Battery cells represent the future energy source, according to JSW Group's Chairman

The Chairman of JSW Group, Sajjan Jindal has claimed that Battery Cells will become the “New Oil” as the mobility is shifting from internal-combustion engines to electric energy, thus making the domestic cell technology important to India’s energy security. 

Currently, India is heavily dependent on imported crude oil which powers the country’s transportation sector. Thus mainstream use of electric vehicles can reduce this dependence, but it can also create the possibility of dependence on imported battery cells and rare earth materials. 

Thus Jindal expressed this and said, “It is very important for India as the battery cell is going to be the new oil, thus we have to locally produce the cell, and it is possible.” 

JSW Group Developing Local Battery-Cell Technology

As the battery cells will soon attract huge demand in the country, JSW Motors have introduced its first commercial electric vehicle brand, and introduced a 55-tonne electric tractor-trailer and an electric bus. 

The vehicles are underpinned by in-house engineered platforms by JSW Greentech, but initially their battery cells will be imported. Soon the company will be locally assembling the battery packs at its new manufacturing facility in Chatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra. 

The group is extensively involved in the testing of multiple battery chemistries which includes lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries. Jindal also clarified that China has made a groundbreaking technology and is excelling in this area and has kept it a secret. 

He further said, “China is keeping this technology tightly under lock and key. While they're willing to deliver the cells, they're unwilling to reveal their production techniques. That's fine; we're determined to develop our own solution.”

Jindal also confirmed that the other arm of JSW Group is working on the development of an advanced battery-cell technology, although creating a reliable alternative takes time, as the company is expected to come with the groundbreaking technology in one or two years for sure.