Hindalco Industries has launched a new electric vehicle (EV) component manufacturing facility in Chakan, Maharashtra, with an initial production capacity of 80,000 aluminium battery enclosures annually. The company has already delivered 10,000 enclosures to Mahindra for use in its BE 6 and XEV 9e electric SUVs and plans to double the plant’s output to 160,000 units per year.
The Chakan facility represents an investment of INR 5 billion and spans 5 acres within an industrial park. The site is intended to address growing demand for lightweight, crash-resistant battery enclosures and marks Hindalco’s entry into the EV components manufacturing sector. The company stated that over 3,000 Mahindra electric vehicles equipped with these enclosures are currently operating on Indian roads.
According to Hindalco, the aluminium enclosures reduce vehicle weight by up to 40% compared to steel designs, potentially increasing vehicle range by 8–10%. The enclosures are made using low-carbon aluminium and are said to provide improved thermal management and crash safety.
Satish Pai, Managing Director of Hindalco Industries, said, “Our Chakan facility represents a strategic shift in India’s EV ecosystem from import dependence to high-performance, localised aluminium solutions. We are proud to partner with Mahindra in this journey, which not only reflects our commitment to the mobility transition but also highlights Mahindra’s leadership in driving the electrification of mobility in India.”
The company also reported that the plant has a workforce composed almost entirely of women operators in technical roles and is expected to generate up to 1,000 jobs. Hindalco plans to extend its aluminium solutions to other Indian and international automotive manufacturers and expand into structural and crash-relevant parts for both EV and internal combustion engine vehicles.
Hindalco indicated that the facility is positioned to support the growing demand for EV-related components in India, driven by the expansion of battery cell manufacturing and associated infrastructure.
Hindalco Industries Limited is a metals company headquartered in India and part of the Aditya Birla Group. It operates across the entire aluminium value chain, including bauxite mining, alumina refining, smelting, rolling, and extrusion. The company is also active in copper production, with facilities that include a smelter, refinery, and associated downstream operations. Through its subsidiary Novelis, Hindalco has a global presence in the flat-rolled aluminium products segment and is one of the world’s largest recyclers of aluminium. The company has a manufacturing footprint spanning 52 units across 10 countries.