Engineering the future of sustainable transportation: the opportunities in India’s EV industry

How an increase in sales of electric vehicles, assisted by a proactive interest from the Government of India, is creating a surge in EV production.

There is a lot of buzz around EV vehicles in India, today. From your social media feeds, to news articles to daily conversations amongst friends, electric vehicles have become a hot topic for discussion nowadays.

There is a good reason behind this rising popularity and increased traction for Electric Vehicles. Increasing global temperatures, rising fuel costs, and depreciating air quality in major cities across India have driven consumers to seek and adopt environmentally friendly alternatives.

In this article, we discuss how an increase in sales of electric vehicles, assisted by a proactive interest from the Government of India, is creating a surge in EV production. It also delves into how the nation’s engineering students and professionals can prepare for one crore EV jobs by 2030 through upskilling.

Why should you consider a career in electric vehicle engineering?
The increase in government investment, coupled with an active consumer market, will create exponential growth in the EV sector. According to The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, India will create one crore direct EV jobs by 2030.

The four primary reasons mentioned below are the rationale behind the government’s unbridled optimism.
Market Size
The global electric vehicle market valued at around $130 billion in 2020 will reach $777 billion by 2026, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 36% during the forecast period. (Zion Market Research).

Increased Sales

Governments provide incentives to encourage EV adoption, such as tax credits, subsidies, and infrastructure development. In India, the government actively encourages the adoption of electric vehicles through the faster adoption and manufacturing of hybrid and electric vehicles (FAME 2) scheme. In this scheme, customers can avail of a subsidy of up to Rs 30,000 for electric two-wheelers, Rs 1.5 lahk for purchasing a three-wheeler, and Rs 5.5 lakh for purchasing a four-wheeler.

Job Opportunities in the EV sector
According to a report by the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV), the EV industry in India will create over 9 million job opportunities by 2030, including exciting opportunities for EV engineers, who will play a critical role in EV design, production, and maintenance.

Importance of Embedded Systems in a Battery Management System
It’s safe to say that most of our readers are using a device powered by a rechargeable battery to read at this moment.

The battery capacity of these devices may vary from a few watt hours (Wh) to a few Kilowatt-hours (kWh). For example, the power of the battery used in your mobile phone will be around 4.4 V, whereas, in an electric vehicle, it can be up to 100 kWh.

An efficient Battery Management System (BMS) is essential for managing a lithium-ion battery. The embedded software within the BMS helps regulate cell temperature, protect cells from thermal runaway, and maintain SOC (State of Charge) and SOH (State of Health).

What are the Software Tools Used to Design a BMS
Engineers use the following tools to simulate the functioning of the Battery Management System in real-world conditions. The application of software tools helps engineers design and develop battery components that meet national regulations without the associated cost of building physical models. Engineers who can showcase expertise in the following software tools can get a head-start against their competition.

MATLAB Simulink
Simulink is a tool used for model-based development integrated into MATLAB. Engineers use MATLAB to develop and test models for power electronic applications. Its other uses include:

1. Developing closed-loop algorithms for fault detection.
2. Building a test bench to validate the functionality of the circuit.
3. Designing intuitive code that evaluates the SOC and SOH.
4. Developing prototypes using microcontrollers.

OpenFOAM
OpenFOAM is an open-source tool for developing customised solvers for CFD simulations. Its other uses include:

1. Determining the maximum threshold temperature of the battery pack
2. Managing the temperate inside the battery pack and individual cells.
3. Performing thermal modelling simulation of a BMS.

ANSYS Fluent
ANSYS Fluent is a popular CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) tool for solving fluid dynamics problems. Its other uses include:

1. Creating simulations to ensure the functional safety of BMS.
2. Developing tests to validate the embedded software
3. Designing solutions for validating Battery Management Systems.

GT-SUITE
Developed by Gamma Technologies, GT-SUITE provides many system-level simulation solutions for engineering across different domains, including battery technology. Engineers use this software for the following purposes:

1. Determining the electrochemical process modelling of Lithium-ion cells.
2. Building simulations to determine the temperature distribution of an electrical-equivalent battery model.
3. Developing solutions to verify thermal management techniques

Is Embedded Engineering Crucial for Electric Vehicle Charging?
The primary reason behind Tesla’s continuing dominance of the EV market share in the United States is its vast network of fast-charging stations.

India requires 20.5 lahk charging stations by the end of 2030, a sharp increase from the current installed capacity of only 2,700 public charging stations. Only an increase of this magnitude will support the government’s vision of 80% two-wheeler EV market penertration.

But what role do embedded systems play in designing and developing charging systems?

The embedded systems deployed support charging infrastructure, maintain and manage the rate of charge from the station to the EV and help monitor the State of Charge of an EV.

Why should you upskill in electric vehicles?
India is the world’s third-largest EV market. This competitive market which grew by 23% in 2022, is set to transform the Indian automotive sector in 2023.

During the union budget for the fiscal year 2023-2024, the Finance Minister allocated Rs 35,000 crore to achieve net-zero carbon emission by 2070. We can understand the government’s intention to increase investment in this nascent sector through the various Product Linked Incentive schemes and the FAME-2 scheme discussed earlier in this blog.

Reducing the cost of electric vehicles and decreasing the tax on Lithium-ion battery imports can significantly boost the sale of electric vehicles in India. This increase in sales will require engineers with industry expertise to design and build electric vehicles that will power the nation’s future.

Skill-Lync is an engineering learning platform that is leading the way in technical training of advanced engineering programs. Skill-Lync’s project-based programs feature mentor-led classes in which students will work on simulations of real-world problems.

The students are proactively supported to successfully graduate the programs and are trained to effectively express their skills during interviews. The 1,500+ students who have started their dream careers in EV are a testament to the success of Skill-Lync’s learning philosophy and training practices. Check out Skill-Lync’s PG Program in Electric Vehicle Design & Development, you can also choose to register for a free career guidance session with their expert mentors.

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