A team of Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) headed by its Director Dr. Reji Mathai visited Hyderabad on a two day trip and outlined their plans to set up a pre qualification laboratory in Telangana.
ARAI, the leading automotive R&D organization set up by the automotive industry and the central government, currently operates out of Pune where it is headquartered and has a regional office in Chennai.
Sujai Karampuri, Director, Electronics, EV and ESS, Telangana, highlighted the existing ecosystem of Telangana and T-Works, the country’s largest prototyping lab at Raidurg, which was followed by an interaction with company representatives from the EV industry of Telangana.
The Department of ITE&C and ARAI had entered into an MoU last year and since then the teams are in discussion on the way forward.
The Electronics team showcased the incubation centre and built up space developed by TSIIC in E city Raviryal for ARAI to set up their pre certification and training lab.
The Director, after meeting the industry partners, including start ups, said, “We are keenly observing the emerging EV and ESS markets and would be extending our best support to organizations not only in testing and compliance but also in the area of training and R&D.”
He added, “Telangana is an emerging destination for EV and Automotive industry. We would be looking forward to starting the ARAI regional center in Telangana and feel that it will certainly add a lot of value to the existing industry and also make a good value proposition for companies to explore Telangana for setting up new units. The support extended by the Government of Telangana is thoughtful and we would continue our engagement to discuss further modalities with Telangana and TSIIC.”
Sujai Karampuri said, “The launch of EV and ESS policy last year has increased the interest amongst EV and ESS manufacturers to explore Telangana as a manufacturing destination. ARAI’s pre-certification lab in Telangana would give a much needed boost to the existing ecosystem. With 2 new EV and ESS parks, prototyping labs like T-Works, start up incubators like T hub and TSIC, Telangana is geared up to launch EV industry in a big way.”
The ARAI officials visited T-Works to get a feel of its focus on EVs and Energy Storage systems.