The Climate Pledge launches new network of shared charging stations to accelerate electric vehicle adoption in India
The Climate Pledge announced a new joint action project – JOULE (Joint Operation Unifying Last-mile Electrification) – with its signatories and industry partners to build a new network of shared electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Bengaluru, India. Co-founded by Amazon and Global Optimism in 2019, The Climate Pledge is a commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 – 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement.
Pledge signatories and partners
will collectively invest over US$2.65 million into the project by 2030. Amazon,
Mahindra Logistics, Uber, HCLTech and Magenta Mobility will work together to
optimise the usage of the EV charging stations, combining the charging needs of
their EV fleets to ensure the infrastructure is well utilised. Industry partner
Kazam, an India-based EV charging platform, will build the network of shared
charging stations. The project will also be supported by renewable energy
provider Greenko and strategic consulting partner Deloitte.
“Together with the Pledge
signatories, we are proud to launch this joint action initiative which will
support India’s transition to electric vehicles, including Bengaluru’s goal of
having 100% EVs for three-wheelers, cab services, and corporate fleets by 2030,”
said Sally Fouts, Global Leader, The Climate Pledge. “This project not only
addresses some of the current challenges in India’s charging infrastructure to
support greater electric vehicle adoption, but also sets a new standard for corporate
climate collaboration.”
As part of this project, the first EV charging station located at Doddakallasandra is fully operational as of today, and the project aims to build five more charging stations in Bengaluru by the end of this year, with plans to further expand in order to meet the growing demand for local EV infrastructure. While the project is estimated to support about 5,500 EVs in Bengaluru by 2030 (based on expected demand), it is able to service about 9,500 EVs at full capacity. To maximize utilisation, the infrastructure will also be available for other companies to charge their fleet vehicles during the day.
All of the
electricity used by the charging stations (projected to reach 22,700
megawatt-hours of power) will be matched with 100% renewable energy, amounting
to an estimated 6.2 megawatt of renewable energy capacity by 2030. By the same
year, the project is also expected to save over 11.2 million liters of fuel and
abate an estimated 25,700 tonnes of carbon-dioxide. Beyond reducing tail pipe
emissions, the project will create an estimated 185 full-time jobs in Bengaluru
between 2024 to 2030.
"Establishing a shared
network of EV charging stations in Bengaluru is a significant step towards
achieving our national goal of increasing electric vehicle adoption, and we
fully support this innovative collaboration led by The Climate Pledge,"
said Gunjan Krishna, Indian Administrative Service, Industries Commissioner, Government
of Karnataka. “This initiative not only enhances the accessibility of EV
infrastructure but also demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships
in driving India's transition to a more sustainable future."
According to a new Deloitte whitepaper,
for India to achieve its goal of having EV sales account for 30% of all new
vehicle sales by 2030, the country will require a ratio of 1 station per 20
vehicles. The current ratio — approximately 1 charging station per 135 EVs — is
significantly lower than this and hinders the country’s transition to EVs. Key challenges,
such as the lack of EV charging stations, uncertainty in utilisation rates, range
anxiety, coupled with hesitance from businesses to install charging stations
due to high capital costs and the lack of awareness of benefits, remain
concerns for prospective EV owners.
The joint collaboration project
addresses these challenges by establishing dedicated charging stations that
offer priority access, security services, essential amenities, and dedicated
parking slots for corporate consumers. By bringing together companies on both
the demand and supply sides, and aggregating usage demand, the project also provides
greater certainty on the utilisation rate and financial viability of the infrastructure.
"India’s road transport
sector still heavily relies on diesel and petrol, which have significant
negative impacts on pollution and CO2 emissions. But there is a
silver lining in this – while India's EV penetration is low compared to other
countries, it is expected to become one of the largest EV markets in the world
by 2030”, said Shailesh Tyagi, Partner, Climate Change and Sustainability
Leader, Deloitte South Asia. “By bringing together companies from different
sectors, this initiative is helping to create a more-sustainable and efficient
model for EV charging – and accelerating EV adoption in India.”
"Kazam is proud to support The
Climate Pledge and its signatories, through our advanced EV charging solutions
tailored for e-commerce and electric fleet operators. We are excited to
announce our involvement in Project JOULE, a significant step towards a cleaner
and more sustainable future. At Kazam, we believe that Project JOULE represents
a crucial milestone in our shared mission to combat climate change and drive
the transition to green mobility,” said Paras Shah, COO & Co-Founder at
Kazam.
Last year, The Climate Pledge
announced the Laneshift initiative – committing US$10 million to C40 Cities to kickstart
the development and deployment of zero-emission electric trucks and charging
infrastructure across major cities in India and Latin America. In India, Laneshift
will accelerate the development of EV infrastructure and the deployment of EV
vehicles across Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Pune, helping to reduce
emissions, clean up the air and generate new jobs.
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