CHENNAI: Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) are developing rechargeable and water-based zinc-air batteries as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries, according to a press release from the institute.
The researchers, led by Aravind Kumar Chandiran, Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering, are trying to patent the technology and have it adopted by major battery manufacturers.
The release said the zinc-air batteries would be cheaper to manufacture as zinc is widely available in India, and it would have a longer shelf life than lithium-ion batteries. The researchers have also mooted “zinc-recharge stations”, where Electric Vehicle (EV) users can swap used zinc battery cassettes with fully-charged ones.
Currently, Indian EV firms import lithium-ion batteries, mostly from China. Although such batteries are widely used, they cannot fully meet the diverse demands of the Indian market. On the cost front, zinc-air batteries would cost around $150 KWhr, whereas lithium-ion ones cost $200-250 a KWhr. With wider use, the price is expected to come below $100 KWhr, the press release said.