The Indian government’s anticipated battery swapping policy has reportedly been delayed as discussions over standards continue.
India’s Financial Express reported the Ministry of Consumer Affairs had tried to get companies to agree on a battery standard for swapping at a meeting on January 3. This would help accelerate and provide impetus to the electric vehicle (EV) industry.
The policy has been in the works for more than a year, and a decision was anticipated on 3 January. The IS 17896 standard, to be unveiled by the Bureau of Indian Standards, would focus on three aspects – the battery, connectors and battery management systems.
This would allow consumers to access a battery-swapping ecosystem without being tied to one company or network. But industry stakeholders have argued against on the grounds that they invested in the design and infrastructure of their own networks to meet the proposed changes, the report said.
The government wants to expedite the whole process and achieve consensus by end-January.
In May 2021, BEST reported motorcycle makers in India signed a letter of intent to create a Swappable Batteries Consortium for Motorcycles and Light Electric Vehicles belonging to the L-category: mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles.
