Collaboration between Automakers and Energy Majors in EV Push | Business News

The first two weeks of April have seen a flurry of strategic partnerships and investments in India’s electric vehicle (EV) sector, signaling a major push towards enhancing the country’s EV manufacturing capabilities and charging infrastructure. With an anticipated surge in EV adoption over the next decade, these moves are crucial for India’s transition towards cleaner mobility solutions.

One significant development is the collaboration between MG Motor India and Adani TotalEnergies E-Mobility Limited to set up DC chargers at upcoming MG dealerships, aiming to strengthen the charging ecosystem for MG’s electric vehicles. Similarly, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Limited and Shell India Markets Private Limited have joined forces to install chargers at locations frequented by Tata EVs currently on Indian roads.

The need to enhance India’s public charging infrastructure is underscored by the fact that the country has only 12,146 public EV charging stations catering to approximately 33 lakh registered EVs, resulting in a vehicle-to-station ratio of 270:1. To address this gap, a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) report estimates that India needs to install over 13 lakh chargers by 2030.

In parallel, efforts are underway to localize EV battery production, with Exide Energy Solutions Limited signing an MoU with Hyundai Motor and Kia Corporation to manufacture lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cells for the automakers’ upcoming EV models in India. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has also partnered with Panasonic to manufacture cylindrical lithium-ion batteries for electric two- and three-wheelers, as well as consumer electronics, focusing on developing battery storage systems for grid integration.

These strategic partnerships and investments are crucial steps towards building a robust EV ecosystem in India and driving widespread adoption of electric vehicles in the country.