Honda Power starts electric battery swap services at HPCL petrol pumps

• HEID and HPCL collaborate to start electric battery swap services at HPCL petrol stations.
• This will enable rickshaw drivers to stop by at the nearest battery stations being set up and swap discharged batteries with fully charged ones.
• The inauguration ceremony was held a few days ago on August 6.

Honda Motor’s unit Honda Power Pack Energy India Private (HEID) and oil company Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) on Tuesday said they had started electric battery swap services at HPCL petrol stations.

HEID will operate the battery swap services that will enable auto rickshaw drivers to stop at the nearest battery stations being set up and swap discharged batteries with fully charged ones.

This will significantly reduce drivers’ initial cost of purchasing an electric vehicle (EV) as

well as allay concerns about running out of batteries, the companies said in a statement.

“Swappable batteries address the key EV adoption issues such as - high upfront costs, range anxiety and long charging time,” said Sandeep Maheshwari, executive director-retail at HPCL.

Honda’s technology and HPCL’s 20,000+ retail outlets in the country will ensure scalability, he added.

HEID intends to create the largest battery swap network with more than 70 stations in Bengaluru in the next 12 months. Furthermore, the service will be expanded

to other major cities in a phased manner, the statement said.

“HEID would focus on three actions – expanding its battery swap network in Bengaluru, ensuring reliable service with a highly integrated system monitoring every unique battery and exchanger, and supporting vehicle manufacturers who are developing EV that utilizes Honda Mobile Power Pack,” said Kiyoshi Ito, president and CMD at HEID.

The inauguration ceremony was held a few days ago on August 6, the companies added.

HEID and HPCL had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and a commercial agreement to collaborate for working in the e-mobility sector in February this year.

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