In a development that is set to electrify India, Hero MotoCorp and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) have collaborated to set up charging infrastructure for two-wheeled electric vehicles (EVs) across the country.
Bharat Petroleum in September 2021 announced that it is converting 7,000 conventional Retail Outlets into Energy Stations providing multiple fuelling options, which will include an EV charging facility also, in the medium to long term.
The two entities will first establish a substantial charging infrastructure at the existing nationwide energy station network and subsequently may broaden the collaboration to develop more synergies within the EV ecosystem and adjacent business verticals, thereby enabling prospects throughout the customer life cycle.
In the first phase, charging stations will be set up across nine cities starting with Delhi and Bengaluru. The network will be then expanded across the country with the aim to establish a high density of charging stations.
Hero MotoCorp will soon commence the infrastructure development in the two cities. Each charging station will feature multiple charging points including DC and AC chargers and will be available for use to all two-wheeled EVs.
The entire user charging experience will be controlled by a Hero MotoCorp Mobile-App and will be a cashless transaction model. “In addition to developing world-class and tech-driven sustainable emerging mobility solutions, we are also making significant efforts towards building a robust EV ecosystem and offering the most advanced services to customers.
The partnership with BPCL, which is already at the forefront of customer energy solutions, will be beneficial for both the EV segment and customers. This collaboration will also unlock opportunities for asset allocation and expansion in the future,” said, Dr. Pawan Munjal Chairman and CEO, Hero MotoCorp.
“As we step into the exciting phase of the energy transition, BPCL will continue to be at the forefront of accelerating the spread of clean energy in the country and will be creating a network of 7000 Energy Stations across the country with EV charging leading our endeavour,” says, Arun Kumar Singh, Chairman & Managing Director, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
He further added, “Our alliance with Hero MotoCorp, the global leader in the two-wheeler industry and with a fine penchant for innovation, is, therefore, an extremely strategic step towards ushering in an era of best-in-class EV charging solutions for our customers in our Energy Stations and an exciting future of innovative solutions in the EV sector.”
The massive Bharat Petroleum energy station network will also provide accelerated opportunities to expand the scope of operations and services. The companies may utilize the gateways created to make additional investments into building a robust EV ecosystem.
