Authors: Shardul Prakash Jangam
Abstract: Achieving self-reliance (Atmanirbhar) in India’s electric vehicle (EV) sector mandates a strategic shift from reliance on imported lithium-ion (Li-ion) technology toward alternative chemistries utilizing domestically abundant raw materials. The Sodium-ion Battery (SIB) is identified as the leading alternative technology capable of ensuring immediate raw material independence by leveraging domestic reserves of sodium, iron, and manganese. SIBs are ideally suited for the cost-sensitive, short-range segments of India's market, specifically electric two-wheeler (e-2W) and three-wheeler (e-3W) segments.1 While Li-ion currently holds a cost advantage, scaled SIB production is projected to achieve cost leadership, potentially reaching $40-$50 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) at the pack level by the end of the decade.4 SIBs also offer superior safety and temperature tolerance, critical for mass EV adoption and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).2 The primary recommendation is the rapid utilization of the 5 GWh capacity earmarked under the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Niche ACC scheme to commercialize SIBs, focusing especially on establishing a completely indigenous supply chain for the hard carbon anode using domestic biomass.7 Successful localization is projected to capture nearly 80% of the estimated $300 billion domestic EV battery market by 2030, generating substantial employment and revenue.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19589549
