UK-Indian JV will produce 100,000 electric motors

17 December 2024  

An exploded view of the 450kW motor with “industry-leading” torque density that DG Innovate has produced as part of a collaborative UK project

DG Innovate (DGI), a UK R&D company that develops mobility and energy storage technologies, has formed a joint venture with an Indian EV manufacturer and automotive technology company, EVage Automotive, to manufacture and supply drivetrains based on its motor technology. They expect to manufacture up to 100,000 motors in the first four years of production, in ratings of 80, 150 and 315kW, with largest machines having possible industrial applications.

DGI has also recently delivered a prototype 450kW motor to Meritor Electric Powertrain Systems, a partner in a UK project to develop drive systems for heavy goods vehicle, which is being part-funded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC). The motor weighs 180kg, and is claimed to deliver “industry-leading” torque density. It produces continuous power with a 97.3% measured efficiency when paired a DGI inverter, and 98.5% from the motor alone.

DGI will own 60% of the JV with EVage, called Pareta India, and will provide the designs for a range of motors and licence the associated technologies and related intellectual property rights to the JV, while EVage will lease premises to the JV, and oversee day-to-day manufacturing. The JV will produce motors for e-mobility customers, including EVage, and for third parties in India and elsewhere.

DGI will charge the JV a licence fee for each electric motor sold in India. The JV will also supply electric motors to DGI for sale internationally.

“I haven’t been this excited about a product launch since my days at Tesla,” says DGI CEO, Peter Bardenfleth-Hansen. He was with Tesla for more than nine years until 2016, when he was director of its EMEA business development activities. The DGI team includes several former Tesla engineers.

DGI’s prototype 450kW motor for the UK project, funded by the Government-backed Automotive Transformation Fund, has an innovative cooling system designed to ensure peak performance under extreme conditions, thus enhancing reliability and longevity. Redundancy is built in via a parallel inverter architecture, providing an added layer of security and ensuring uninterrupted operation.