MG Motors Joins Hands With Delta Electronics To Strengthen India’s EV Charging Infra

British automobile brand MG Motor has reportedly partnered with the Indian arm of electronic manufacturing company Delta Electronics to strengthen the EV charging infrastructure across India.

Under this partnership, Delta will be installing AC (alternate current) chargers in private vehicle parking locations such as homes and offices so that customers can charge EVs at their convenience, according to a media report which cited MG Motors. 

This development comes at a time when the launch date of MG Motors electric car MG ZS EV is just around the corner. The MG ZS EV is scheduled to be launched in early 2020. 

Other Companies Expanding EV Charging Stations

Earlier today, Tata Power also announced plans to expand its network of electric vehicle charging stations across India. Commenting on the need for larger network of charging stations, Ramesh Subramanyam, CFO and president of new businesses at Tata Power said, “A good network of charging stations for EVs addresses a very basic challenge — range anxiety. Potential EV buyer worries about running out of battery and getting stuck between two charging stations that are not close-by.”

Earlier, digital retail and convenience store network Vakrangee has also committed to leverage its pan-India distribution setup to establish an electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the country.

Due to the lack of a robust EV charging infrastructure and the low domestic EV parts manufacturing capacity in India, companies in this space have been investing heavily in setting up their own charging infrastructure and spending huge amounts on importing key EV components.

With the announcement of Union Budget 2019, the government has also acknowledged the need for a reliable EV infrastructure in India. In her maiden budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a scheme inviting global companies to set up mega manufacturing plants in sunrise and advanced technology areas including lithium storage batteries and charging infrastructure. 

The centre government was earlier also reported to be considering a framework for a major battery manufacturing and charging infrastructure that includes the use of 60K state-run petrol stations as electric vehicle charging points. 

Among other attempts to boost investments in EV infrastructure, NITI Aayog’s Anil Srivastava has earlier estimated that Indian EV industry would need an investment of $40 Bn towards EV batteries and charging over the next three years.