Tata to further expand Indian charging

India’s Tata Motors is launching an initiative called Open Collaboration 2.0, as part of an aim to more than double the number of charge points in India to 400,000+ by 2027. The firm launched the initial Open Collaboration framework in 2023, forging strategic partnerships with charge point operators (CPOs) and fuel retailers such as Shell and HPCL.

As a result, the number of public charging points in India has more than doubled in just 15 months, surpassing 18,000 chargers, Tata says. The firm itself has installed 150,000 private and home chargers, 2,500 community chargers, and 750 chargers at Tata dealerships.

Open Collaboration 2.0 aims to add another 30,000+ public chargers in partnership with CPOs. Tata will also launch a network of, in its first phase, 500 mega chargers offering “superfast charging and unparalleled reliability”.

It has signed memoranda of understanding with CPOs Tata Power, Chargezone, Statiq and Zeon to develop the new mega charger network, which will be located “across key cities and major highways”.

“With over 5bn kms driven nationwide, Tata has gained invaluable insights into the exact needs of EV users and where charging infrastructure is precisely needed,” the firm says. While other drivers will be able to use the fast chargers, Tata EV owners will have priority access.

Tata is also introducing a verified chargers scheme, where Indian EV drivers will be more easily able to locate reliable charging options nearby via an app, and launching both a dedicated charging helpline and a payments wallet.

“A unified charging helpline and seamless payment solution are being introduced to help address customer concerns and to make the charging ecosystem more accessible and dependable as EV adoption continues to rise,” says Shailesh Chandra, managing director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility.