Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL), India’s second-largest carmaker, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with electric vehicle charging solutions provider Charge Zone, in line with its plan to launch electric cars in the subcontinent in the coming years, Hyundai said July 24.
As part of the MOU, Charge Zone will install DC 60-kW fast chargers across 100 Hyundai dealerships in India, the company said.
The MOU was signed by Jae Wan Ryu, function head — Corporate Planning of HMIL, and Kartikey Hariyani, founder and CEO of Charge Zone, at the Hyundai India headquarters in Gurugram, Haryana.
While the strategic partnership between the two companies is aimed at aiding the expansion of public EV charging infrastructure in India, these public EV charging stations will also be able to provide convenience to all EV users for intercity and intracity travel, given that Hyundai’s dealerships are spread across cities and highways.
Currently, 19 dealerships of Hyundai India are equipped with DC 60-kW public EV charging stations. Together with Charge Zone, the South Korean carmaker aims to expand to an additional 100 EV charging stations located at its dealership network with a reliable and hassle-free charging experience, along with a 24x7 customer support system.
The company, under its holistic EV roadmap, plans to invest in building an ever-growing EV charging network across the nation with DC 180-kW and DC 60-kW chargers. Besides its dealership network, Hyundai additionally operates 15 more fast-charging stations spread across key cities and highways in nine Indian states.
Commenting on the next phase of Hyundai India’s EV roadmap, Ryu said, “As India aims for greater adoption of electric mobility, it is equally important to bolster the EV charging infrastructure to counter range-anxiety and build customer preference towards adoption of electric mobility. By engaging in a strategic partnership with [Charge Zone], we are moving towards strengthening HMIL’s EV charging network, with 100 Hyundai dealerships now to be equipped with DC 60 kW fast chargers. All EV users (Hyundai and Non-Hyundai) will benefit from the augmented network of DC fast charging stations, accessible through the ‘myHyundai’ app or through the ‘[Charge Zone]’ app. Such strategic alliances are crucial for accelerating the adoption of electric mobility solutions by customers and achieving India’s carbon neutrality goals.”
Hariyani said, “Over the past five years, [Charge Zone] has developed a renewable energy-powered EV charging network for electric cars and electric buses in India. Our collaboration with Hyundai Motor India aims to enhance infrastructure for [battery electric passenger cars] (BEVs), ensuring easy access and dynamic availability, providing a reliable and seamless charging experience.”
