Hero MotoCorp, Ather collaborate for EV charging network

New Delhi: Hero MotoCorp on Wednesday said it has inked a pact with Ather Energy for an interoperable fast-charging network for two- wheelers in the country.

Through the collaboration, EV users will be able to seamlessly use both VIDA and AtherGrids across the country.

The combined network will cover 100 cities with over 1,900 fast charging points, Hero MotoCorp said in a regulatory filing.

"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," Hero MotoCorp Chief Business Officer (Emerging Mobility BU) Swadesh Srivastava said.

Ather Energy Co-founder and CTO Swapnil Jain termed the collaboration 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, he added.

"With this interoperability we are already demonstrating how it is beneficial for all OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to be on one standard. We believe that public charging infrastructure for two-wheelers is now set for a collaborative expansion," Jain noted.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) recently approved Light Electric Combined Charging System (LECCS), India's first-ever indigenously developed AC and DC Combined Charging connector standard for light electric vehicles.

The Hero-Ather combined network, which utilises the approved charging system, will be the largest EV charging ecosystem in the country. Hero MotoCorp has around 35 per stake in Ather Energy.