48 Volt Electrification Solution A Great Option For The Indian Market

Girish Ramaswamy Feb 21, 2021

India has around 9 years to go mostly electric, according to the stipulations by NITI Aayog. By 2030, 70 percent of all commercial vehicles, 30 percent of private vehicles, 40 percent of buses, and 80 percent of 2-wheelers and three-wheelers on the road are expected to be electric.

2-Wheelers are critical for this transformation. To put things in perspective, over 21 million 2-wheelers were sold in 2019. In 2020, despite the interruption by COVID-19, the latter half of the year saw a spike in 2-wheeler sales. 2-Wheelers like motorcycles, mopeds, and scooters are the go-to mode of transport for the working-class, because of their affordability. Speaking about EVs, the maximum penetration in the 2-wheeler and three-wheeler market. As per Reportlinker, the electric two-wheeler market in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 44% during the period 2019–2025.

The target, when looked at purely in terms of vehicle capabilities, is feasible. But when looking at the infrastructure needed to run these vehicles, there are various challenges.

The infrastructure that can fuel these kinds of numbers on our roads needs to be robust. A recent study by CEEW Centre for Energy Finance states that an investment of over $180 billion is required to meet our electrification goals.

However, to meet the targets, India needs to take smaller steps, which also includes familiarising the end consumer with the benefits of an electric vehicle. Currently, electric vehicles are largely not considered a viable option by most Indians due to range anxiety and several other misconceptions. The lack of a quality charging infrastructure also dissuades people from investing in this mode of transportation.

Potential for 48V Electric Vehicles on Indian roads

EV charging infrastructure is an integral bridge for battery technology and its assembly as facilitating rapid charging along their usage geographies is one of the most important solutions for range anxiety. A slew of existing companies and start-ups of companies have turned towards this industry and are developing the EV charging sector by the construction of charging points and other essential EV infrastructure. The revolutionary developments in battery technology, intelligent Battery Management Systems (BMS), and modern battery cooling techniques have led to rapid charging battery technologies.

While this is being set up, 48-volt or 48V electrical systems are a feasible, simple solution. A mild hybrid 48V system does not require a complete overhaul of the existing system, making it a commercially viable option for OEMs.

A 48V mild-hybrid architecture includes a ‘starter generator’, a lithium-ion storage battery, and a DC/DC converter that integrates the 12V electrical system, controllers, and hybrid powertrain, and a hybrid-turbocharger or a supercharger. The 48V architecture is coupled with the 12V framework through a convertor instead of displaying the 12V electrical framework.

When it comes to passenger vehicles, which are becoming feature-heavy with the addition of ADAS and ARAS features, infotainment systems, etc, 48V mild hybrid becomes an invaluable option. The new features, and the old, require higher power. With the mild-hybrid 48V, these features can be adequately supported without compromising on other functionalities.

In summary, mild hybrid 48V offers great benefits, a lower cost. They also offer greater CO2 savings and higher fuel efficiency, making it the perfect solution for the transition period.

In a country like India, there is a lot of potential for such innovative engine systems which is going to be a boon to it’s the large middle class who depend solely on 2-Wheelers and smaller cars.