Saietta, a British electric drive (e-drive) specialist, has signed a master supply agreement with Avtec Limited, one of the largest independent manufacturers of powertrain and precision-engineered products in India.
The partnership brings together Avtec’s expertise in the design and manufacture of transmissions with Saietta’s motor and inverter capability. The resulting e-drives have been designed for three- and four-wheel lightweight electric vehicles (EVs) for one of the largest OEMs in the Indian light-duty mobility market. Production is on track to commence in Q3 2023.
In addition to the supply agreement, Saietta and Avtec intend to proactively market the combined e-drive technology to other existing and prospective clients, tailoring the core e-drive design to meet the precise requirements of additional individual OEMs in India and beyond.
The timing is right, given the lightweight e-mobility market in India is growing rapidly, registering more than 1 million EVs last year (up 200% compared to 2021). Designed in the UK, the e-drive units will be made in India.
Over the course of the initial five years of the supply contract, Saietta and Avtec will produce a minimum of 150,000 complete e-drive units for customers globally. 80,000 units are already reserved for the OEM launch in India.
Saietta and Avtec are also exploring the development of e-drive solutions for other lightweight vehicle sectors, including two-wheel applications.
Saietta VNA is a joint venture in India between Saietta Group and Padmini VNA. Saietta VNA will produce the electric motors and inverters in its Indian manufacturing plant and combine these with transmissions from Avtec manufactured at its plant in India. The resulting 48V-96V e-drive solutions have been designed to be lightweight, compact and cost-competitive for light-duty electric vehicles in India.
Tony Gott, executive chairman, Saietta Group Plc, said: “When bringing any new technology to the mass market, it’s critically important to work with supplier partners who have a proven track record of delivering at the required scale, on time, on cost and on quality. Avtec undoubtedly ticks every one of those boxes. We’ve been collaborating very effectively technically since Q3 last year and everything is on track for our planned start of production.
Saietta’s collaboration with Avtec is a significant step towards delivering our strategy for India. Working in partnership with Avtec, we will benefit from their transmission expertise whilst we focus on our core competencies of motor and inverter development to ensure that together we deliver high-quality e-drive solutions to our customers in India and beyond. We intend to work together commercially to promote the features and benefits of our combined technology to our existing client bases.”
Neeraj Jain, MD and CEO of Avtec Limited, commented: “We are delighted to join hands with Saietta to develop and supply end-to-end e-drive solutions to customers, thus enabling the transition into a wider role.
This is a unique proposition that has been forged at an opportune time, as the EV space continues to grow exponentially, facilitated by favorable government policies and incentives. We are evermore prepared to provide an exceptional product range and are confident to play a paramount role in this transition, creating a sustainable revolution of EV mobility in India.
This partnership will undoubtedly bring positive results and help us mutually to expand our portfolio and tap into emerging trends in the EV industry.”
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