Ola Electric secures BIS nod for indigenous 46100 LFP cell, boosts India's battery self-reliance
New Delhi, June 23
Ola Electric has become the first Indian company to receive Bureau of Indian Standards certification for an indigenously developed 46100 LFP cell, marking a key step for India's advanced battery manufacturing and energy independence. Ola Cell Technologies, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ola Electric, said the certified LFP 46100 platform expands its in-house cell portfolio beyond the NMC 4680 Bharat Cell and establishes a qualified technology foundation for future EVs and stationary energy-storage solutions.
Speaking on the milestone, an Ola Electric spokesperson said, "The BIS certification of our indigenously developed 46100 LFP Cell is a significant milestone in our mission to build India's most advanced EV and energy ecosystem. The successful certification and qualification of this cell reflects the strength of our R&D, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities, while reinforcing our commitment to developing world-class battery technologies in India."
The company added that the certification reinforces its push to accelerate EV adoption and strengthen domestic energy security. "As we continue to expand our in-house cell portfolio, we are creating the technological foundation required to accelerate EV adoption, support future energy storage solutions, and strengthen India's energy independence," the spokesperson said.
Ola Cell Technologies received the BIS certification under IS 16046 (Part 2):2018 / IEC 62133-2:2017 after the cell cleared stringent safety, performance and endurance tests at an NABL-accredited laboratory. The LFP 46100 also qualified under IS 16893 Parts 2 and 3 and UN 38.3 standards, completing electrical, mechanical, environmental, reliability, abuse and transportation-safety evaluations. Tests included thermal abuse, external short circuit, forced discharge, impact, altitude, abnormal charging, vibration, crush, free fall and mechanical shock assessments.
Developed with significant localization across materials, components, engineering and manufacturing processes, the cell is designed for applications where safety, lifecycle and cost are as critical as energy and power performance. Ola Electric said the LFP 46100 offers energy density of over 170 Wh/kg, broad operating-temperature capability and a development pathway towards more than 4,000 charge-discharge cycles.
The company's Gigafactory forms the cornerstone of its long-term battery strategy. By developing both NMC and LFP technologies on a common 46-series architecture, Ola Electric said it is positioned to deploy the most suitable chemistry across mobility and energy-storage applications while increasing domestic value addition and reducing dependence on imported cells. Thousands of vehicles powered by its 4680 Bharat Cells are already on Indian roads, clocking millions of kilometres in real-world conditions, underscoring the reliability of its battery technology.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting development. As someone working in renewable energy, the stationary storage applications are huge. LFP is safer and lasts longer than NMC. India having its own certified cell production is a game-changer for grid storage and solar integration. Hope they scale up production fast. 🌞
Impressive that they passed all those safety tests - thermal abuse, crush, short circuit. But I hope Ola focuses on quality control in mass production too. Remember the initial Ola scooters had some fire issues. Now they are talking about 4000 cycles (10+ years), but real-world battery degradation needs to be tested. Let's wait and watch. 🤔
This is what innovation looks like! Indian companies stepping up in core technology. LFP is the future for EVs in India's climate - safer than NMC. Ola's Gigafactory strategy makes sense - common 46-series architecture for both chemistries. If they can achieve real localization and bring costs down, this could be a turning point for our EV ecosystem. 🚗⚡
Good step forward. But honestly, is this really "indigenous" or just assembly using imported components? The article says "significant localization" but doesn't give percentages. Also, BIS certification is necessary but not sufficient - we need to see how these cells perform in Indian conditions - heat, dust, bad roads. Let the real-world data from thousands of vehicles speak. 😕
As a battery researcher, this is genuinely exciting. LFP 46100 with 170 Wh/kg is competitive with global standards.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.