Vimag Labs starts making magnet-free EV motors at Jhajjar plant, plans Rs 50 crore
Representative image: disign / Pixabay
Bengaluru's Vimag Labs began production at its first plant in Jhajjar, Haryana, on 13 October 2026, with a phased Rs 50 crore investment plan.
What Happened
Vimag Labs, a Bengaluru-based start-up that designs electric motors which work without rare-earth magnets, has started manufacturing at its first factory, in Met City, Jhajjar, in Haryana, the company announced on Tuesday, 13 October 2026. The company said it plans to invest about Rs 50 crore in the facility in phases, with the timing linked to customer demand and production volumes, and that it has already made and exported its first batch of products from the site.
Key Facts
- The plant is in Met City, Jhajjar district, Haryana, and is Vimag Labs' first manufacturing facility.
- It covers 10,000 square feet, with room to grow to about 20,000 square feet.
- The company plans to invest about Rs 50 crore in phases.
- The site makes and assembles motors, motor controllers and propulsion systems.
- Capacity is targeted at 10,000 motor and control systems a month, according to one industry report.
- The first production batch has been completed and exported.
- Vimag Labs earlier raised $5 million in Series A funding led by Accel, with Chakra Growth Fund and Thinkuvate taking part.
Why It Matters
Most electric vehicle motors today rely on permanent magnets made from rare-earth elements such as neodymium. China dominates both the mining and the processing of these materials, and its export controls on rare-earth magnets in recent years have left Indian two-wheeler, three-wheeler and car makers exposed to supply shortages and price swings. Vimag Labs says its Virtual Magnet Synchronous Motor design replaces those magnets with copper coils, steel and electromagnets controlled by software, so the motor creates its magnetic field electrically instead of relying on mined magnets.
That makes a working factory more significant than a single start-up milestone. Many Indian companies have announced plans to make rare-earth magnets at home or to design around them, but turning a laboratory design into motors built and shipped in volume is the harder step. By exporting its first batch, Vimag Labs is claiming that its technology has moved past the prototype stage. The company has also signed a manufacturing agreement with Jendamark to support scale-up.
The choice of Jhajjar also matters for Haryana's industrial belt. Met City, close to the Delhi-Mumbai and Kundli-Manesar-Palwal corridors, has been drawing manufacturers looking for land and logistics near the National Capital Region. A deep-technology plant there adds a small but high-skill employer to a region better known for warehouses and auto component units.
There are caveats. A Rs 50 crore phased plan is modest by automotive standards, and the company has tied spending to orders, so the pace of expansion depends on whether vehicle makers adopt the motors at scale. Claims about performance and cost compared with magnet-based motors come from the company and will be tested by customers over time.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Company | Vimag Labs, Bengaluru |
| Plant | Met City, Jhajjar, Haryana |
| Investment plan | About Rs 50 crore, phased |
| Floor area | 10,000 sq ft, expandable to about 20,000 sq ft |
| Product | Magnet-free motors, controllers, propulsion systems |
Impact
Short-term: The plant gives Vimag Labs its own production line to supply early customers in India and abroad, and creates manufacturing jobs in Jhajjar.
Long-term: If magnet-free motors prove reliable and affordable, Indian vehicle makers could reduce their dependence on imported rare-earth magnets, making EV supply chains less vulnerable to export curbs.
Who is affected: Electric two-wheeler, three-wheeler and commercial vehicle makers, auto component suppliers, workers and suppliers in Haryana's Jhajjar industrial area, and investors in India's clean-technology manufacturing.
Key Takeaway
Bengaluru's Vimag Labs has begun making magnet-free EV motors at a new Jhajjar plant with a phased Rs 50 crore plan, a step towards cutting India's reliance on rare-earth magnets.
Questions and Answers
What does Vimag Labs make at the Jhajjar plant?
It makes and assembles electric motors, motor controllers and propulsion systems based on its magnet-free motor design, which uses copper coils, steel and software-controlled electromagnets instead of rare-earth magnets.
How much will the company invest in the plant?
About Rs 50 crore, spent in phases depending on customer demand and production volumes. The plant is 10,000 square feet now and can expand to about 20,000 square feet.
Why do magnet-free motors matter for India?
Most EV motors use rare-earth magnets, and China controls most of their supply. Motors that avoid these magnets could protect Indian vehicle makers from shortages and export restrictions.
Who has funded Vimag Labs?
The company raised $5 million in a Series A round led by Accel, with Chakra Growth Fund and Thinkuvate also investing.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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