The Centre would seek to supplement the ongoing research by facilitating collaboration between industry and researchers (Twitter/IIT Madras)

Hinduja group flagship Ashok Leyland has inked a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, to set up Centre of Battery Engineering (CoBE) at its campus here. The Centre would seek to supplement the ongoing research by facilitating collaboration between industry and researchers to study the various battery characteristics, a company statement said. As per the tie-up, the city-headquartered heavy commercial major would provide a funding of Rs 1.50 crore over the five year period to the Centre of Battery Engineering, it said.

“With this initiative in battery engineering, we want to be participants in India’s aggressive push to stay ahead of the curve as far as electric mobility is concerned”, Ashok Leyland, Electric Vehicles and e-Mobility Solutions, Head, Karthick Athmanathan said in the statement. “CoBE at IITM will be a key partner in the country’s electric mobility vision and will help us understand this technology better and stay ahead of global players”, he said. IIT Madras Director Bhaskar Ramamurthi said the battery engineering, specifically for electric vehicles, is a very important emerging area of research and innovation.

“By pledging long-term support and collaborating with CoBE at IIT Madras, Ashok Leyland is making a significant contribution to this critical technology for India’s future energy and transportation needs”, he said. The Centre would work towards understanding various battery issues and challenges in areas of applications. It would also undertake high quality research projects to overcome these challenges, the statement added.