Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd. (TPEM) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. (HPCL) to collaborate in building public electric vehicle charging stations across India, the carmaker said March 27.
The collaboration will leverage HPCL’s large fuel-station network across the subcontinent and TPEM’s insights from over 120,000 Tata EVs on Indian roads, to set up EV chargers at locations that are frequently visited by the Tata EV owners.
In addition to that, HPCL plans to gather insights on the EV charger usage to improve customer experience over years.
With an aim of encouraging people to adopt EVs, the two companies are also exploring the introduction of a convenient payment system through a cobranded radio-frequency identification (RFID) card, which will make the charging experience hassle-free.
Notably, TPEM is the largest electric car company in India, commanding a market share of over 68% in electric passenger vehicles.
Meanwhile, HPCL boasts a nationwide network of over 21,500 fuel stations, with plans to gradually set up EV charging stations across its existing assets. HPCL aims to install 5,000 EV charging stations by December 2024. The fuel retailer has already installed a total of 3,050 EV charging stations, including battery-swapping stations, across the country.
Commenting on this partnership, Balaje Rajan, chief strategy officer of TPEM and Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, said, “As the adoption of EVs increases, the availability of widespread and dependable charging infrastructure will play a crucial role in making EVs mainstream in India. This strategic partnership with HPCL emphasizes our dedication to advancing India’s EV ecosystem in which the growth of charging infrastructure plays a pivotal role. This collaboration is essential for facilitating infrastructure development to support the expanding EV customer base. Leveraging TPEM’s extensive insights into EV usage and HPCL’s extensive nationwide network, this partnership has the potential to transform the charging infrastructure landscape in the country.”
