Euler Motors first in India to provide liquid cooling technology in battery packs

The future is electric, and Euler wants to steer it for India. Euler Motors is set to accelerate the mass electric mobility with powerful EVs, made for India, from India.

Poorvak Kapoor, VP, Vehicle Intelligence, Euler Motors, tells us more. Excerpts from an interview: 

DQ: Elaborate on Euler’s EV tech, that is not just made in India, but made for India.

Poorvak Kapoor: Euler has focused on tailoring our offerings to meet the specific needs of Indian businesses and customers, aiming to boost their profits while enriching the experience of driving and owning the electric vehicles. As leaders in Indian commercial EV market, we prioritize key features such as high payload capacity, efficient battery design, charging solutions, and data analytics.

After thorough research, we have introduced our flagship product, the HiLoad EV. We are the first player in India to provide liquid cooling technology in our battery packs, which allow the vehicle to withstand ambient temperatures and offer a long-lasting battery life. It's engineered to endure temperatures from -40°C in regions like Kashmir to scorching highs of up to 70°C in places like Rajasthan, ensuring suitability for diverse climates across India. We are committed to create an EV technology that is not just made in India but made for India. 

Additionally, we've developed the 'Euler Shepherd,' a proprietary software application designed to optimize performance, predict maintenance needs, and improve overall efficiency.

One of the standout features of our HiLoad EV is its versatile charging options and extensive network of charging stations in the industry. Along with an onboard charger, we are also the only EV company in the segment to offer DC fast charging for our customers which provides a 50 Km range within just 15 minutes of charge.

DQ: How do you design cloud infrastructure for connected vehicles?

Poorvak Kapoor: The vehicle connectivity, network protocol in the middle, and cloud infrastructure form the three main pillars of our connected infrastructure. We optimized vehicle connectivity by addressing antenna-related challenges and maximizing signal strength to ensure our vehicles remain reliably connected.

In addition, the transitioning from basic TCP/IP to a more resilient network protocol has been a significant step that improved our uptime and reconnection time, which is now just 1-5 seconds, compared to the conventional 30-40 seconds. Our data processing occurs in containerized cloud infrastructure, providing us the flexibility to adapt to changing demands efficiently. 

Additionally, we adopt a frugal approach by exploring multiple cloud service providers like AWS and considering Azure for their efficiency and cost-effectiveness. This ensures that our cloud infrastructure not only meets the reliability standards but also remains economically viable.

DQ: What is your process for liquid cooling technology and high range? How can you extend the longevity of the vehicle and better residual value?

Poorvak Kapoor: Euler Motors has pioneered a liquid-cooling technology designed to enhance battery health and mitigate temperature-induced depletion, thereby extending battery performance and lifespan. This innovative system is crucial in preventing lithium plating during charge and discharge processes, which can degrade the cell's charge-holding capacity over time. 

Operating at lower temperatures, typically around 15 degrees Celsius, significantly reduces this effect, ensuring minimal degradation over five years and extending battery life to 6-7 years with proper care.

To further enhance vehicle longevity and residual value, Euler Motors adopts a meticulous approach to craft battery systems. The process begins with exhaustive testing of cells in harsh environments to ensure the sourcing of only the highest quality components. 

Our battery packs are tailored specifically for Indian roads and climates, incorporating active liquid cooling technology to effectively manage heightened currents during extreme situations. The cooling mechanisms are finely tuned to minimize energy consumption and maximize vehicle range.

Proactive measures have also been implemented to address depth of discharge concerns by incorporating higher reserves (10-15%). This ensures that our commercial vehicles, subjected to daily charging and discharging cycles, remain efficient and reliable throughout their lifecycle.

DQ: Elaborate on the Vehicle Control Unit.

Poorvak Kapoor: The Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) is an important component of our vehicle that manages all the subsystems necessary for its operation. It directs the flow of power from the battery to the electric motor and oversees functions like regenerative braking and charging. By analyzing signals from various vehicle sensors, it handles the intricacies of the powertrain system. 

It also adjusts the motor's power output based on the driver's accelerator input, as signalled by the pedal position sensor and collaborates with the motor controller for smooth braking.

DQ: Are you also providing OTA updates?

Poorvak Kapoor: We utilize Over-The-Air (OTA) updates to continuously enhance our vehicles based on valuable customer feedback, ensuring their requirements are met seamlessly. The OTA updates enable us to proactively tackle maintenance issues, significantly reducing breakdown occurrences and minimizing vehicle downtime. Through data-driven insights, we can address potential issues, thereby enhancing overall customer satisfaction and driving experience.

Recently, we have also addressed a common concern regarding vehicle parking duration, which refers to the period an EV can remain parked without driving or recharging before notable battery depletion. 

We have extended our vehicles' parking duration from 15 days to 30 days through software optimizations and advancements in various ECUs including the VVCU, without any physical alterations.

DQ: Elaborate on the telematics and Euler Shepherd app for tracking.

Poorvak Kapoor: We harness advanced software and data analytics to optimize EV performance, streamline fleet management, and ensure a seamless customer experience. Our proprietary software, Euler Shepherd, offers comprehensive remote monitoring and management for our vehicle fleet.

Through our mobile app, Shepherd Lite, customers gain real-time access to vital vehicle metrics such as battery life, remaining range, and time to full charge. They also receive alerts on vehicle and battery performance, access to historical ride data, and more. For more extensive fleet management tasks, our web-based application, Shepherd Enterprise, provides active reporting and in-depth analytics.

Moreover, our ongoing investment in connected vehicle technology, exemplified by our Euler Software Stack (ESS-5.0), enables us to gather valuable data and enhance supply chain efficiencies.

DQ: Elaborate on the future of connected vehicles, and focus on safety, AI, and IoT integration.

Poorvak Kapoor: As the ADAS component market anticipates a six-fold rise by FY28, connected vehicles now integrate advanced safety features like collision avoidance, auto parking, and adaptive cruise control, addressing the pressing issue of road accidents, particularly with the rising EV adoption in commercial sectors.

In the world of connected vehicles, passenger and cargo vehicles have distinct benefits and applications. Passenger vehicles prioritize passenger comfort and entertainment, while cargo vehicles focus on real-time tracking, load monitoring, and security.

 In the commercial segment, trends such as 5G connectivity, edge computing, and AI integration are revolutionizing fleet management. These advancements enable predictive maintenance and long-term servicing, ensuring efficient fleet operations and enhanced safety. Euler Motors leads in this segment, leveraging these trends through innovative solutions like Euler Shepherd, real-time tracking, and predictive maintenance capabilities.

DQ: How can one make vehicle service requests and book slots at Euler charging stations?

Poorvak Kapoor: To optimize the process of vehicle service requests and slot bookings at our charging stations, we've developed a streamlined approach encompassing five key stages: discoverability, filtering, selection, booking, and transaction record-keeping. 

Our vehicles are interoperable, supporting a wide range of charging stations. Through over-the-air updates, they seamlessly adapt to different charging infrastructures, effectively reducing range anxiety for customers. 

Moreover, users can easily browse available charging stations and refine their search with customized filters using our Shepherd Lite or Shepherd Enterprise platforms. The platform features user-friendly navigation for seamless journeys, and payment options including pre-payment or post-payment via the app. Additionally, users can save preferred stations for future reference by adding them to their favorites list.