Indian metals manufacturer enters EV component market with ₹500 crore facility in Chakan, plans to double production capacity while employing predominantly female workforce.
25 Apr 2025 | 7408 Views | By Angitha Suresh
Hindalco Industries, the metals flagship of the Aditya Birla Group, has delivered 10,000 aluminium battery enclosures to Mahindra for its BE 6 and XEV 9e electric SUVs, the company announced on Friday. The delivery coincides with the unveiling of Hindalco's new EV component manufacturing facility in Chakan, Pune.
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Hindalco Industries, the metals flagship of the Aditya Birla Group, has delivered 10,000 aluminium battery enclosures to Mahindra for its BE 6 and XEV 9e electric SUVs, the company announced on Friday. The delivery coincides with the unveiling of Hindalco's new EV component manufacturing facility in Chakan, Pune.
The ₹500 crore facility, spread across 5 acres in Pune's automotive manufacturing hub, marks Hindalco's entry into the EV component sector. It currently has capacity to produce 80,000 enclosures annually, with plans to scale up to 160,000 units. Approximately 3,000 Mahindra EVs equipped with these aluminium battery enclosures are already on Indian roads.
"Our Chakan facility represents a strategic shift in India's EV ecosystem from import dependence to high-performance, localised aluminium solutions," said Satish Pai, Managing Director of Hindalco Industries. "We are well-positioned to co-create the next generation of automotive solutions."
The battery enclosures, co-developed with Mahindra, provide up to 40% weight reduction compared to traditional steel designs. This enables 8-10% improvement in vehicle range, enhanced crash safety, and improved thermal management for battery cooling. The enclosures also use low-carbon aluminium.
Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director and CEO of Mahindra & Mahindra's Auto and Farm Sector, emphasized the importance of the partnership, stating that Hindalco's expertise in materials development has been crucial in creating efficient battery enclosure solutions.
The Chakan facility is expected to create up to 1,000 jobs and aligns with the government's 'Make in India' initiative. Notably, the plant employs predominantly women as machine operators, highlighting Hindalco's commitment to workplace diversity.
Hindalco plans to offer similar solutions to other Indian and global OEMs, expanding its aluminium product range to include structural and crash-relevant parts for both electric and conventional vehicles.
Industry analysts anticipate growing demand for battery-grade aluminium and associated components as India's EV value chain matures, driven by the expansion of battery manufacturing facilities. Hindalco's investment positions the company to capitalize on this emerging market.
Hindalco Industries is a $26 billion metals company and the world's largest aluminium company by revenue. It operates across the aluminium value chain from bauxite mining to downstream manufacturing, and through its subsidiary Novelis, is the global leader in flat-rolled products and aluminium recycling. The company has been recognized as the world's most sustainable aluminium company in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for five consecutive years.