Bharat Alt Fuel (BAF) today announced an investment of Rs 2.5 billion to set up a Greenfield facility in the Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu to manufacture EVs, batteries and motors. This integrated facility will be built over a land area of 40,000 square metres and commence production in the second half of 2023. The investment will support a project that will span over three years and help localize the manufacturing process, as part of the hundred per cent ‘Made-in-India’ pitch of the brand.
The facility will have an initial production capacity of 25,000 units and will scale up to 100,000 EVs over the year, Sourabh Kumar Bharti, Executive Director, Bharat Alt Fuel said, “BAF aspires to be a catalyst for change wherever it is needed, so it makes perfect sense that we are bringing electric two-wheelers to one of the world’s largest vehicle market.” “Along with the vehicle assembly, the new factory will be making all the critical components, including batteries and motors, he said, adding, that establishing a global manufacturing footprint is a practical, natural step and enables us to grow our brand, scale our business, and address climate change through inspiring sustainable transportation.”
Construction of the plant is expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2022-23 and will be partially operational by 2023. He said initially, BAF will employ 1000 workforce and once the facility is fully operational it will have 3000 people which includes direct and indirect workforce. Vehicles in the initial phase will be slated for the market in India, but BAF plans to export electric two-wheelers to other global markets like ASEAN and African countries.
Bharti said, “our investment at Tamil Nadu complements the virtuous cycle of hi-tech R&D competencies, high-efficiency engineering capabilities and a global distribution network which should leapfrog us into a market-leading position in EVs in India and overseas.” “We will also put our efforts towards meeting the USD one trillion state economy target set by Chief Minister MK Stalin”, he added. The new facility will be fully owned by BAF and enable the company to meet the growing domestic and international demand for electric vehicles. BAF is also in the process of signing some international tech collaborations which will enable the company to bring world-class products to domestic markets.
