Shift Towards EVs Made Future of Li-ion Batteries Bright: Vibhas Verma

The prospects for lithium batteries right now and in the future are very positive. There is a lot of hype around lithium batteries which makes it a trending market. The shift that India and many other countries have made towards electric vehicles has made the future of lithium batteries very bright in every part of the world, says Vibhas Verma, Founder, Aqueouss, an emerging company manufacturing wide range of Li-ion battery and Life P04 battery. In conversation with Manu Tayal, Associate Editor, Saur Energy International, Verma shared about the prospect for lithium ion batteries in the county, level of consumer awareness, challenges in the industry, future plans etc. Here’re the excerpts from that exclusive interview published in the Saur Energy International Magazine’s December 2019 edition:

Q. How do you view the prospects for Lithium Battery Packs?

The prospects for lithium batteries right now and in the future are very positive. There is a lot of hype around lithium batteries which makes it a trending market. The shift that India and many other countries have made towards electric vehicles has made the future of lithium batteries very bright in every part of the world.

Q. How do you see the level of consumer awareness about lithium batteries in India? What more could be done?

In this era of digitalisation, consumers are aware of almost every single product before they purchase it. But still the duty lies in the hands of companies selling lithium batteries to ensure the right type and quality will be sold to the customer.

The customer should also contribute in this process by not just focusing on buying cheap lithium battery pack instead of buying quality battery packs at a competitive price.

We try to make the consumer aware by understanding the requirement and then providing them with best suitable Aqueouss lithium battery packs. We also provide consultancy to the consumers/companies that are developing new products and want our help and regular advice. Our team members are on advisory board of many e-vehicle start-up companies to guide them in the right way and provide them with the best possible Aqueouss lithium battery packs.

Q. Shed some light on your client base. Can you name a few of them?

Our client base is quiet diversified between electric vehicle, solar, medical equipment, defence, railway and many other products. But majority of our customers are working in the fields of solar and electric vehicles. In today’s fast moving culture where everybody requires everything quickly and on the move lithium batteries have made it possible by making products portable.

Q. How do you ensure the quality standards of your products?

We have made a very rigorous process for the selection of the Chinese companies with whom we are dealing. We are one of the companies in this market which ensures the quality of the battery packs is maintained while giving the competitive pricing. We do around 4 to 5 rounds of quality checks at different stages of assembling of Aqueouss lithium battery packs which enables us to provide superior quality battery packs to our customers. Our company has employees who have good amount of knowledge in respect of the process of assembling lithium battery packs. We are continuously upgrading our machinery to ensure the proper in-house testing of Aqueouss lithium battery packs.

Q. What kind of challenges do you face while dealing with new customers in the market?

The challenges are no different than any other market. Since, lithium batteries market is fast growing market, so lot of people are entering into this market to make profit from the growth of this industry. Some people even don’t have proper knowledge about lithium batteries. These people or companies are harming the market by selling cheap lithium batteries to customers.

Q. What are your plans for the next five years?

The plan for the next five years is very simple and clear to establish Aqueouss as one of the most prominent players in the lithium battery industry.

Q. Do you provide after sales support/ maintenance services too? Explain.

Yes we do provide sales support to each and every customer of ours. It is one of the most important principles of our company and also the priority to provide after sales support to every single customer.

The only thing we ask from customer is to inform us about the problem in the battery that he is facing and then if we can solve at on site then we do that otherwise we ask the customer to send the battery packs to our production facility where they are tested by our team and then replaced or repaired as per the requirement.

Q. How do you ensure the safety of your products during transportation? Do Lithium packs require any special maintenance effort?

Transportation of lithium battery packs is one of the most critical step in the process and requires utmost precaution to be taken. Aqueouss is very careful in packaging of lithium batteries and also follow all the norms and laws related to transportation of lithium batteries.

Lithium batteries need extra safety measures because, unlike other hazardous materials, lithium batteries contain both chemical and an electrical hazard. For example – this combination of hazards, when involved in a fire encompassing significant quantities of lithium batteries, may exceed the fire suppression capability of the aircraft and lead to a catastrophic loss of the aircraft.