based Rizel Automotive has developed hybrid motors for a wider range of application in various segments
- Co-founder BVN Madhu maintains Rizel’s aims to develop core technology that stands strong at par with the global level
- Built on a platform with scalable architecture, the motor enables faster delivery for variable output requirements
The electric vehicle is gradually gathering momentum in the Indian market; new entrants are covering the market space with their products at regular intervals. It is interesting to note that along with the major automakers and established brands, the Electric Vehicles space is also being explored by a whole new band of start-ups. From design and development of an entire vehicle to innovative outcomes with components, parts and modules, the star-ups seem to be roaring to go with their offerings, which are all essentially aimed at eventual transition to e-mobility and sustainable technology in the future.
In an exclusive interaction with Machine Maker, BVN Madhu, Co-Founder of Rizel Automotive talks about the startup journey, electric vehicles, and how the young team is making the world a more efficient consumption of energy.
Making Electric Vehicle Affordable: Innovating Electric Motors
Based in Chennai, Rizel Automotive Private Limited is on a mission to innovate and develop electric motors and drive components for Electric Vehicle. The start-up is incubated at SRM University and IIM Bangalore, and accelerated by T-Hub Hyderabad. Incorporated in February 2018, Rizel has at its helm three of its co-founders, Shivam Bhatia, Karthik Donthula and BVN Madhu. The core idea that drives the team at Rizel is continuous innovation towards affordable EVs with cost-effective motors and drives.
BVN Madhu who looks after the business aspects says, “Today if you see statistically more than 60% of world’s electricity, is utilized for running motors for industrial, commercial and domestic purpose. Most of these motors typically perform at an efficiency of 70% to 80%. An increase in this efficiency to 90% to 95% would result in an enormous decrease in carbon emission, and that is the bigger vision we have. With respect to the current trend in the transition towards e-mobility and zero-emission vehicles, we being quite enthusiastic for greener technologies, we want electric vehicles to be the future for two major reasons. The first one being the environmental impact of it for being eco-friendly and secondly, it is the economics of using an Electric Vehicles.”
With two such tremendous advantages, the journey of Electric Vehicles is hindered by some real challenges. “Along with charging infrastructure and range anxiety, one of the biggest concerns is the high cost of Electric Vehicles ownership. And for the end consumer it does not matter the kind of impact this vehicle would have on the environment,” says Madhu. “They just see at the economics of owning a vehicle. And this is the point that Rizel is trying to solve. The high cost of Electric Vehicles is primarily due to the expense of battery.”
Electric motors and drives are one of the major areas along with batteries which increases the upfront costs of an Electric vehicle. "We are trying to make the Electric vehicles affordable by bringing the Motor & Drive cost down without any compromise on performance", adds Mr Madhu.
Experience coupled with Innovative Minds
Cell chemistry is being worked upon all over the world to reach a more commercially agreeable option for the user. At Rizel, the team has Shri KRA Nair as Technical Advisor, the former Executive Director for Research & Development at Lucas TVS. Madhu was a part of the Renault Duster suspension development team and Shivam was working as an engineer for a European electric vehicle project. With Mr Nair’s vast experience of 50 plus years and the teams’ skill, Rizel intends to resolve the mismatch between Electric Vehicles cost and its adoption.
Madhu points out, “Governments all over the world are pushing the cause of Electric Vehicles, and in India, there are some really interesting developments happening in the Electric Vehicles space. One notable scheme is the FAME II subsidy. The eligibility for such subsidies has certain checkpoints, and one of them is that to source the motors and controls in India.”
As per Madhu, this was the basic framework on which the team Rizel started to work four to five years ago. Right from the beginning, Rizel’s target has been to develop core technology that stands strong at par with the global level. “We have already filed eight patents solving some key problems with electric motors and another seven patents will be filed soon.”
Hybrid Solutions with Scalable Architecture
Rizel’ s Radial Flux Motor is developed for easy customization to serve specific automotive requirements. Madhu explains, “The motor is a hybrid of permanent magnet synchronous motor and synchronous reluctance motors. It is a way to optimize the performance and cost of the motor. Modular in design, the motor is scalable. For example, keeping 95% of the parts common, we can produce from 20 Kilo Watt power to 150 to 200 Kilo Watt power.”
The motor that Rizel is testing now will come just as a size of a football but as a performance equal to Honda range of motors. Light, compact and built on a platform with scalable architecture enable the motor for wider applications in varied segments. Having a scalable platform really helps Rizel to deliver at a rapid pace for various requirements.
“The approach we took is to come up with a hybrid solution. We produce 70% of torque using the permanent magnet and 30% using the mechanics of the synchronous reluctance motor. Similarly, we have done multiple innovations in terms of electro-magnetic and thermal design”, Madhu adds.
Rizel hybrid motor is market-ready and the company is working with a couple of well-known automakers. Madhu says that the initial paperwork has been finished with one of them and Rizel is quite close to finishing similar formalities with other automakers. “We are also in discussion with the Automotive Research Association of India regarding the testing of the motors.” Rizel’s platform can cater to hatchbacks to even buses. “We are also working with companies who make tractors”, Madhu says.
Technical Collaborations coupled with Research & Development
Right from the time Tesla started, electric vehicles have been in the buzz for quite some time. As per Madhu’s observation, the crowd outside the market is ready for the transition but the biggest stumbling block has been the technology and its affordability. Globally some really aggressive Electric Vehicles projects happening and he is quite sure to see a significant amount of EVs on the road. “But for this to happen, the cost of electric vehicle should come down drastically. An almost every single automaker is spending on the Research & Development of batteries and motors. Even we have been approached for potential strategic investments.” In terms of the user, people are far more enthusiastic about electric vehicle technology.
Speaking of the manufacturing part, Madhu says that Rizel is looking for contract manufacturers who can aid the company to build a facility. “We are working with a very well known Indian component maker and quite soon we will be making a formal announcement of it. The component maker has five to six manufacturing plants in India, so having such people on board who has decades of experience in terms of manufacturing and technology and leveraging their experience with our technology we see a win-win situation for both sides.
RIZEL Technology: The Trust Factor
The biggest challenge that Rizel foresees is customer acquisition. Madhu observes, “us being a start-up the journey would be more difficult than any well-reputed automaker. But at the same time, we are confident that the technology will speak for itself because the motor will be going to the test bench and results will be plotted and evaluated. That is the best part of the objectivity of science. Also, our partnership with the ones who have already made a mark in this space will add to the trust factor.”
With zeal to make a difference in the electric vehicle segment and commitment to the cause of sustainable technology, Madhu and his teammates at Rizel Automotive is the white hope for a greener future.
