Hindalco Industries Ltd., the metals arm of the Aditya Birla Group, has announced the delivery of 10,000 aluminium battery enclosures to Mahindra for its electric SUVs, the BE 6 and XEV 9e. This development supports India’s growing electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem and aligns with the country’s clean mobility goals.
Alongside this milestone, Hindalco has launched a new dedicated EV component manufacturing facility in Chakan, Pune. Developed with a capital investment of ₹500 crores, the plant spans five acres and has an initial annual capacity of 80,000 battery enclosures, which will be scaled to 160,000 units. This facility marks Hindalco’s entry into the EV component segment, focusing on lightweight, crash-resistant battery enclosures using low-carbon aluminium.
These enclosures, co-developed with Mahindra, are up to 40% lighter than traditional steel versions, contributing to an 8–10% improvement in vehicle range and better crash and thermal performance. Over 3,000 Mahindra electric vehicles equipped with these enclosures are currently on Indian roads.
The Chakan facility also stands out for its inclusive workforce, employing nearly 100% women as machine operators. It is expected to create up to 1,000 jobs and supports the government’s Make in India initiative by reducing reliance on imports.
Hindalco plans to expand its aluminium solutions to other Indian and global OEMs, including structural and crash-relevant parts for both EVs and conventional vehicles. As India’s EV infrastructure grows, so will the demand for aluminium components, and Hindalco’s investment aims to address this need through innovation and localisation.
