EVI Technologies and BSNL Partner for EV Charging Infrastructure

EV charging infrastructure provider EVI Technologies has inked a pact with BSNL for setting up battery swapping and charging stations.

Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure provider EVI Technologies (EVIT) has announced that it has inked a pact with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) for setting up battery swapping and charging stations.

As part of the 10-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) inked between the two entities, EVIT would install charging infrastructure at 5,000 locations of BSNL across the country, covering major cities.

Under the agreement, EVIT will make the entire upfront investment on services pertaining to the MoU, along with the operation and maintenance of battery swapping infrastructure, the company said in a statement.

The state-owned telecom operator, on the other hand, would be responsible for providing the requisite space and power connections for installing the battery swapping infrastructure, it added.

“Our to-be-developed infrastructure at BSNL will reduce the range anxiety among electric vehicle (EV) consumers and accelerate the adoption of such vehicles across India,” EVI Technologies CEO Rupesh Kumar said.

BSNL Maharashtra CGM Manoj Kumar Mishra said the initiative will help promote clean energy and reduce carbon emissions. The first set of charging stations under the initiative is planned to open next month in Maharastra and Haryana.

In October, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with BSNL (Punjab Telecom Circle) to install 100 public EV charging stations to boost e-mobility in Punjab.

Both EESL and BSNL have entered this 10-year MOU with the objective of building electric vehicle infrastructure in the BSNL, Punjab Telecom Circle area and explore synergy for further promoting EVs, including electric two-wheelers in the state. Under the MoU, EESL will make the entire upfront investment on services pertaining to the MoU, along with the operation and maintenance of the public charging infrastructure by using qualified personnel. BSNL would be responsible for providing the requisite space and power connections for installing the charging infrastructure.