Hero MotoCorp and Ather Energy have partnered to establish an interoperable fast-charging electric vehicle (EV) network in India. The goal is to build a nationwide network that both Vida and Ather grids may use. Over 1,900 fast-charging stations spread over 100 cities will be part of the merged network. Both manufacturers aim to promote EV adoption more rapidly by providing fast charging services. Users of the "My Vida" and "Ather App" will be able to locate and navigate their way to the charging stations. They will be able to identify the suitable spots, trace the closest charging station, check if it is available, and find their way to the station thanks to the interoperability.
Additionally, Ather Energy's recently created indigenous charging connector was approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards, or BIS. Two, three, and four-wheelers may all utilise it; it's known as the Light Electric Combined Charging System (LECCS). For light-duty electric vehicles, this is the first AC and DC Combined Charging connector standard designed in India. There are currently over 1,400 fast chargers operated by the EV maker spread throughout 100 cities. By year's end, the company hopes to expand to more than 100 rapid changers at BPCE facilities throughout India. Four fast chargers have previously been set up successfully by Ather in different parts of the Delhi NCR. The Ather App allows users to find these rapid chargers and provides real-time charger availability information.
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What the Companies Have to Say
Sharing his thoughts on the partnership, Dr. Swadesh Srivastava, Chief Business Officer-Emerging Mobility BU, Hero MotoCorp said, "We are happy to extend our association with Ather Energy through this interoperable fast-charging network. VIDA's brand promise is building a "Worry-free EV ecosystem", and this largest charging network in the country will go a long way in providing a seamless & convenient ownership experience to customers. This fastest-growing network utilises the government-approved connector standard, thus ensuring current and future customers will be able to use and charge their vehicles without any hassles in the future too. I congratulate the teams at Ather and VIDA for setting yet another global benchmark in the two-wheeler EV space."
Meanwhile, Swapnil Jain, Co-founder and CTO, Ather Energy remarked, "We are happy to partner with Hero MotoCorp for setting the stage for an interoperable fast-charging network. It's a massive win for Indian OEMs to collaborate on scaling up charging infrastructure. This partnership will pave the way for consumers to access an extensive network of charging stations across the country, alleviating range anxiety. Given the technical superiority of LECCS and the fact that it was Made in India for India, we believe more OEMs will find it lucrative to adopt this standard. Today we are also committing that any OEM that adopts the LECCS standard will have access to Ather Grid across India. With this interoperability, we are already demonstrating how it is beneficial for all OEMs to be on one standard. We believe that public charging infrastructure for two-wheelers is now set for collaborative expansion."
Also Read: Hero MotoCorp Clocks Total Sales Growth of 25.61% Year-on-Year in November
Hero MotoCorp November Sales Figures
Hero MotoCorp's sales surged 25.61 per cent year-over-year to 4,91,050 units in November 2023 (up from 3,90,932 units sold in the same month the year before), indicating that the company's sales were still on the rise. This suggests a 1,00,118 vehicle increase in volume. Moreover, the two-wheeler manufacturer saw a noteworthy 25.39 per cent year-over-year increase in sales over 3,79,839 units sold in November 2022 with 4,76,286 units sold in the home market. The automaker attributed the success of the company's sales to the festive season and the upbeat mood of buyers. Last month, the company delivered 14,764 units overseas; this represents a favourable growth of 33.09 per cent over November 2022, when it shipped 11,093 units.
Within the category sales, deliveries of motorcycles increased to 4,41,276 units sold last month, compared to 3,52,834 units sold in November 2022, a YoY rise of 25.07 per cent. On the other hand, scooter sales grew by 30.65 per cent year-over-year to 49,774 units from 38,098 units sold in the same month the prior year.
MoM revenues for the company decreased last month despite an increase in scooter deliveries. Sales of 5,74,930 units in October 2023 fell to 4,91,050 units in November 2023, a 14.59 per cent MoM de-growth. In October 2023, sales of scooters increased by 9.18 per cent month-over-month from 45,589 units to 49,774 units. In contrast, sales of motorcycles decreased by 16.64 per cent from 5,29,341 units sold in the same month the previous year. Furthermore, there was a 14.91 per cent decrease in domestic market sales from 5,59,766 vehicles delivered in October 2023 to 4,76,286 sold units in November 2023. Also, from 15,164 units in October 2023 to 14,764 units last month, exports declined by 2.64 per cent.
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