A week ago, we reported about a new technology that could revolutionize adoption of electric vehicles by providing a portable charger. Now we hear that India's state-owned oil company, Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), has announced that they will set up 7,000 eV charging stations across the country.
BPCL, which is a Fortune-500 company, follows another government-owned oil firm, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) which expressed a desire to have eV charging stations at 10,000 of its petrol and diesel outlets across India. Both these companies have set themselves a target of three years to accomplish these lofty goals.
And, if you thought things couldn't get better, listen to this: A company involved in the manufacture of embroidery machines just gave away 35 eScooters to its staff as a Diwali gift. Alliance Industries, based out of Surat in Gujarat state, gave away the Okinawa PraisePro eScooters in order to help employees overcome the challenges posed by high cost of motor spirit and a concern for environmental duress.
- Best electric scooters you can buy in India right now
- A portable charger that allows you to recharge anywhere
eV charging stations by India's petrol sellers
In a press statement, BPCL chairman Arun Kumar Singh said if India were to meet the climate pledge made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of becoming net-zero emitter by 2070, the only option is to reduce vehicular emissions.
The company, which has more than 19,000 fuel filling stations across India, plans to provide eV charging facilities in 40 per cent of these at the earliest. "The EV charging infrastructure will provide the company a new business opportunity as well as a hedge against the risk of displacement of auto fuels", the statement said.
The oil marketing company has a huge network of fuel stations and distributors who can provide the infrastructure for the electric vehicle charging facilities within a short span of time. "The eV ecosystem in India is expected to experience a robust growth in the coming years in India as auto manufacturers turn to electric vehicles to attract new consumers," he said.
Last week, IOC set up its first charging station in Nagpur and confirmed that they would set up 10,000 such points across the country. In a press statement, the IOC quoted its chairman S M Vaidya as saying that they would focus on nine cities in the first phase. These include Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Surat and Pune.
"We will expand the network of charging stations in a phased manner to the state Capitals, smart cities and major highways and expressways connecting these cities. I am confident that this small step by IndianOil will be a giant leap for the EV ecosystem in India, the IOC official said while acknowledging the impact of eV growth on motor-spirit sales in the none-too-distant future."
PraisePro eScooters as Diwali gift
Alliance Industries founder-director Subhash Dawar said each eScooter he gave to the staff was valued at Rs 76,848 (ex-showroom). He reckons that over the medium term, the company would benefit through reduced fuel reimbursements and the city would witness lower vehicular pollution.
Okinawa Scooters is a Pune-based enterprise that has set up a manufacturing unit at Alwar in Rajasthan to manufacture the bikes, under license from Okinawa in Japan. The company has been selling the PraisePro eScooters for more than two years now.
The PraisePro is one of three high-speed battery-powered scooters sold by Okinawa. It powered by a 72 volt, 1,000 watts brushless DC motor with a peak power output of 2,500 watts which gets to a top speed of 58km/h. The vehicle draws electricity from a detachable 2kWh battery pack that can get a full recharge within three hours. The bike can travel 88 kms on a single charge.
More about ZipCharge
The ZipCharge Go offers portable charging from a compact unit that can stow away in the trunk. However, the downside is that this the suitcase-sized charger can only provide around 35-60 kms of additional range. While it may not be a viable option in India today, the fact is it has the potential to be a game changer in the future.
The device takes between 30-60 minutes to work its magic and can be recharged using a standard home outlet. Since theft and security can be issues, the device features 4G support and uses geofencing for tracking. It uses an aluminum space frame and recycled plastic for its shell.
While the ZipCharge Go may not be a viable option in India today, the fact is it has the potential to be a game changer in the future. We can safely expect the company or its competitors to bring a smaller and handier version for eScooters and eBikes. And by the time it does, India might just have enough charging stations that allow eCar owners to run on a single recharge from this innovative device.
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