The EV powertrain solutions company, backed by Ratan Tata, is reportedly strengthening its engineering and technology departments to explore new growth areas. Following the recruitment of a Chief Quality Officer just three months ago, Electra EV is now poised to name its inaugural Chief Technology Officer.
With the surge in electric mobility, EV ecosystem suppliers are enhancing their engineering capabilities to excel in this tech-focused sector. Pune’s Electra EV is actively participating in this trend. The company has recently hired Chandrakant Awate, a veteran with 30 years of experience at Tata Motors, to strengthen its team.
At Electra EV, Awate’s primary role will involve overseeing all engineering and technological developments. His main objective is to diversify the company’s offerings with solutions suitable for various segments and uses. Insiders indicate that the Ratan Tata-supported company aims to break into new EV segments as a powertrain provider, with a particular interest in the off-highway market. During his time at Tata Motors, Awate, who holds an M.Tech in powertrain electronics, occupied several roles within the Engineering and Research Centre (ERC), contributing to the passenger vehicle division. He started at Tata Motors in 1993 as a diploma trainee engineer.
This recruitment follows closely after Electra EV’s appointment of Chetan Chawla as Chief Quality Officer. Chawla brings over 35 years of experience in quality control, with previous positions at Mahindra Navistar, Tata Motors, and RSB Transmissions.
Currently, Tata Motors is Electra EV’s primary and sole OEM customer for commercial production. Electra EV provides powertrains for Tata’s Xpres-T, a passenger EV for commercial fleets, and the Tata Ace EV.
The Xpres-T features a 72V induction motor powered by a 25.5kWh battery pack. In contrast, the Tata Ace EV is equipped with a 21.3kWh battery pack that powers a motor with a maximum output of 27kW.
All these products are manufactured at Electra EV’s Coimbatore facility, which boasts an annual production capacity of 30,000 units. The six-year-old company recently secured a USD 25 million investment from GEF Capital for business expansion.
