Ashok Leyland, IIT Madras tie up to develop hybrid EVS using turbine tech

While the main powertrain will be the electric motor, the onboard power would be generated by a micro gas turbine developed jointly by NCCRD and Aerostrovilos Energy, an IITM-incubated start-up

Ashok Leyland, the flagship company of the Hinduja group and a leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, and researchers at the National Centre for Combustion Research and Development (NCCRD) have joined hands for development and commercialisation of ‘swirl mesh lean direct injection (LDI) system’ for developing hybrid electrical vehicles using turbine technology. NCCRD is an arm of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.

IIT Madras researchers at NCCRD are developing an indigenously-designed micro gas turbine, whose core is a patented combustion technology called ‘Swirl Mesh Lean Direct Injection (LDI) system.’ The main powertrain will be the electric motor, but the onboard power would be generated by the micro gas turbine, developed jointly by NCCRD and Aerostrovilos Energy, an IITM-incubated start-up. This micro gas turbine will replace the large battery.

After the technology was demonstrated on a lab scale, Ashok Leyland signed a letter of support to develop it for heavy vehicles with NCCRD, IIT Madras. As part of the collaboration, Ashok Leyland handed over to NCCRD a nine-meter passenger electric bus on Monday.

“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, ” said N Saravanan, chief technology officer, Ashok Leyland.

Sathya Chakravarthy, Coordinator, NCCRD, IIT Madras, 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.”