Could you tell us about BorgWarner’s net zero target by 2030?
Our roadmap to electrification started in 2010 and creating a good foundation, takes time. By starting off early, we are now reaping the benefits. We have a clear target plan. If you look at our charging plans, so if we want to achieve 50 percent of our sales by 2030 with EVs in mind then we had to change that. Before electrification was done keeping both hybrids and EVs in mind, but now it is purely electrical. With all the business units involved in the targets, our customers also see that we are very serious about what we are doing. It isn’t a short-term swing but rather a long-term strategy and the entire company is dedicated to achieving what we have promised to our investors and customers.
How is the long-term plan working out for India as each market has its own unique challenges?
Yes, it is very different but in some ways, it is also very similar to what we have seen in other countries. Customers are aware and want to have a conversation about the technologies we have and have developments are we working on and what are the benefits. There are a lot of customers who already have a joint venture with other clients whom we have worked with. So things are accelerating a lot faster than people actually realise. It’s a great environment to be in right now.
What are the key technologies that you are working on currently?
We are working on different technologies in the field of EVs like battery packs, charging stations, inverters and many more so that we can support the OEMs. Like in the ETTS business unit, every vehicle has a battery system that needs battery thermal management so the high voltage coolant heaters that we have — 400V and 800V — this is a big entrance for anyone who has a battery vehicle. So, battery management is a big demand and for that thermal management is one of the key components which we have.
We also offer charging stations which makes it an attractive proposition for auto customers. We offer everything from the charging station, charging the battery-driven powertrain up to the thermal management in a commercial vehicle, right? We basically have everything on our plate from high-voltage heaters to inverters.
The EV infrastructure in India is in the nascent stage, but we see the charging network expanding at a quick pace. What are the challenges you see?
We work with our partners and cater to their specific requirements so that at the end of the day the consumer can reap benefits from the charger. We offer various types of charging options like DC or AC, which provide a wide variety of range. So our job is also to the supporting infrastructure by offering the necessary parts and helping make them set up the entire ecosystem.