Electrical equipment manufacturers can wield a positive influence in improving the technical standards of electrical vehicles (EV) in the country, according to senior officials of apex industry body IEEMA.
IEEMA officials were addressing a virtual media conference ahead of the “DigiELEC Bharat” event that will be held from October 20 and October 26, 2021. The second edition in the series, this virtual event will showcase capabilities of the Indian electrical equipment industry in the global marketplace.
Apart from discussing emerging opportunities in the new-tech areas, “DigiELEC Bharat” will also host an online marketplace “Digi bazaar” to enable the Indian electrical industry to conduct e-commerce through the event. This is the first instance where an industrial event will be coupled with an e-commerce platform, IEEMA officials said.
Spread over six days, the event is expected to attract over 10,000 e-visitors. Over 100 buyers—representing power utilities, railway and metro rail companies and EPC contractors—are expected to engage with over 60 participating companies. DigiELEC Bharat will also host seven conferences to be addressed 50+ eminent speakers.
A collaborative effort
Speaking of the contribution to e-mobility by electrical equipment manufacturers, which represent the core membership of IEEMA, Vijay Karia, Chairman, DigiELEC Bharat, said that the automobile industry can gainfully collaborate with the electrical equipment industry in improving the technical standards of EVs. In fact, as Karia pointed out, electrical equipment makers, being experts in electricity, are priming themselves to play a significant role in the EV industry.
Collaboration between IEEMA and automobile manufacturers can create a win-win situation whereby the country stands to benefit. It can never be the case of competing with the automobile industry but that of a healthy collaboration, Karia said.
Vipul Ray, President, IEEMA, in concurrence with Karia, said, “It will be a collaborative effort going forward.” Expounding on the subject, Ray noted that the core competence of the automobile industry lies in the internal combustion engine (IEC), which is exactly what is going to be phased out.
Acknowledging that the automobile industry has done a fantastic job in improving engine efficiency, reducing emissions, making cars stronger and safer, etc, Vipul Ray foresaw the involvement of IEEMA members when it comes to replacing the internal combustion engine.
Given that the ICE will be replaced, there will be more research & development on motors, power electronics, EV chargers, storage (batteries), etc. This part is definitely in the realms of the electrical industry and this is where Ray anticipates the active involvement of IEEMA members, of course in collaboration with conventional automobile makers.
“It is not about two industries, but rather about the marriage of two technologies,” was how Vipul Ray summarized the incipient collaboration.
(Featured photograph, sourced from evannex.com is for representation only)
