India Launches 30 kW Wide Band Gap Integrated Drive System to Boost EV Self-Reliance

The launch marks a significant milestone in MeitY’s mission to strengthen India’s indigenous capabilities in advanced power electronics — a critical component of the electric vehicle ecosystem.

In a major push towards self-reliance in electric mobility and advanced power electronics, an indigenously developed 30 kW Wide Band Gap (WBG)-based Integrated Drive System (IDS) for electric vehicles was launched today in Chennai.

The technology has been developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Thiruvananthapuram, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras and Lucas TVS under the National Mission on Power Electronics Technology (NaMPET). The system was formally launched by Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), at IIT Madras.

Strengthening Indigenous EV Capabilities

The launch marks a significant milestone in MeitY’s mission to strengthen India’s indigenous capabilities in advanced power electronics — a critical component of the electric vehicle ecosystem.

The 30 kW power class is particularly relevant to India’s rapidly expanding electric passenger vehicle segment, including compact cars and fleet mobility platforms. Currently, many high-performance EV powertrain systems and semiconductor-based drive components are imported.

The indigenous development of the IDS aims to:

• Reduce import dependency

• Lower system costs through localization

• Strengthen domestic supply chains

• Support scalable manufacturing

• Align with Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes

By localizing advanced power electronics, India seeks to secure greater technological sovereignty in strategic sectors.

Integrated, High Power-Density Design

The newly developed system integrates the electric motor and inverter into a single compact, high power-density unit. This replaces the conventional configuration where the motor and drive electronics operate as separate systems.

The integration offers several advantages:

• Reduced size and weight

• Improved efficiency

• Better thermal management

• Simplified vehicle architecture

• Lower overall system complexity

Wide Band Gap semiconductor technology enables higher switching frequencies, improved efficiency, and enhanced thermal performance — making it ideal for next-generation EV platforms.

From Design to Commercialization

The technology has been successfully designed, fabricated, and validated in collaboration with Lucas TVS and is now ready for commercialization and large-scale deployment.

Widespread adoption of the IDS is expected to:

• Strengthen India’s EV supply chain

• Create opportunities for MSMEs in power electronics and thermal systems

• Support domestic manufacturing of control hardware

• Enhance India’s competitiveness in semiconductor-driven mobility solutions

Through NaMPET, MeitY continues to promote innovation-driven collaboration among research institutions, academia and industry to build globally competitive power electronics technologies.

“Make in India, Make for the World”

Addressing the gathering, Shri S. Krishnan said the development reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Make in India, Make for the World.”

He emphasized that India is transitioning from a technology-importing nation to a technology-developing and exporting nation, supported by collaborative innovation ecosystems.

“The development of the 30 kW Integrated Drive System represents a major milestone in India’s journey towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat in electric mobility and strategic electronics,” he said.

He further highlighted that design-led innovation within India will help:

• Build strong domestic intellectual property

• Accelerate the startup ecosystem

• Strengthen high-value manufacturing

• Position India as a global technology supplier

Institutional Collaboration Driving Innovation

The project reflects close coordination between public R&D institutions, academia, and industry partners. Present at the launch were:

• Shri E. Magesh, Director General, C-DAC

• Shri Manoj Kumar Jain, Group Coordinator (R&D in IT & CC & BT), MeitY

• Shri Ramanathan N S, CTO, Lucas TVS

• Shri Renji V Chako, Senior Director, C-DAC Thiruvananthapuram

• Dr Om Krishan Singh, Scientist ‘E’, MeitY

• Prof Kamlesh Hatua, IIT Madras

• Industry representatives

Their participation underscored the ecosystem approach underpinning India’s power electronics strategy.

Strategic Implications

The successful development of a domestically engineered Integrated Drive System has implications beyond electric vehicles. Advanced power electronics form the backbone of:

• Renewable energy systems

• Energy storage solutions

• Industrial automation

• Aerospace and defence platforms

By building indigenous capability in Wide Band Gap semiconductor-based systems, India is laying the foundation for broader leadership in next-generation energy and mobility technologies.

As electric vehicle adoption accelerates nationwide, the 30 kW IDS represents not just a product launch but a strategic advancement in India’s quest for technological self-reliance and global competitiveness.