Shakti EV Unveils Modular Power-Train at Delhi 2025 EV Expo

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  Automotive and Transportation on Tue, Dec 23rd, 2025 by The Hans India
      Locale: INDIA

Shakti EV’s Breakthrough at the Delhi 2025 EV Expo: A Milestone for India’s Powertrain Industry

At the 2025 Delhi EV Expo, held in the capital’s sprawling exhibition complex, the Indian electric‑vehicle (EV) scene witnessed a watershed moment when Shakti EV—an emerging player headquartered in Bangalore—unveiled a suite of in‑house power‑train technologies that promise to redefine the country’s EV manufacturing landscape. The announcement, broadcast to a packed audience of OEMs, investors, and policy makers, was hailed as a major leap toward the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan’s 2030 targets.

A Quick Look at Shakti EV

Shakti EV, founded in 2018, has steadily grown from a niche bus‑manufacturing startup into a vertically integrated EV company that produces not only vehicles but also key power‑train components such as motors, inverters, and battery modules. The company’s headquarters in Bangalore sits on a 10‑acre campus equipped with a test track, a battery‑cell assembly line, and a design‑and‑engineering wing that collaborates closely with local universities. According to the firm’s CEO, Anil Kumar, the company’s core philosophy is “to produce high‑performance, low‑cost components that are entirely Indian‑made.” This stance resonates strongly with the government’s “Make in India” and “Incredible India” initiatives.

The Power‑train Breakthrough

During the Expo, Shakti EV showcased a modular, high‑efficiency power‑train architecture that integrates a 3.2‑MW permanent‑magnet synchronous motor, a 1.5‑kW in‑verter, and a 48‑V lithium‑ion battery pack. The novelty lies in the integration of the motor and inverter into a single unit that reduces weight by 12 % and improves thermal management—key metrics for both range and safety. The company claims an energy density of 220 Wh/kg for its battery modules, surpassing the Indian average by 18 %.

In a demo, a Shakti EV commercial vehicle (a 12‑meter electric bus) accelerated from 0 to 50 km/h in 7.5 seconds, a feat that rivals some of the world’s most advanced urban transit vehicles. The demonstration was accompanied by live telemetry that illustrated a 30 % reduction in regenerative braking losses thanks to the upgraded motor controller algorithm. Shakti EV’s R&D team, led by former engineers from Larsen & Toubro and Bharat Heavy Electricals, highlighted that the new design supports “plug‑and‑play” modularity: a bus can be upgraded with a larger battery pack in 15 minutes without extensive re‑engineering.

Industry Context: India’s EV Roadmap

The Delhi EV Expo 2025 served as a focal point for India’s ambition to reach 1 million electric buses and 1 million electric cars by 2030, as outlined in the FAME III (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of EVs) scheme. The government’s incentives—up to ₹15 lakhs per bus, a 75 % subsidy on battery procurement, and relaxed import duties—have fueled a surge of local start‑ups and established players alike. Shakti EV’s announcement aligns with the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP‑4), which emphasizes “indigenous development of critical components.” The expo featured presentations from the Ministry of Heavy Industries and the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, both of whom reiterated the importance of reducing the country’s carbon footprint.

Collaborations and Partnerships

A pivotal aspect of Shakti EV’s strategy is its collaboration with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), which supplies advanced power‑electronics modules, and Tata Motors, which is testing the power‑train on its upcoming electric sedan prototype. The firm also announced a partnership with the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Jamshedpur to develop a new battery‑management system that uses machine‑learning algorithms to predict cell degradation.

Financially, Shakti EV secured a ₹200 million Series‑B round from a consortium of venture capitalists and an institutional investor, the Indian Angel Network. The capital will fuel expansion of the battery‑cell manufacturing plant, slated to become the largest in India with a capacity of 500 kWh/day.

The Expo’s Broader Impacts

The Delhi 2025 EV Expo drew over 3,000 participants from 30 countries. In addition to Shakti EV’s showcase, the event hosted a policy roundtable that discussed the need for a “National EV Data Exchange” to standardize vehicle telemetry and enhance autonomous‑driving research. The Expo also featured a “Startup Alley” where 50 start‑ups pitched their solutions, ranging from charging‑infrastructure to software platforms for fleet management.

The event’s highlight, however, remained Shakti EV’s power‑train demo, which many observers note as a tangible manifestation of India’s “power‑train‑first” approach. Analysts argue that by focusing on components rather than whole vehicles, Indian firms can reduce costs, boost local employment, and mitigate supply‑chain disruptions.

Future Roadmap

Looking ahead, Shakti EV has outlined a four‑phase expansion plan:

1. Phase I (2025–2026): Scale up production of the modular power‑train for commercial buses; begin pilot trials with three city fleets in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Chennai.
2. Phase II (2026–2027): Launch the first generation of electric trucks for freight, targeting the logistics sector.
3. Phase III (2027–2028): Diversify into two‑ and three‑wheel electric vehicles, leveraging the same motor architecture.
4. Phase IV (2028–2030): Transition to “smart” power‑trains with integrated AI‑driven diagnostics, in line with the EV Data Exchange initiative.

In the long term, Shakti EV plans to establish an end‑to‑end manufacturing cluster—from battery cell production to vehicle assembly—across Karnataka, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu, aiming to employ over 10,000 people.

Conclusion

Shakti EV’s unveiling of an integrated, high‑efficiency power‑train at the Delhi 2025 EV Expo marks a critical juncture for India’s EV industry. By focusing on locally manufactured components, the company addresses the twin challenges of cost and supply‑chain resilience that have hampered previous EV roll‑outs. Coupled with supportive government policies and robust collaborations, Shakti EV’s advances could accelerate India’s journey toward a zero‑emission future. As the world watches, the Delhi Expo’s momentum will likely spur further innovation, cementing India’s position as a burgeoning hub for electric mobility.