1. Suzuki ties up with PowerX for ultrafast EV charging.

Suzuki has announced partnership with PowerX. The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding for battery energy storage systems (BESS) and ultrafast EV charger in India & Japan. PowerX manufactures battery products for energy storage and ultrafast EV chargers. The chargers use PowerX’s proprietary battery-integrated charging technology which enables EV users to rapid charge up to 240kW. The EV charger’s storage battery unit can be leveraged as an emergency power source in the event of grid power failure.

2. First fast charge park in Bengaluru.

Pune-based ‘goEgoNetwork’ has forged a partnership with Bengaluru-based SRIT India (formerly Sobha Renaissance Information Technology), to set up its first fast-charge park in Bengaluru at ITPL Main Road, Brookefield.

The 24x7 state-of-the-art EV charging park will be equipped with goEgoNetwork’s 60kW, 15kW (GB/T), double cable 7.4kW and 3.3kW chargers to ensure charging of all types of EVs including two, three, four­-wheelers and 9-metre electric buses. Using the goME app, EV users will be able to get real-time notifications about their EV’s charging status while the user can relax at the shopping centre within the park.

3. Mercedes to set up India’s largest ultrafast charging network.

Mercedes-Benz India is on course to create the largest ‘ultra-fast’ charging network that will cover 80% of the country by the end of 2022. At present, its network of 140 charging stations is exclusively for the company’s customers.

Mercedes-Benz has launched three luxury EVs in India and expects 25% of its annual sales in the country to comprise of luxury EVs in the next 5 years. India is the first market outside Germany where Mercedes locally produces a luxury EV, the EQS 580 SUV. The ‘Made in India’ EQS 580 SUV generated 300+ bookings within the first two weeks of launch. These are impressive figures for an EV that is priced at Rs.1.55 crore!

4. First ‘Hero Vida’ Experience Centre opens in Bangalore.

Hero MotoCorp has opened the first experience center of Hero Vida in Bengaluru and commenced test rides of the Vida V1 at the showroom. It is located at the prominent Vittal Mallya Road. Spread over 8500 sq.ft., the showroom will display the new V1 scooter and has EV charging stations, an in-house coffee bar and a library! After Bengaluru, Jaipur and Delhi are the next destinations for Vida experience centres.

VIDA V1 comes with a 3.94 kWh battery, a range of 163 km and a top speed of 80 km/hr. Hero is also offering a buy-back scheme which assures vehicle buy-back at 70% of purchase value between the 16th & 18th month of vehicle ownership.

5. Tesla makes its charging port open to all.

Elon Musk-owned Tesla has allowed other automakers to use its EV connector design. In a statement, the EV maker said, “We invite charging network operators and vehicle manufacturers to put the Tesla charging connector and charge port, now called the North American Charging Standard (NACS), on their equipment and vehicles. We are actively working with relevant standards bodies to codify Tesla’s charging connector as a public standard.” Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk have teased the idea of opening the standard for years. The charging port architecture can support up to 1MW (1000kW) of DC charging speed. Experts suggest Tesla’s ‘Supercharger’ network as one of the core reasons for its success. The carmaker already has a wide network of ultra-fast Superchargers in North America & Europe. This move to make the Tesla charging standard open, will allow EV charger manufacturers across the globe to include Tesla’s charging connector in their charging stations alongside CCS2, CHAdeMO & GB/T. Experts suggest this move by Tesla will allow the carmaker to focus on the cars alone, as it plans to expand to other countries.

Tesla argues that its NACS design is superior to the CCS as it has no moving parts, is half the size and twice as powerful as CCS connectors.

For complete EV charging solutions, explore the Kazam website.