Log 9 Materials partners Fortum for DC Fast Charger tech

Bangalore-based advanced battery technology startup Log 9 Materials has partnered with Finnish energy company Fortum to expand its fast-charging tech for electric two- and three-wheelers using Fortum’s charging network.

Log 9 Materials has developed ultra-fast EV charging battery pack christened ‘RapidX’ for two- and three-wheeler that can be charged in under 30 minutes using what it calls ‘Log 9 InstaCharge’ capabilities.

Through this association Fortum will make available its EV charging ecosystem– Fortum Charge & Drive India –for two- and three-wheeler customers/fleets using Log 9 Material’s battery pack. This will allow EV users to charge their vehicles within 15-30 minutes. The partnership will be for a duration of at least 24 months and can thereafter be mutually extended both in terms of period and scope. As an outcome of this collaboration, consumers charging Log 9 powered vehicles at Fortum’s EV charging stations will be incentivised in terms of a preferential tariff. At present, the tariff scheme is only applicable at charging stations located in Hyderabad city and Vijaywada Highway; however it will be expanded to other tier 1, tier 2 and metro cities of our country in the near future.

With Log 9’s InstaCharging (15 minutes for 2-wheelers, 40 minutes for 3-wheeler) batteries, the number of electric vehicles that can be charged in a given duration is significantly higher. Catering to a larger number of vehicles will allows higher per charger utilisation, access to a new customer base of commercial 2W/3W on public chargers, provides for interoperable charging infrastructure which can now charge all types of electric vehicles, depending on their compatibility. This is a primary reason for Fortum’s C&D India’s interest in and partnership with Log 9.

Dr. Akshay Singhal, founder and CEO, Log 9 Materials said, “Availability of a widespread charging infrastructure is a key driver for EV adoption in India and forms a critical factor in terms of the customer experience too. On the other hand, to justify the charging infrastructure costs, a critical mass of EVs need to be functional on-road. Additionally, to minimise downtime and maintain operational efficiency of commercial vehicles, fast-charging is a must. Keeping these aspects in mind, our latest partnership with Fortum will attempt to make Log 9’s InstaCharging mainstream for India’s electric vehicles. It is a step in the right direction, and as Log 9’s InstaCharge batteries’ commercial rollout takes shape, we are hoping that this partnership will go a long way in accelerating the EV revolution in India – which is only possible when multiple stakeholders come together to solve the existing bottlenecks in EV adoption. Over the long term, Log 9 and Fortum will work hand-in-hand to establish Log 9’s ‘InstaCharging’ on Fortum’s DC Fast chargers as the industry standard.”

Awadhesh Kumar Jha, ED– Fortum C&D India said: “This association has come in at the right juncture in the electric mobility paradigm, wherein the largest mobility segment of customers with 2W and 3W were devoid of fast charging capabilities and relevant infrastructure access, thereby saving them precious time and quicker turnaround to cater to their respective customers. Fortum C&D India is excited on this unique partnership with Log 9 Materials and their partners getting access to the wide-spread DC charging network in Hyderabad and connecting highways wherein Fortum C&D currently operates 76 DC001 (Bharat Specifications) charging points at more than 45 locations. The wide-spread network would allow un-interrupted access to Log 9 InstaCharge battery-enabled vehicles to not only intra-city transit in Hyderabad and would also allow them to deliver goods/services to Vijaywada, as of now. Fortum C&D India also plans to replicate the association to other cities and highways of mutual interest specifically Hyderabad-Bangalore, Hyderabad-Vijaywada-Vizag, Delhi NCR and Pune-Mumbai-Ahmedabad among others.”

In the last 8 months, Log 9 has been conducting pilots for its InstaCharging-enabled RapidX battery packs with various OEMs including – Omega Seiki Mobility, Hero Electric among others, and B2B last-mile operators such as Amazon, Shadowfax, Delhivery, EBikeGo, Flipkart, BykeMania.

The conclusion of these pilots and thereafter the commercial roll-out of Log 9’s batteries will happen by end-October. Log 9’s batteries provide 9x faster charging, 9x more battery life and 9x higher performance as compared to existing EV batteries in the Indian market. The start-up plans to deploy its rapid charging battery packs in over 5,000 vehicles by the end of FY2022. 

Also read: Log 9’s ultra-fast battery technology promises full charge in under 15 minutes

Log 9 Materials closes Series A funding with $10 million, Petronas Ventures puts $2 million

Log 9 Materials raises Rs 63 crore in Series A+ funding led by Amara Raja Batteries