The high-output unit is designed for the thermal management demands of high-voltage EV platforms
(Image courtesy of MAHLE)
MAHLE has opened its first e-compressor production facility in India, a €7.0 million investment at its existing Coimbatore site in Tamil Nadu. The German supplier says it is the first company to manufacture the component in India, adding electric vehicle thermal management capacity to a plant that already produces traction motors and controllers for two- and three-wheelers. At full capacity, the new line can produce more than 300,000 units a year for domestic and export customers.
A new layer in Coimbatore’s electrification build-out
The e-compressor line extends a manufacturing footprint MAHLE has been building in Coimbatore for several years. The site already makes starter motors, alternators, and traction motors and controllers for two- and three-wheelers, and MAHLE opened a research and development centre there in 2023 to validate products and deepen local engineering capability. The new facility adds a further electrification component to that existing base rather than establishing a standalone operation, one aimed specifically at battery thermal management. Keeping a battery within its optimal temperature range supports longer service life, faster charging and greater driving range.
Local jobs and a defined workforce target
MAHLE said the new line will create around 50 jobs and has set a target of 75 percent female staffing across the plant by 2027. The company positions the investment as part of its contribution to the Indian government’s Make in India 2.0 initiative.
Ivan Lenehan, vice president of MAHLE Powertrain and Charging for India, China and East Asia, said the facility strengthens the company’s presence in one of the world’s most dynamic automotive markets. Milind Mhaiskar, managing director of MAHLE Electric Drives India, said the project reflects a focus on localisation and customer-centric innovation, crediting the collaborative approach between MAHLE’s teams and its business partners for its completion.
MAHLE’s sales chief, Dr Roger Busch, said the next two to three years would prove decisive for EV adoption in India, and that the company expects the new facility to support meaningful revenue growth as the market develops.
Stay ahead in the electrification revolution. Explore more breakthroughs from leading innovators in electric commercial transport – visit our news page.