Hertz and bp collaborate to accelerate EV charging in North America
- By MT News
- September 28, 2022
Hertz and bp, on Tuesday, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), for the development of a national network of EV charging stations powered by bp pulse, bp’s global electrification and charging solution brand. Hertz Corporation is an American car rental company based in Estero, Florida, while bp plc is a British multinational oil and gas company headquartered in London, England.
The MoU sets the foundation for Hertz and bp to drive the future of mobility and accelerate EV consumer adoption, claims Hertz. According to Hertz, the agreement also involves the management of Hertz’s charging infrastructure by bp pulse. Plus, as per the car rental company, the agreement includes the customisation of bp’s Omega software in order to ensure that Hertz’s fleet of electric rental cars are recharged quickly and efficiently between rentals. Omega supports fleet operations by automating charging when the power price is low, while providing real time visibility to EVs, chargers, power usage and more.
Moreover, Hertz claims that it has a national footprint of locations across North America suitable for bp pulse to build and manage a network of fast charging hubs to serve Hertz customers, including taxi and ride sharing drivers, as well as the general public.
Sharing his thoughts, Stephen Scherr, CEO, Hertz said, “Hertz is accelerating the adoption of electrification by investing in the largest rental fleet of electric vehicles in North America and expanding the availability of charging stations. We are excited to partner with bp pulse to create a national charging infrastructure for the Hertz EV fleet, thereby growing the number of charging options available to our customers, and providing them with lower emission travel options and a premium electric experience.”
Furthermore, putting across his views on collaborating with Hertz, Bernard Looney, Chief Executive, bp, said, “It’s brilliant to be joining forces with Hertz. Quite simply, they are one of the biggest names on the road. Working together to deliver charging facilities and design solutions, we believe we can take the EV driving experience to the next level for US customers. And this is just the start for bp pulse in the United States.”
In fact, bp claims that it acquired fleet charging and energy management company, Amply Power, in 2021, as part of its commitment to grow mobility, and fleet products and services in North America. Amply Power, now rebranded as bp pulse, began installing charging infrastructure at 25 Hertz rental locations in multiple states in 2022.
Vic Shao, Founder of Amply Power and President of bp pulse’s fleet division in the United States, added, “This is a landmark moment. It shows the power of bringing together bp’s digital and operational capabilities with a partner like Hertz. Together with its industry leading electrification ambitions, we can change the future of electric rental cars.”
Ather Energy Launches 450X Overtones Series And Upgrades
- By MT Bureau
- July 01, 2026
Bengaluru-headquartered electric vehicle company Ather Energy has introduced the 450X Overtones Series, featuring a tone-on-tone treatment across three colourways: Still White, Space Grey and Lunar Grey.
Over the years, the company’s e-scooter lineup has received multiple hardware and software updates, including features such as AutoHold, Magic Twist and Multi Mode Traction Control. Ather has also implemented Infinite Cruise, which facilitates speed management across varied terrains.
Ather Energy’s recent rollout of Atherstack 7 includes new safety features such as CrashAlert that detects accidents and notifies emergency contacts. ParkSafe for providing warnings regarding parking zones and LockSafe, which enables motor immobilisation via the app.
Additionally, the company is introducing a 900W charger, which decreases 450 charging times by 30 percent.
Bengaluru-based electric vehicle maker Ola Electric has announced that it registered 16,144 electric two-wheelers in June 2026, as compared to 20,697 units for the same period last year.
For Q1 FY2027, the retail sales came to 43,719 units, as compared to 22,252 units sold in Q4 FY2026.
“Q1 FY27 marks a significant milestone in our growth journey, with registrations doubling sequentially and June registering 16,144 vehicles - our strongest monthly performance in recent quarters. The sustained momentum reflects the success of our operational improvements, strong product portfolio and continued customer preference for Ola Electric. We remain focused on accelerating EV adoption through technology leadership, manufacturing scale and delivering a differentiated ownership experience," the company said in a statement.
Ola Electric attributes its performance to improvements in retail execution and product availability.
Kazam And AEEE Launch Report On EV-Ready Residential Infrastructure In India
- By MT Bureau
- June 30, 2026
EV charging and energy management company Kazam, in collaboration with the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE), has unveiled a report emphasising residential charging infrastructure's role in India's net-zero journey. Titled ‘The Net-Zero Transition Starts at Home’, the document was released at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. The launch was attended by Amal Sinha from BSES, Sameer Pandita of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Irfan Ahmad from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and other energy regulators.
The findings draw from Kazam's dataset of over 80,000 residential charger installations, gathered through field surveys and consumer interviews across 5,000 pin codes, including high-adoption states like Assam, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The analysis examines how EV adoption is altering household electricity consumption patterns nationwide.
India's EV transition diverges from global markets, driven by light electric vehicles, with two-wheelers and three-wheelers comprising roughly 90 percent of 2025 sales. These vehicles are typically charged overnight at home, yet nearly half of potential buyers lack access to formal residential charging infrastructure.
The report identifies three primary obstacles to safe residential charging. Prolonged overnight cycles strain grids not designed for sustained loads, causing overheating, socket melting, voltage fluctuations and inadequate earthing. Structural challenges persist in urban areas, where 70 to 75 percent of residents live in apartments, facing issues like lack of dedicated parking and resistance from housing associations.
Kazam and AEEE convened a roundtable with government bodies, utilities and real estate firms, proposing a four-layer framework defining EV readiness across sanctioned load, metering, earthing, wiring and awareness. Kazam also launched an online quiz for buyers to assess home preparedness. The report notes that for India's growing gig workforce, home charging is vital, as public stations can triple or quadruple electricity costs.
Akshay Shekhar, Co-Founder & CEO, Kazam, said, “Creating safe and EV-ready homes will be critical to sustaining long-term confidence in electric mobility and ensuring the benefits of EV transition are available to all. EV-readiness must become a core component of how residential projects are planned, approved and built, not as an afterthought. From affordable housing to redevelopment projects, charging infrastructure should be embedded into building approvals and occupancy certificates as a fundamental requirement. At the same time, schemes such as PM E-DRIVE and state EV policies can play a critical role in supporting residential electrical retrofits, particularly for low-income households and rental-heavy communities where dependence on electric two- and three-wheelers is the highest.”
Sumedh Agarwal, Director, Smart and Resilient Power and Mobility, Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE), said, “India has made significant progress on EV adoption being increasingly driven by people who use their vehicles to earn a living, but our residential infrastructure remains unprepared for the transition at scale. Charging access at home directly shapes the economics of vehicle ownership, particularly for delivery partners, commercial drivers and small entrepreneurs who depend on their vehicles for daily earnings. EV-readiness must now be built into our buildings, electricity networks and urban planning frameworks. The next phase of India's EV transition will be won or lost in our residences, and it must be safe, inclusive and capable of delivering long-term economic and environmental benefits at scale."
Drivn Partners BillionE Mobility To Deploy 200 Electric Trucks
- By MT Bureau
- June 30, 2026
Drivn, an EV leasing platform for commercial fleets, has formed a partnership with BillionE Mobility to lease and deploy 200 electric trucks. This collaboration aims to advance freight operations in India through fleet deployment, route electrification and charging infrastructure.
The first phase involves the deployment of 22 trucks for a cement industry customer under a long-term contract. This initiative establishes an electrified freight corridor. The partners project that this deployment will reduce CO2 emissions by 4,500 tonnes annually compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) trucks.
Alpna Jain, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer, Drivn, said, "Electric trucks scale only when the right ecosystem is in place. Reliable charging infrastructure, alignment across partners, and disciplined on-ground execution are all critical to making large-scale deployments successful. Through our partnership with BillionE Mobility, we are focused on ensuring high vehicle uptime, operational consistency, and efficiency across every trip. This deployment demonstrates that EV freight is not just about replacing diesel trucks, but about building a logistics model that delivers both environmental and operational benefits."
Kartikey Hariyani, Founder, BillionE Mobility and Sanjeev Kulkarni, CEO, BillionE Mobility, added, “At BillionE Mobility, we’re not just imagining the future of mobility – we’re building it. Electrifying India's freight sector is a collaborative effort. By partnering with Drivn, we are combining technology, operations, and financing to remove key barriers to EV adoption. Together, we look forward to helping customers transition to cleaner, more efficient logistics.”
Comments (0)
ADD COMMENT