The Automobile Research Association of India (ARAI) has announced that its Digital Twin Lab, developed in collaboration with Micelio and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati Tech Park, is now fully operational following its launch in June 2025.

Micelio drives India's clean mobility revolution with EV testing, funding, and innovation support to accelerate sustainable transportation,

Supported by the Ministry of Heavy Industries, the facility is the nation's first digital simulation infrastructure specifically designed for electric vehicle (EV) innovation and testing.

The lab operates under a hub-and-spoke model, with the primary centre located at ARAI in Pune and secondary facilities at the Micelio Discovery Studio in Bengaluru and IIT Guwahati. This distributed framework aims to make advanced EV testing capabilities accessible to start-ups, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as well as established automobile manufacturers across various regions of the country.

The facility provides digital twin modelling for EV components such as battery packs, motors, and drivetrains.

It includes virtual validation environments that simulate real-world operational conditions such as wear and tear, energy consumption patterns, and thermal behaviour.

The lab is also equipped with Hardware-in-the-Loop testing systems and artificial intelligence-based simulation tools designed to predict vehicle performance under different conditions.

According to Dr Reji Mathai, Director of ARAI, the lab marks a strategic expansion of the organisation's digital twinning services across the country. "ARAI remains committed to supporting OEMs, start-ups, and automotive innovators with advanced mobility solutions," Dr Mathai stated, adding that the facility would assist in the nation's transition towards intelligent and sustainable mobility.

By enabling companies to validate concepts and refine designs without requiring substantial capital investments, the Digital Twin Lab addresses a key challenge for smaller participants in India's automotive sector. This capability is expected to reduce development timelines and costs while supporting the creation of solutions suited to Indian market conditions and requirements.

The establishment of the Digital Twin Lab aligns with the nation's broader policy initiatives, including the Make in India programme, Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India), and the Digital Public Infrastructure mission.

The facility's operational status was announced at the Global Clean Mobility Summit 2025, which brought together mobility sector leaders in Bengaluru. The summit's theme, "Next Starts Now: Sustain and Scale," reflects the objective of advancing clean mobility from ambition to large-scale market implementation within the automotive ecosystem.