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ARCI Partners with Voltasun Technologies to Advance Commercial Use of Sodium-Ion Batteries
Dec 19, 2025
The International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), an autonomous research and development institution under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Voltasun Technologies to validate and accelerate the commercial deployment of indigenous sodium-ion battery technology.
Under the agreement, the collaboration will focus on industrial performance validation of sodium-ion pouch cells manufactured using Sodium Vanadium Phosphate (NVP) cathode powder developed by ARCI. As part of the initial phase, ARCI will supply 80 pouch cells with a capacity of 5 Ah each for testing and evaluation by Voltasun.
According to DST, the partnership aims to assess the performance and commercial viability of sodium-ion batteries, which are considered a safer and more cost-effective alternative to lithium-ion batteries currently used in applications such as consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy storage systems.
The project will be implemented in two stages. Phase I involves the supply of the first batch of 80 pouch cells and performance assessment, along with technical feedback from Voltasun. Phase II will include the delivery of two additional batches of 80 pouch cells each, to be governed by a separate amendment agreement between the two organisations.
ARCI has developed the NVP cathode powder and demonstrated its effectiveness through the fabrication of NVP-based sodium-ion pouch cells under the ANRF-supported MAHA EV project. These cells have already been validated at standard laboratory scale, while field-level testing and evaluation are currently underway, the department said.
Voltasun Technologies, a materials-to-cells startup, specialises in battery active materials, cell manufacturing, scale-up, consultancy, and research and development services. With an established industrial customer base, the company is expected to help assess and expand the application potential of ARCI’s sodium-ion battery technology, particularly for stationary energy storage use cases.
The collaboration underscores ARCI’s ongoing efforts to translate indigenous research innovations into industry-ready solutions, aligning with India’s broader push for self-reliance in advanced and sustainable energy storage technologies.