Weber Drivetrain, a technology-driven electric vehicle (EV) start-up, launched its automated manufacturing facility based in Pune’s Chakan district. 

The company has committed Rs 35 crore as an investment in Phase 1 for this unit under the country’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. The manufacturing plant will incorporate significant automation integration, including the latest semi-robotics to indigenously manufacture Brushless DC Electric (BLDC) Motor hub motors and EV controllers following the Indian regulatory standards.

The start-up claimed that the manufacturing facility, under the initiative of Atmnirbhar Bharat, would provide a wide variety of products ranging in capacity from 0.25 kW to 4 kW. This range can serve multiple segments, such as e-bicycles, e-scooters, and e-motorcycles.

Prashant Shete and Sachin Jain co-founded Weber Drivetrain in Chennai earlier this year. Shete has 24 years in the automobile industry, with five in the EV segment and has undertaken six greenfield EV projects. The start-up is expected to launch its product offering and solutions by December 2022. 

“We are extremely proud and excited to mark our first steps into the Indian EV market. As minimizing barriers to electric vehicle adoption is critical to meeting India’s ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals, Weber Drivetrain is poised to offer a widespread, realistic solution to mass EV adoption in the country. Our mission is not only to have a strong influence on the EV industry but also to support and encourage every positive EV growth initiative in India and beyond. Additionally, given the unemployment problem, the manufacturing unit will also contribute to the creation of jobs opportunity in the state,” said Shete.

Weber Drivetrain is involved in designing, developing, testing, validating and manufacturing electric motors and controllers for EVs. It has a strategic partnership for design and development for BLDC motors with Shinwin Motors, a Chinese EV motor manufacturer with a yearly output of 10 million motors and a $600 million annual turnover.