Chairman and Managing Director of Ola Electric Bhavish Aggarwal | Photo Credit: SHAILENDRA BHOJAK/PTI Ola Electric Chairman and Managing Director Bhavish Aggarwal on Thursday said the company has already operationalised dry electrode battery manufacturing, with cells produced using the process currently powering electric scooters on Indian roads. His comments came after Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted on X that making the dry electrode process work at scale was “incredibly difficult”, calling it a major breakthrough in lithium battery production. Responding to Musk’s post, Aggarwal said Ola’s dry coating process has been working since last year and that lakhs of cells are already in use by customers. Dry Technology Dry electrode technology is widely viewed as a key lever for reducing battery costs and emissions. Unlike conventional wet electrode processes that rely on solvent-based slurries and long drying ovens, dry processing eliminates solvents during coating, the company said. This simplifies manufacturing, reduces electrode-stage energy consumption by an estimated 20-30 per cent, and allows more compact factory layouts. The approach also enables thicker electrodes with higher active material loading, supporting improved energy density at the cell level. Ola’s 4680-format lithium-ion cell, branded as the 4680 Bharat Cell, is built on this dry electrode manufacturing platform. Development started in 2022, with pilot-line manufacturing stabilised in 2023. On Indian Roads Fully dry 4680 cells were produced in early 2024 and are now running in Ola’s 4680 Bharat Cell powered scooters and bikes on Indian roads. Ola said it has filed nearly 400 patents linked to its in-house cell programme, spanning cell chemistry, electrode processing and manufacturing systems. EV Race The exchange highlights a broader shift in the global EV race, where manufacturing process innovation is emerging as a critical differentiator. As companies push to lower costs and scale production, dry electrode technology is increasingly seen as a test of execution.