SRMIST Partners with Stellantis India for Electric Vehicle Research and Development

SRM Institute of Science and Technology has established a collaboration with Stellantis India to advance electric vehicle research and engineering education. The partnership was announced Tuesday in Chennai, with Stellantis providing two Citroën ë-C3 electric vehicles to SRMIST's Centre for Electrical Mobility.

The vehicles will function as research platforms for students and faculty to conduct system testing, diagnostics, and performance optimization studies. This arrangement allows students to gain practical experience with production vehicles rather than theoretical knowledge alone.

"At the Centre for Electric Mobility, we're creating a national platform that unites innovation, skill development, and industry-focused education," said Dr. Bharatiraja Chokkalingam, head of the Centre for Electric Mobility. The center operates under a DST-PURSE grant that supports SRMIST's electric and autonomous mobility research programs.

The collaboration extends beyond vehicle provision to include technical engagement between Stellantis experts and SRMIST faculty. Both organizations have identified research areas and developed strategies for knowledge-sharing sessions, workshops, and skill development programs designed to align academic training with automotive industry requirements.

Stellantis India representative Ashwin Kaundinya stated that the partnership complements the company's sustainable mobility objectives. Sriram Venkataramanan of Stellantis India noted that the collaboration focuses on translating research capabilities into production-ready electric vehicle systems.

The Centre for Electrical Mobility was established in 2022 through a Rs. 20 crore investment from SRM and the Department of Science and Technology. The facility spans 28,000 square feet and specializes in developing, testing, and validating electric vehicle components including motors, controllers, batteries, and charging solutions.

SRMIST holds an A++ accreditation from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council and ranked 12th nationally in the 2024 National Institutional Ranking Framework. The university operates more than 500 laboratories and has secured over Rs. 270 crore in external research funding across 600 projects.

The partnership aims to produce engineers equipped for India's transition to sustainable mobility while advancing electric vehicle technology development through academic-industry collaboration.