Mumbai/Ahmedabad

Nexcharge, an exclusive joint venture between Exide Industries Limited (Exide) and Leclanché SA, announced the inauguration of its state-of-the-art, fully automated manufacturing plant at Prantij, Gujarat. The plant, which is spread across 6,10,098 sq. feet (total area) is the largest in India for the production of Li-ion battery packs and modules (Pouch/ Prismatic/ Cylindrical). The facility has 6 fully automated assembly lines and testing labs with an installed capacity of 1.5 GWh and will cater energy storage systems for India’s electric vehicle market and grid-based applications.

Speaking about the development, Stefan Louis, CEO & CTO, Nexcharge, said, “Nexcharge is on a fast-track mode to cater to the diverse segments of transportation industry and utility markets with Li-ion batteries of different chemistries assembled at our plant in Prantij. We have invested more than ?2.5 billion in setting up this state-of-the-art facility with a focus on technology driven innovations which is in line with our commitment of long-term investments and plans in India. With our 6 assembly lines becoming operational, Nexcharge can now offer a range of products with different applications for our automotive and non-automotive customers. Our team of well-resourced engineers will continue to work to design battery packs as per the customer's requirements which will help us offer high-quality products at competitive prices.”

Since commencing operations in India in 2018, Nexcharge has been working tirelessly to achieve its vision of fast-tracking India’s transformation towards sustainable energy solutions. The upgrades at its manufacturing facility is the next step to becoming the leading supplier of e-transport solutions that will help power the electrification of transport in the form of efficient and reliable energy storage solutions.

Speaking about the manufacturing plant, Surender Narula, President, Nexcharge, added, “Our current product range is substantial and our new production lines warrant us the flexibility to assemble products of different sizes and designs. We can now make 3V to 1000 V battery packs with sizes varying from 10 centimetres to 2 meters. Our production setup is divided into three sections- the Module Assembly has 3 production lines for assembling Cylindrical, Pouch, and Prismatic Cells. The Pack Assembly has 2 lines for High Voltage and Low Voltage packs. And the last one, the FG Testing section has a set of 20 testers for charging and discharging cycle and BMS functioning. As new technology emerges, we will maintain our position of offering state-of-the-art technology.”

Sharing his views Subir Chakraborty, Managing Director & CEO, Exide Industries Ltd. and Chairman Nexcharge said, “The upgraded facility at Prantij is a step towards Exide’s commitment to provide best-in-class batteries and energy storage solutions for automotive and industrial applications as we aspire to become a leading player in the rapidly emerging new-age electric mobility and stationary application businesses in India.”