Collaborative initiative to strengthen EV testing & validation infrastructure at Sambhajinagar

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: As Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar emerges as one of the fastest-growing electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing hubs in the country, a major collaborative initiative has been launched to strengthen the region’s testing, validation and homologation infrastructure for the EV sector.The local industry supported incubator MAGIC (Marathwada Auto Cluster, Deogiri Electronics Cluster) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) have joined hands to enhance EV ecosystem with benefits projected to cover over 1,600 industries.Ashish Garde, director of MAGIC, said the collaboration is being undertaken under the project implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) under the guidance of NITI Aayog.“Access to local testing and validation infrastructure is a critical competitive advantage for an emerging EV manufacturing hub like Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. It helps manufacturers, suppliers, MSMEs and startups reduce costs, accelerate product development and bring innovations to market faster, while strengthening investor confidence in the region’s capabilities,” he said.The initiative will undertake a comprehensive assessment of testing and validation requirements across the EV product development lifecycle.

It will evaluate existing facilities, identify critical infrastructure gaps and explore opportunities to upgrade current testing facilities as well as establish new capabilities wherever required.The assessment will cover key technology areas including batteries, power electronics, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and other critical EV subsystems.“Currently, manufacturers, suppliers, MSMEs and startups in the region largely depend on testing facilities such as ARAI in Pune for certification and validation.

It results in higher logistics costs, longer product development cycles and delays in commercialization. Developing advanced testing infrastructure within the region will significantly reduce these challenges while improving product quality, accelerating innovation and enabling faster market access,” Garde said.With more than Rs50,000 crore in proposed EV investments, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has emerged as a preferred destination for electric mobility manufacturing.

Major investments proposed by renowned companies are expected to further strengthen the region’s position in India’s rapidly expanding EV industry.These investments are taking place at Bidkin node of the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). Auric is a planned greenfield industrial area coming at Shendra-Bidkin near Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar as a part of the DMIC. It is expected to generate over 62,000 direct and indirect jobs.