India: Oil company HPCL joins the EV revolution

Tata Power, India’s largest integrated power utility, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) have signed an MoU to set up electric vehicle charging stations as HPCL retail outlets and other locations across India.

One of India’s leading fuel retailers, HPCL, and Tata Power, through this new landmark MoU, have agreed to collaborate in planning, development and operation of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (e-cars, e-rickshaws, e-bikes, e-buses, etc.), at suitable locations across India. Both entities also intend to explore other areas of cooperation in the field of renewable energy.

The government-owned oil company has a huge network of 15,127 gas stations across India. It also owns 41 terminals, 42 aviation service stations, 48 LPG bottling plants, 6 lube blending plants, 41 inland relay depots and 27 exclusive lube depots.

“A major impediment to electric vehicles adoption is the range anxiety which needs to be addressed through establishment of nationwide charging infrastructure. We believe that a robust network of charging stations is very critical for market acceptability of EVs which will also ensure last mile connectivity and thereby facilitate widespread adoption of EVs,” said Rajnish Mehta, Executive Director at HPCL.

With renewable energy assets in solar and wind accounting for 22% of the company's portfolio, Tata Power is a leader in clean energy generation.

“By servicing electric vehicles through the proposed charging stations across India, Tata Power will be playing a crucial role in enabling a stronger penetration of EVs in the country, thus fulfilling our commitment to power India’s future in an environmentally sustainable way,” Praveer Sinha, CEO & Managing Director, Tata Power.

Expected to become the most populous country in the world soon, India has unveiled several plans to curve its CO2 emissions and pollution levels with major bets on CNG and now electric vehicles.