Ashok Leyland, as part of the collaboration, handed over a 9-meter passenger electric bus to NCCRD.

Homegrown commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland, on Monday, announced that it is collaborating with Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) Researchers at the National Centre for Combustion Research and Development (NCCRD) for developing a series of hybrid Electrical Vehicles.

Hinduja group’s flagship company, in a statement, said, that this collaboration will enable the development and demonstration of a series of vehicles with a hybrid concept equipped with this Micro Gas Turbine called the ‘Turbine electric vehicle’ (TEV).

N Saravanan, CTO of Ashok Leyland, said, “Micro Gas Turbines hold significant promise as a technology that will extend fuel combustion beyond traditional IC Engines and provide for more efficient performance and multi-fuel capability. Ashok Leyland is proud to be associated with IIT Madras and Aerostrovilos in this development effort.”

IIT Madras Researchers at NCCRD are developing an indigenously-designed Micro Gas Turbine. “The core of the Micro Turbine is a patented combustion technology called ‘Swirl Mesh Lean Direct Injection (LDI) system’,” it added.

Sathya Chakravarthy, Coordinator, NCCRD, IIT Madras, while highlighting the key outcomes from this collaboration, said, “This marks our conviction of not only working with the industry on innovative technological solutions of societal impact but also pushing the inhouse developments on innovation to see the light of day with the industry.”

This project aims to establish a powertrain that has ultra-low emissions, low cost of ownership, fuel flexibility, and a reliable system for long-range heavy vehicles.

The advantages of this series hybrid configuration with this new micro-turbine technology include:

• An overall lighter power train (high weight-to-power ratio)
• Ultra-low emissions
• Multiple fuel capabilities (eg. Biogas, CNG, LNG, Diesel, Hydrogen etc. )
• An overall low cost of ownership

As per the company statement, the main power train will be the electric motors but the onboard power would be generated by the Micro Gas Turbine, which will be jointly developed by NCCRD and Aerostrovilos Energy, an IITM-incubated start-up. This Micro Gas Turbine will replace the large battery.

Ashok Leyland also signed a letter of support to develop this technology for the heavy vehicles segment with NCCRD, IIT Madras after the technology was demonstrated on a lab scale. Ashok Leyland, as part of the collaboration, handed over a 9-meter passenger electric bus to NCCRD.

V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, received the bus on behalf of NCCRD, IIT Madras, from Saravanan and Kanakasabapathi Subramanian, Senior Vice President, Product Development, Ashok Leyland. This bus would be converted as part of the series of vehicles having a hybrid powertrain with the micro gas turbine developed by NCCRD and Aerostrovilos.

Courtesy: Business Today, FE, ET Tech, HBL, BS, Times Tech, EV Tech News