1. Hero MotoCorp to expand Vida’s presence to 100 cities.
Vida, the electric mobility brand of Hero MotoCorp, is planning to expand its presence in the country. Hero MotoCorp will utilize its existing showroom network to expand Vida’s presence in 100 cities by the end of 2023.
Hero MotoCorp has also reduced the prices of Vida scooters. Prices of Vida V1 Plus & V1 Pro have been slashed by Rs 25,000 & Rs 20,000 respectively. The two will cost Rs 1.19 lakh & Rs 1.39 lakh now. Market-leading electric scooter manufacturers like Ola Electric & Ather have recently launched cheaper variants of its flagships and Vida has now reduced prices to remain competitive.
2. April 2023 EV Sales.
Electric vehicle retail sales in April 2023 have risen by 41% YoY (year-on-year) to 1,09,283 units. In April 2022, the figure was 77,493. The data released by Vahan makes April 2023 the 7th consecutive month that EV sales in India have consistently crossed the 1 lakh unit mark.
Out of the total 1,09,283 EVs sold in April 2023, two & three-wheelers accounted for 60% & 34% share respectively. Ola Electric recorded its best-ever monthly sales.
3. Adani Total Gas announces EV charging network expansion.
Adani Total Gas has announced plans to expand its EV charging network from 104 to 3000 in the next 12-18 months. The EV chargers will be set up by a special purpose vehicle (SPV), ‘Adani TotalEnergies E-Mobility (ATEEL)’.
In another news, Pune-based goEgo Network has signed an agreement with Adani Total Gas and will supply ‘end-to-end EV charging infrastructure’ to Adani Total’s EV charging stations.
4. Odisha state government invites bids for an EV fleet.
Odisha state govt’s ‘Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA)’ has invited bids for an EV fleet of 300 EVs on an ‘own, operate & maintain’ basis. The tender mentions that the electric cars should come with a warranty of 5 years against any manufacturing defect and the batteries should have a replacement warranty of 5 years. Bidders should also quote monthly rental prices for fleet services for hatchback, sedan & SUV electric cars. Cost of charging will also be included in the monthly rental price quoted by the bidders. Bidders will also install EV charging stations. Bidders must have an experience of 3 years of providing fleet services in India and also have an experience of 3 years of installing EV charging stations. The last date to submit the bids is May 31. The bids will be opened on June 2.
5. Kazam raises USD 3.6 million in funding.
Kazam EV Tech has raised USD 3.6 million (approx Rs 30 crore) in a round led by Avaana Climate Fund. Other investors include Third Derivative and existing investors Inflection Point Ventures & We Founder Circle. The Bengaluru-based startup offers hardware & software EV charging solutions. With the funding, it aims to focus on its software business and build a one-stop e-mobility software platform. The company's software ‘Kazam CMS’, has been developed for EV fleets, CPOs, workplaces & societies. It aims to build a ‘white-labeled software suite’ that will help clients digitize the entire value chain from 'managing energy from grid to fuelling an EV to managing a fleet'.
At present, Kazam manages more than 7000 charging points. The company plans to further integrate 60,000 EV charging & battery swapping stations with its operating system in the next 14-15 months. Kazam is also planning expansion in overseas markets like the US, where it has partnered with 2 CPOs managing 3000 vehicles.
For complete EV charging solutions, explore the Kazam website.
