India’s leading oil marketing company Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) has launched an electric-vehicle fast-charging corridor along the Chennai-Trichy-Madurai highway, deploying charging infrastructure at 10 of its petrol pumps. The development is also being lauded as the establishment of India’s first EV-friendly highway, given that BPCL has deployed CCS-2 DC fast-chargers along the stretch to help EV drivers save commuting time. The company has set up new charging stations along the 900-kilometer route on both sides of the highway to provide convenient access to electric vehicles users.
Through this push, the company is reportedly preparing to transform more than 7,000 conventional retail outlets into ‘energy stations’ which will deliver multiple fuelling options, including EV charging facilities, to customers. Bharat Petroleum further intends to equip fuel stations with CCS-2 electric-vehicle charging stations (EVCS) at periodic intervals on all major national highways in India.
The Bharat Petroleum fuel stations will offer secure parking while charging, free digital air facility, 24-hour operations, and more. Select fuel stations will also offer Nitrogen-filling facility. The petrol pump will also feature brand outlets such as McDonald’s, A2B, Cube Stop, Café Coffee Day, and other regional players. Bharat Petroleum has also arranged to roll out its chain of In & Out convenience stores at several of the fuel stations on highways. This is also likely to eliminate range anxiety among customers.
Divestment-bound Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) is in talks with two original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the electric two-wheeler segment to establish charging stations at their retail outlets across the country. The company will invest around ₹ 1,400 crores to add four-wheeler EV charging facilities at around 7,000 or 36 percent of its retail outlets by 2024.
BPCL has formed a target of becoming a net-zero company by 2040. It already has built battery swapping centers at Cochin and Hyderabad.
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