Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has announced its entry into the automotive components sector, planning to invest 500 billion rupees over the next five years. The investment aims to produce electric motors for electric vehicles (EVs), safety systems, and connected vehicle technologies at a new manufacturing center in Tamil Nadu.
Company Strategy and Ambitions
This initiative is being executed through L&T Electronic Products & Systems (EPS), led by Prashant Chiranjive Jain, Managing Director of L&T Vyom and head of the company's EPS group. This move is part of the conglomerate Lakshya 31's broader strategy. Beyond mobility, the EPS platform covers the development and production of electronic systems, robotics, automation, and power electronics, leveraging L&T's existing strengths in strategic electronics.
Jain refuted suggestions that this is merely a diversification effort for L&T. He emphasized that engineering has always been an integral part of L&T's DNA from the outset, viewing the ambition to become a Tier-I auto component supplier as a natural evolution of these engineering capabilities.
Market Prospects and Investments
According to L&T, the target B2B electronics market in the industrial sector is currently valued at approximately $2 billion, with a projected growth to $4.85 billion by 2031. The company aims to capture a 10–15 percent market share within the EPS portfolio, although a specific revenue target for the mobility business was not disclosed.
Jain clarified that the 500 billion rupee investment will be distributed over five years across manufacturing, research and development (R&D), technology licensing, creation of testing infrastructure, and intellectual property (IP)-based business development.
These investments come amid the push by Indian auto component manufacturers to transition from predominantly mechanical products to higher-value solutions in electronics and software. Goldman Sachs forecasts that India's auto component industry will grow at a CAGR of 10 percent, increasing from $86 billion in 2025–26 to $124 billion by 2029–30, driven by electrification and new opportunities in semiconductors and electronics. However, the broker noted that Indian companies spend only about 0.5 percent of sales on R&D, compared to the global industry median of 3.1 percent, allowing L&T to differentiate itself through its focus on proprietary technology and engineering prowess.
Manufacturing Milestones and Ecosystem
Jain reported that the first phase of the project has already commenced, including a printed circuit board assembly line and a housing assembly line in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The specialized motor manufacturing plant is expected to begin production in August–September, and the G+2 expansion, part of the future 40-acre manufacturing campus, is scheduled for completion by the end of the current year.
The entire manufacturing ecosystem is expected to create around 5,000 direct and indirect jobs. Support will be provided by engineering and testing laboratories in Bengaluru and Coimbatore, as well as a battery energy storage system integration facility near Chennai. L&T will continue to develop its product through technology licensing, joint ventures, and startup investments. In addition to a licensing agreement with EVR Motors from Israel, the company has already invested in a power electronics startup developing DC-DC converters and remains open to new partnerships and acquisitions, striving to create a 'strong IP-based manufacturing ecosystem, not just mass production.'
First Order and Localization
L&T's mobility business, headed by Sudeepth Puthumana, has secured its first commercial order—a contract to supply 500,000 traction motors to a two-wheeler (2W) manufacturer over three years. Mass production is set to begin next month at the Coimbatore facility. These motors are based on technology licensed from EVR Motors and utilize a patented trapezoidal coil architecture, which L&T claims provides higher torque density while reducing material consumption and casing size.
According to the company, the motor has achieved nearly 98 percent localization in terms of components and about 70 percent localization in terms of cost. Nevertheless, management acknowledged that the high-performance version still relies on imported rare-earth magnets sourced from supply chains not subject to export controls. Concurrently, the company is developing an alternative without heavy rare-earth elements for less demanding applications.
Goldman Sachs observes that the level of localization in India currently slightly exceeds 50 percent for EV components and about 75 percent for e-bikes, compared to 90–95 percent for internal combustion engine vehicles. Experts believe that EV component localization represents a significant opportunity, though achieving price competitiveness and technological readiness against Chinese and South Korean suppliers will take time.
Portfolio Development and Safety Systems
In addition to traction motors, L&T is building a portfolio that includes scalable motor control units, integrated 'X-in-1' electric drive systems combining the motor, gearbox, and electronics, an ADAS platform tailored for India, and 4G and 5G communication solutions developed jointly with its subsidiary L&T Semiconductor Technologies.
The company positions ADAS as a mass-market opportunity rather than a premium feature. Management noted that approximately 80 percent of vehicles on Indian roads currently lack driver assistance systems, creating substantial potential, especially in light of regulations coming into effect in 2027 requiring features such as automatic emergency braking for commercial transport, subsequently expanding to passenger cars. Current ADAS penetration stands at only 7–8 percent.
Instead of copying expensive global offerings, the company is developing ADAS specifically for Indian road conditions, accounting for factors like unmarked roads, mixed traffic, potholes, and stray animals. Regarding commercial transport, Jain and Puthumana admitted that EV adoption has been slow because fleet operators focused on operational costs and were concerned about charging infrastructure availability on highways. To address this, L&T is developing a 50-kilowatt bidirectional DC-DC converter, scalable up to 1 megawatt, to support high-capacity charging infrastructure for long-haul transport.
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