Amara Raja Advanced Cell Technologies, an India-based battery cell manufacturer, has commissioned a 60 MWh Customer Qualification Plant at its Giga Corridor in Telangana, India. Built with an investment of about INR 500 crore, the CQP forms part of a wider INR 9,500 crore programme under an agreement with the Telangana government to establish 16 GWh of battery manufacturing capacity and generate 4,000 jobs.
The facility will manufacture lithium-ion cells in cylindrical and prismatic formats across multiple chemistries for qualification by OEMs before commercial-scale production begins. Customer validation is expected to start in August 2026, while commercial production from the first 2 GWh line is targeted for 2027. The first commercial gigafactory is planned to reach 6 GWh, although its initial phase will produce 2 GWh.
The CQP is the second stage of a three-tier industrialisation model. Amara Raja's ePositive Energy Labs near Hyderabad airport provides the research and engineering layer, while the CQP will validate products and manufacturing processes before transfer to the gigafactory under construction across the road. The qualification plant has a label capacity of 60 MWh and is designed for multiple chemistries and cell formats rather than continuous full-capacity operation.
Alongside cell production, the company is building a dedicated 10 GWh ESS facility at the campus. Battery pack assembly remains its immediate focus, including higher-voltage packs, while discussions with passenger vehicle manufacturers on dedicated pack facilities have not concluded. The company also plans to develop an ESS cell for localisation in India.
Initial commercial production will focus on NMC cylindrical cells, primarily for electric two-wheelers. Subsequent production plans are centred on LFP chemistry, with sodium-ion and other lithium-based chemistries also under consideration as they develop. The site master plan can accommodate more than 30 GWh, although the formal Telangana commitment remains 16 GWh.
Amara Raja has acquired about 262 acres from the Telangana government and expanded the site through private land purchases. Nearly 90 acres are currently under construction, including the CQP and other facilities. Company executives said domestically produced cells could initially cost 20% to 25% more than imported Chinese cells because materials and manufacturing equipment remain substantially import-dependent.