How Battery diagnostics in electric vehicles can be upgraded leveraging artificial intelligence? Shubham Mishra of BatteryOK Technologies, shares these insights with EFY’s Aryaman Raghuvanshi while discovering the challenges, triumphs, and vision of their innovative tech startup that aims to empower every garage in India.
Q. Can you introduce yourself and tell us what you have been working on lately?
A. Yes, I am Shubham Mishra, founder of BatteryOK technologies. We are leveraging AI capabilities to enhance battery performance, longevity, and safety. The vision is to bring intelligence into the energy systems space. Starting with batteries, our flagship product, EV Doctor, is used for rapid diagnostics of lithium-ion batteries, right from production to their second life. Batteries are tested at least five times in their lifespan, and we are replacing existing equipment that is slow and does not provide crucial insights, often leading to distrust in EVs and batteries. EV Doctor is our hero product, and we are building various battery-oriented solutions to help stakeholders in the EV ecosystem directly.
Q. Where is BatteryOK headquartered, and when was it established?
A. We’reWe are headquartered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and we established BatteryOK Technologies in 2019.
Q. Why did you choose the EV segment? Was it because it is booming, or were you always inclined towards it?
A. My journey into the EV segment started when I was working at Gensol (parent company of BluSmart cabs). Once, I was reading Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance, which fascinated me with electric vehicles, batteries, and ultracapacitors, and I thought, why don’t I leverage my knowledge around EVs? We initially started building e-bikes, but we could not find a product-market fit when COVID hit due to our lack of marketing and business expertise. Diving deeper into battery tech, I observed dealers using unreliable methods to test batteries, like placing their bare hands on the battery surface to check if it was faulty. This was our eureka moment. We realised the need for a dependable, fast, and insightful battery diagnostics tool, which led us to develop EV Doctor .
Q. What design challenges did you face while developing the product? How did you resolve them?
A. To be frank, we have had our share of failures, which other entrepreneurs and engineers can learn from. We built a scrappy prototype using a phone box and tested our algorithms on Arduino. We programmed it for an ATmega328P microcontroller and constantly iterated. However, when we tested it with EV dealers and service centres, they all had different demands for features and specs. Trying to incorporate all their requests made our product like a Swiss Army knife, which was not practical.
We built around 80 prototypes, each with distinct design challenges primarily related to die casting. We spent a lot of money on die casting, only to dismantle or discontinue them because they were not working as expected. The biggest lesson we learned was not to try to meet every customer’s feature request but to focus on the core needs and define our target segment as those who would pay first for our product.
Another challenge was the pressure to use Chinese manufacturing to reduce costs. However, we wanted to build an indigenous product and supply it globally, so we continued with Indian suppliers, even though they were costlier. This aligns with our core values and commitment to quality.
Q. For someone not into tech, how does EV Doctor work? Who can buy it? and what is the price?
A. EV Doctor is designed to be user-friendly and accessible to various stakeholders in the EV industry, including OEMs, battery manufacturers, service centres, and even garages. It is a compact, portable device weighing around a normal smartphone, making it easy to carry anywhere. You simply connect it between the battery and the charger, and within 15 minutes, the test is done. It provides crucial insights into the battery’s health, safety, and faults, detecting over ten types of faults.
Q. What is the price for an EV Doctor?
A. Initially, we provided the device at ₹30,000 plus GST. However, we have introduced a new revenue model to make it more accessible. Now, every garage in India can own this for just INR ₹10,000. After that, they can earn from it by charging customers for battery diagnostics. Many dealers charge around INR ₹200–₹300 for a battery check, and customers are happy to pay for insights into their battery’s condition. The dealer pays us INR ₹50 through a payment gateway for each test. This pay-as-you-go model is cost-effective for dealers, customers, and us, creating a win-win situation.
Q. What about after-sales services? What if a problem arises with the device?
A. We provide a lifetime warranty on EV Doctor . Since we charge a small amount for each test, we can offer this extensive warranty. If the device ever has any problems, we replace it with a fresh new piece within three days; no conditions are attached. Our goal is to ensure our customers can rely on EV Doctor without worrying about downtime or additional costs.
Q. Can you tell us more about the technology behind EV Doctor? How does it measure and analyse battery parameters?
A. EV Doctor connects the charger and the battery, and you charge the battery. It taps into the values of voltage, current, and time. It supports both non-GaN and GaN-based batteries, and it is compatible with any lithium-ion battery up to 100V and 100Ah. The device sends these parameters to our cloud-based algorithms, which perform fault detection, DCIR (direct current internal resistance) computation, and voltage-current profiling.
We use state-space models and have incorporated over 18 machine-learning algorithms to achieve an accuracy of more than 96.7%. This allows us to provide detailed insights into the battery’s health, safety, performance, and capacity. Our technology helps stakeholders repair batteries rather than just replace them, saving costs and resources.
Q. Who are the key members of your team and leadership?
A. Our core team side, it’sit is my co-founder, Ajay Vashisht, and me. Ajay previously worked at DRDO, as a senior hardware engineer, where he built power systems for missiles, bringing extensive knowledge of energy and power systems. Together, we’rewe are steering BatteryOK towards its mission of revolutionising battery diagnosticsThe advisory mentors include industry veterans like Kashi Vishwanathan, who is working with Tesla India, and Dr. Judith Jeevarajan, who heads battery safety research at Underwriters Laboratories and previously worked at NASA. We also have gurus like Sanjeev Bikhchandani, founder of Naukri.com, and Sridhar Vembu, founder of Zoho, who constantly guides us.
Q. What is the story behind the name “EV Doctor”?
A. Initially, we named our device “rapid testing machine,” but we realised it was not very catchy or user-friendly. At one of the EV expos, a mechanic referred to it as a “Doctor” for batteries, and that clicked with us. We renamed it “EV Doctor ,” which is more straightforward and resonates better with our target audience. We secured the trademark, patents, and intellectual properties associated with the name.
Q. How big is your team currently, and what are their roles?
A. We have a team of 22 employees. 14 with tech backgrounds, managing the development and refinement of our products. The rest manage marketing, operations, and other business functions. Our team’s diverse expertise allows us to innovate and grow effectively.
Q. How many units of EV Doctor have you deployed so far?
A. We have deployed over 1500 units of EV Doctor and have around 1000 customers globally including client companies from Korea, Mauritius, Mexico and Europe in addition to India.
Q. Have you received any funding, or are you bootstrapped?
A. We are completely bootstrapped. Initially, I used my stipend from my master’s program, which I qualified for through GATE, to save that money. Later, we reinvested revenue from our customers back into the company. We believe that customer money is better than investor money, as it validates our product’s value in the market.
Q. What kind of government support would you like to see for companies like yours in the EV sector?
A. We have engaged with government officials, like Hanif Qureshi, the additional secretary for the Ministry of Heavy Industries, to discuss the need for more stringent testing protocols. Currently, testing is not taken seriously because there are no stringent conditions, especially during the after-sales phase. We need centralised systems to track and ensure the quality and safety of batteries throughout their lifecycle.
We advocate for the use of indigenous technology to ensure the reliability and safety of EV batteries in India.
Q. What are your future plans? Are there any new products you are developing?
A. We are soon announcing a big feat at company structuring levels.
Yes, we are developing an AI algorithm that can increase the life of a battery by up to 40%. With data from over 100,000 batteries, we are leveraging machine learning to benefit customers and brands by enhancing battery performance and longevity. We aim to make every garage in India EV-ready, ensuring customers do not face issues with servicing or repairs.
Q. Do you have any thoughts on how MSMEs can contribute to the EV ecosystem?
A. I believe, MSMEs can play a significant role, especially in the ancillary and auxiliary sectors. They can support the EV ecosystem by manufacturing components rather than importing and reselling cheap Chinese products. This boosts the local economy and ensures higher quality and reliability in the EV market.
BatteryOK Technologies, under the leadership of Shubham Mishra, is making significant strides in revolutionising battery diagnostics in the EV industry. With innovative products like EV Doctor and a commitment to indigenous development, the company is poised to play a crucial role in the EV ecosystem’s growth in India and beyond. As the EV market expands, solutions like EV Doctor will be essential in ensuring the safety, reliability, and longevity of batteries, building greater trust among consumers and stakeholders alike.
