Phinergy worked with Tata Motors to develop a prototype of the Tata Tiago electric vehicle, which utilizes Phinergy’s proprietary aluminum-air battery. The prototype was presented at Auto Expo India 2023, held in New Delhi on January 12-15.
“Tata is a leading automobile corporation in India,” said David Mayer, CEO of Phinergy. “Developing this vehicle in partnership with such a prominent corporation and its display at such a renowned exhibition strengthens [Phinergy’s] position as a leading company that brings true innovation to the field of electric vehicles.”
Phinergy is an innovative cleantech company based in Israel, which has been developing and commercializing breakthrough clean energy generation and storage solutions based on its patented metal-air technology. The company’s aluminum-air battery uses the energy released by the reaction of aluminum with oxygen to generate electric power. The aluminum anode acts as the fuel, breathing oxygen, which breaks the water into hydroxide. The outside layer is slowly dissolved back into alumina hydroxide. Once the aluminum is depleted, the aluminum air battery has to be entirely replaced. This zero-emission technology is said to provide a high energy density solution that can help automotive manufacturers reduce the size of the battery in their vehicles.
Recently, Phinergy has set-up a joint company in India with Indian Oil, called IOC Phinergy Private Limited (IOP). The two companies have also signed MOUs with several leading car manufacturers in the Indian market. The company has also recently demonstrated a 500 km continuous drive powered by aluminum energy on a Mahindra Electric three-wheeler.
Mayer stated, “Owing to the green solution we developed, the aluminum-air batteries, and the ecosystem we created in India — which includes three Indian car manufacturers, Indian Oil corporation which owns 35,000 gas stations (where aluminum will be sold as energy), and Hindalco Industries which produces the aluminum — we shall be able to move towards clean aluminum-based electric transportation in India.”
