Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, have singed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish public charging stations across India.
The two companies are in discussions to introduce a convenient payment system through a co-branded RFID card. This will make payment easier for Tata EV users and to encourage more people to adopt electric vehicles in the country.
The partnership will allow establishment of chargers at locations frequently visited Tata EV owners. Additionally, BPCL will gather insights on charger usage to improve customer experience. BPCL aims to install 7,000 electric vehicle charging stations next year.
Santosh Kumar, Executive Director In charge Retail, BPCL said, “BPCL is steadily moving closer to the goal to converting 7000 of our conventional retail outlets into energy stations which is a part of a comprehensive decarbonization strategy to support and prioritize sustainable initiatives.”
He added that BPCL has already set up a very large network of fast charging stations across highways and partnering with TPEM will augment the growth of EVs.
Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd., and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd said, “EV adoption is a key imperative to combat the deteriorating air quality in Indian cities. This collaborative partnership epitomises our shared vision of fostering positive change – and enabling infrastructure for the growing EV customer base. It has the potential to reshape the landscape of charging infrastructure in the country.”
TPEM is the market leader in EVs in India, commanding a market share of over 71% in electric passenger vehicles, the press release noted.
Case studies from across the world show that ubiquitous and convenient charging infrastructure is a prerequisite for driving EV adoption, and that growth in charging infrastructure results in an exponential growth in EV adoption.