Revving Up Energy Transition Drive

Headquartered In Bengaluru, Log9 Materials is a nanotechnology company that is operating in the areas of sustainable energy and filtration.

Log9 Materials has developed aluminium fuel cells for both mobility and stationary energy applications.

Battery Tech: Founded by Akshay V. Singhal, Log9 has created a unique battery tech that enables rapid charging of two-wheelers and three-wheelers within minutes rather than hours.

Log9 battery technology is designed to provide peak performance across a broad range of temperatures -- from 300C to 600C, making it an ideal powerhouse for Indian weather conditions.

For Singhal, a PhD in Nanotechnology, the core driving force has been to be an innovator and do research and development (R&D) to develop new technologies and products to fight climate change, which according to him, is a problem of far greater magnitude than what was seen during the Covid-19
 pandemic.

Affinity For EVs: Singhal says that there is indeed a rising affinity for EVs among the masses due to the recent surge in fuel prices but the challenges that the industry faces act as a deterrent for them to make the shift.

You're not sure how long the vehicle will run when it is out of charge, whether I will find the correct charging option, will my battery last for the life of the vehicle or will it go out in two years or three years.

So, this kind of unreliability and inconsistency with EVs is still there and that leads to various operational challenges,' says Singhal.

Addressing the challenges, Singhal and his team have developed batteries that can be charged in 15 minutes, have a life of more than 15 years and potentially up to 30 years and at the same time have a minimal drop of 2-3 kms in its range in the long term compared to 30-40 kms drop in existing batteries after two years.

The team has also been able to leverage the existing charging infrastructure, used by four-wheelers for three-wheelers which will in effect strengthen the infrastructure.

However, Singhal says that adopting EVs is not the be-all and end-all in India's fight against climate change.

Storage Capacity: "We have to ensure that the electricity which is being used to charge the vehicles is coming from cleaner sources and for that, there is a need to scale up our storage capacity for solar and wind energy," states Singhal.

The team under his leadership is also working to provide the right kind of energy storage solutions.

Cost Savings: Electrification of vehicles especially for commercial use ranging from two-wheelers, three-wheelers  to LCVs to HCVs will not only have a significant positive impact on the environment, but it will lead to huge cost savings as well.

However, different vehicle platforms have unique requirements and hence there cannot be a "one-type fits all" battery technology, says Singhal.

Singhal believes that initiatives such as BW Businessworld’s Young Entrepreneur Awards help in giving recognition to startups which further give them opportunities to scale up their operations and at the same time inspire the youth to do something of their own.