Tata Passenger Electric Mobility (TPEM), India's leading electric car manufacturer, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) to jointly establish public charging stations nationwide. By capitalizing on HPCL's extensive network of fuel stations and TPEM's expertise gained from over 120,000 Tata EVs operating in India, the collaboration aims to install chargers at popular destinations frequented by Tata EV drivers. Furthermore, HPCL will gather data on charger utilization to enhance the overall customer satisfaction.
Additionally, the MOU seeks to identify opportunities for synergy between the two entities to promote wider adoption of electric vehicles across India. Both parties are considering the implementation of a user-friendly payment system, potentially through a jointly branded RFID card, to streamline the charging process for customers.
Balaje Rajan, Chief Strategy Officer, TPEM and Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd., 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 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", he added.
With a current presence spanning across more than 21,500 fuel stations nationwide, HPCL is committed to facilitating clean transportation. To achieve this, the oil marketing firm intends to set up 5,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations by December 2024. Already, HPCL has established a combined total of 3,050 charging stations, inclusive of battery swapping facilities, through collaborations with Honda Power Pack Energy India Private Limited (HEID) and Gogoro, throughout India.
"HPCL with its 21000+ fuel stations has entered into an alliance with Tata Motors that commands 68% market share in the Indian EV market", commented Debashis Chakraverty, Chief General Manager, Retail Strategy & BD, HPCL. "Through this alliance, HPCL shall leverage Tata Motors' vehicle base to enable our strategic expansion in EV Charging infrastructure at places with higher charging demand and will help in reducing range anxiety of EV customers", he added.