The microprocessor-based BMS, four temperature sensors, optimal cell spacing for thermal control, and the Neuron App for remote help are just a few of the benefits of Neuron Energy’s lithium-ion battery product range.
Pratik Kamdar has long pushed for the use of fire-resistant grade battery materials, as well as improved BMS (Battery Management System) and high-quality cells, to prevent car fires. Neuron Energy is a startup located in Mumbai that makes lithium-ion and lead acid batteries for electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers. Pratik and fellow entrepreneur Raj Shah co-founded this venture in 2018.
Neuron uses A-grade EV cells and a sophisticated microprocessor-based BMS to reduce the chance of their batteries catching fire. Pratik further says that Neuron was the first enterprise in India to develop a microprocessor-based BMS in two- and three-wheeler EVs.
Neuron battery packs have four core temperature sensors. Furthermore, the business emphasises optimal cell spacing for heat control and employs the Neuron App for remote help.
The government has also issued Automotive Industry Standards (AIS)-156 (Phase 1, Amendment 3) standards, which are now mandatory.
Neuron, like all Indian makers of EV battery packs, imports cells. After being imported, these cells are sorted based on their internal resistance (IR). Similar IR cells are batched together and utilised in a single battery pack. After sorting, they are graded and placed in cyclers, where one charge and discharge cycle is performed.
They conduct a cycle to see if the pack is working appropriately. It is subjected to an ageing test to determine whether there is no cell imbalance, whether all cells are correctly functioning, and so on.
Apart for the cell import, everything is done in-house. It takes roughly 15-20 days to transform cells into a battery pack from the time they are acquired. It is critical to realise that virtually all fires are caused by short circuits that result in uncontrolled currents. These short circuits occur as a result of poor cell quality, bad battery design (for example, how 12 cells are packaged and linked to create a battery pack with a capacity of 3kWh), and inadequate BMS, in which cells are not appropriately controlled with the right sensing and software intelligence.
Neuron Energy said that it plans to invest Rs 50 crore in the Li-Ion battery pack industry. They produce LFP (lithium ferro-phosphate) and NMC (nickel, manganese, cobalt) chemistry battery packs under their Li-ion sector.
Neuron Energy battery packs have specifications such as 73.6V 42Ah (3 kWh battery pack), 60.8V 30Ah (2 kWh battery pack), 73.6V 60Ah (5 kWh battery pack for an e-motorcycle), 51.2V 100Ah (5 kWh battery pack for passenger three-wheelers), and 51.2V 200Ah (10 kWh battery pack for loader, e-rickshaw).
Pratik states that Neuron Energy makes 60,000 battery packs for two-wheelers. They intend to increase the number of participants to 120,000 by next year. Now, India has around 14 crore two-wheelers on the road, with EVs accounting for 10-12 lakhs. Prior to the outbreak, the NITI Aayog advocated that the government prohibit the registration of ICE-powered three-wheelers by 2023 and two-wheelers under 150cc by 2025.
