The automotive industry the world over is shifting focus to electric mobility with the likes of Volvo even announcing going all electric for all models by the year 2030. India too has ambitions for the end of this decade, with an aim to have 30 percent electric vehicles on our roads by 2030. This has led to a positive growth trend in the EV industry here with the introduction of a number of products in the electric car, two- and three-wheeler segments.
This brings us to the EV charging infrastructure which is now also a flourishing industry as the EV charging requirements increase across the country. We got in touch with Niranjan Nayak, Managing Director, Delta Electronics India to learn more about the EV charging solutions the company offers and what the future holds for this industry.
Delta Electronics started operations with the production of components for televisions and then diversified into power management solutions and also automotive powertrain that includes thermal management. The company completed its 50 years in 2021. Beginning its India operations in 2003 with a prime focus on telecom power systems, Delta is now investing heavily in EV charging solutions.
Today, Delta Electronics has deployed 7,000 EV charging stations across India. Nayak tells us that the company has witnessed double-digit growth in the EV charging segment in the last one to two years, adding that this growth is expected to remain consistent over the next couple of years.
Future of EV charging
Nayak elaborated on Delta Electronics Yokohama EV charging station that is operational in Japan as an example of a full-service smart micro grid-supported EV charging infrastructure for sustainable cities. Charging infrastructure will be different in different countries, he says, adding that even though the tech development is aimed towards decreasing charging times, it will still involve some wait time.
Citing an example of an EV user who may be sitting at a restaurant, Nayak states that they could use this time to charge their EV while also charging their smartphone, laptop, etc. This is where full-service energy-universal charging stations come into play.
Moreover, technology will eventually allow EV owners to use their vehicle’s battery energy to power their homes. For example, last month Hyundai introduced a hotel exclusively powered by Ioniq 5 EVs. Nayak is hopeful that these requirements will arise in India soon and Delta’s charging stations like Yokohama will be a solution in demand.
Delta Electronics’ expansion into EV charging segments
Delta Electronics produces DC chargers starting from 25 kW to 60 kW. It is now installing 120 kw chargers and then also moving on to 180 kW and 240 kW to allow fast charging and heavy-duty charging requirements of segments like electric buses. The company is also working towards establishing EV battery swapping stations as a major chunk of EVs in India two and three-wheelers which require both fixed charging and battery swapping stations.
Under a recent partnership, Delta will supply 1,000 high-power (up to 350 kW) fast-EV chargers to EVgo, which is the largest public EV charging operator in the US. Similarly, Nayak emphasises that the EV charging infra industry is expanding rapidly in India and a number of collaborations and tie-ups will be in order to create a wholesome charging ecosystem in the country.
Delta operates four manufacturing facilities in India, which include Rudrapur, Gurugram, Hosur, and Krishnagiri, that cater to the company’s export markets. The company is now ramping up production for the India market to reduce dependency on imports for high-volume products, along with expanding the manufacturing line for EV charging stations at the Krishnagiri facility.
The interview was published in Times of India
