Charging India Forward
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When Akshit Bansal co founded Statiq in 2019, electric vehicles (EVs) in India were still viewed as a novelty, hindered by limited range, uncertain infrastructure, and scepticism from both investors and consumers. Today, as EV sales grow exponentially and policy pushes be come firmer, Bansal's startup is at the centre of a national mobility trans formation with over 8,000 chargers deployed over 70 Indian cities. "Sustainable mobility isn't a luxury, it's a necessity," Bansal says, reflect ing on the early motivation behind launching Statiq. "We saw a glaring gap in India's EV ecosystem, especial ly around reliable charging infrastruc ture. Our mission from day one was to make clean mobility practical and accessible for everyone." But for this transition to be viable, charging infrastructure must scale with it.
This is where Statiq plays a critical role. "What truly motivated us was wit nessing how the lack of dependable charging options was holding back the EV revolution," Bansal explains. "We knew we had to build not just chargers but trust, convenience, and accessibil ity into the experience." While other companies focus on hardware deployment alone, Statiq distinguishes itself through its propri etary technology platform that powers the entire user journey from discover ing a charger and checking availability, to seamless payments and real-time support.
"We go far beyond simply install ing EV chargers. We're building an intelligent, interoperable, and scalable ecosystem," Bansal notes. "Our plat form leverages IoT, machine learning, and predictive analytics to ensure maximum uptime and a hassle-free experience for users and fleet opera tors alike." With an easy-to-use mobile app, Statiq users can locate compat ible chargers, reserve slots, and pay digitally within seconds.
On the backend, the system optimises energy distribution, flags maintenance needs, and enables dynamic load balancing. According to Bansal, one of the big gest hurdles to EV adoption remains public perception. "People still think EVs don't have enough range, or that charging is unreliable," he says. "But that's simply not true anymore."
With over 8,000 chargers already on the ground and plans to add an other 20,000 by 2026, Statiq is setting ambitious benchmarks."In five years, we see Statiq as the leading EV charging platform not just in India, but potentially in emerging international markets," Bansal says. "We're not just powering vehicles—we're powering a national shift toward cleaner cities and smarter infrastructure."
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Air Canada will start canceling flights today before it locks out flight attendants. Here's what we know
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Yes, the impact will be felt outside Canada, given the size and scope of the carrier's international operations. Air Canada has nearly 430 daily flights between Canada and the US at over 50 US airports. Air Canada said it will try to get impacted customers on flights with other carriers, which will eat into the number of available seats, which as the airline noted in its statement is already limited this time of year. 'Given other carriers are already very full due to the summer travel peak, securing such capacity will take time and, in many cases, will not be immediately possible,' the airline said. Air Canada is also a member of the Star Alliance, a group of 25 international airlines that coordinate with each other on connecting flights and services. United Airlines, Luftansa, Turkish Airlines and Air China are also alliance members. Besides looking for alternate bookings, Air Canada said customers with canceled flights will be eligible for a refund. 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CNN
an hour ago
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Air Canada warned that once the lockout begins, it may not offer flights for quite some time, even if the company quickly reaches a deal with the union: The airline said Thursday during a press conference that it would take a week to fully restart after suspension of operations. The briefing came to an end early, after members of the union stood silently, holding signs that read 'UnfAir Canada' and 'Poverty wages = UnCanadian.' Air Canada said it flies about 130,000 passengers every day who could be impacted by the lockout and resultant cancellations. That's including Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights; Air Canada Express flights operated by regional partners will not be affected. Among those passengers are, '25,000 Canadians that the airline flies home from abroad each day, who could be stranded,' Air Canada said in a statement Wednesday reacting to the planned strike, which it preempted with a lockout. The Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents the local chapter for Air Canada flight attendants, gave a strike notice according to the airline, which triggered a 72-hour lockout notice by Air Canada effective Aug. 16. Nearly all members, 99.7% of the membership voted to strike, the union said. 'We are very disappointed by the actions of CUPE, which will potentially inconvenience hundreds of thousands of customers and Canadians,' said Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, executive vice president, chief human resources officer and public affairs during a press conference Thursday. 'This is a situation that was and still is avoidable. We remain available to continue the negotiations.' Air Canada said it will try to accommodate passengers disrupted by rebooking them on competitor airlines. 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Yes, the impact will be felt outside Canada, given the size and scope of the carrier's international operations. Air Canada has nearly 430 daily flights between Canada and the US at over 50 US airports. Air Canada said it will try to get impacted customers on flights with other carriers, which will eat into the number of available seats, which as the airline noted in its statement is already limited this time of year. 'Given other carriers are already very full due to the summer travel peak, securing such capacity will take time and, in many cases, will not be immediately possible,' the airline said. Air Canada is also a member of the Star Alliance, a group of 25 international airlines that coordinate with each other on connecting flights and services. United Airlines, Luftansa, Turkish Airlines and Air China are also alliance members. Besides looking for alternate bookings, Air Canada said customers with canceled flights will be eligible for a refund. The airline 'strongly recommends against' going to the airport unless customers have a confirmed booking and their flights are listed as operating on Air Canada's website and mobile app. Air Canada and the union representing its flight attendants have been unable to reach a new contract agreement after eight months of negotiations, the airline said. The two sides remain far apart on pay, notably for the work flight attendants do when planes are not in the air that the union says they are not paid for. 'For the past nine months, we have put forward solid, data-driven proposals on wages and unpaid work, all rooted in fairness and industry standards,' said Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents the flight attendants union nationally. Air Canada said the union rejected a proposal sent Monday that offered a 38% compensation increase over four years, among other benefits and protections. The union represents about 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants, according to the Associated Press. It's unclear at this point how long the lockout could last. According to CNN affiliate CBC News, protests and other work stoppages have occurred over the years among varying employees, halting some operations. Patty Hajdu, Canadian minister of jobs and families called the lockout and strike vote 'disappointing' in a statement Thursday. 'I urge both parties to put their differences aside, come back to the bargaining table and get this done now for the many travelers who are counting on you,' Hajdu said.
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Epic Charging Partners With Chicago Condo Building to Deliver One of Nation's Largest EV Charger Retrofits
A leading Chicago high-rise and Epic Charging complete migration of 148 Enel X chargers, showcasing the future of multifamily EV infrastructure. MENLO PARK, Calif., August 14, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Epic Charging, America's fastest-growing EV charging software provider, has migrated 148 smart charging stations to its own versatile charge point management system (CPMS) at a 401-unit condominium building in downtown Chicago, IL. With over a quarter of the units opting for an EV charger in their dedicated parking spaces, this project is believed to be one of the nation's largest residential installations of EV chargers to date. The migration followed the abrupt exit of Enel X Way from the U.S. market, leaving many multifamily buildings in search of a reliable, scalable charging solution. "After exploring all the options, we concluded that Epic Charging was the only company offering the fully integrated smart solution we wanted," said Sunil Mehra, Board President of the 600 N Lake Shore Drive Condominium Association. "Epic was responsive to our needs. Its turnkey software and support services made configuring and operating 148 individual EV chargers in a multi-story parking garage seamless and hassle-free. And with the capacity to install many more, this project cements 600LSD as a cutting-edge high-rise residence in downtown Chicago." Mehra continued, "Our residents are environmentally responsible, but they also recognize the advantages and convenience of EVs, especially in a city setting. It's no surprise there was strong demand for the addition of EV chargers in their parking spaces." Illinois has set an ambitious goal of having 1 million electric vehicles (EVs) registered in the state by 2030. This project demonstrates a commitment to EV by local residents to help achieve that goal. To ensure a smooth transition, Epic's CTO Michael Fridshtand traveled onsite to work closely with the building's IT team, bringing hands-on expertise in reconfiguring the network to the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) platform. The integration required custom engineering—particularly for RFID authentication on discontinued Enel X hardware—yet Epic successfully tailored solutions to meet the Association's needs. In addition, Epic partnered with local utility ComEd to enroll the property in its Voluntary Load Reduction Program, which helps support grid reliability during peak hours while continuing to satisfy resident charging needs. ComEd's VLR pays participating sites at least $0.25 per curtailed kWh during peak-demand events. As demand for EV charging in multifamily properties grows, installing EV chargers can increase property values by up to 15%, according to an Urban Land Institute analysis cited by CBRE (2025). By partnering with Epic, the Condominium Association gained access to advanced energy data and load management tools, allowing for more efficient operations and lower electricity costs. Residents at 600LSD now use Epic's mobile app and RFID cards with both the existing Enel X Way and new Autel chargers to activate, schedule, monitor, and pay for their charging sessions. With real-time visibility and analytics, residents can optimize electricity usage and schedule charging during off-peak hours, while the building benefits from load-limiting features that reduce infrastructure strain and support future charger expansion. "Multifamily units account for about 31% of housing in the US, and with most charging happening at home, it's critical for multifamily property owners to begin deploying EV charging infrastructure," says Michael Bakunin, Epic Co-Founder and CEO. "Successfully migrating 148 chargers at a sizable condo building in downtown Chicago further cements our leadership in the multifamily market, which is the fastest-growing segment in the US for Level 2 charging, by demonstrating our ability to deliver scalable, grid-friendly solutions for large residential communities." About Epic Charging Epic Charging is a Silicon Valley-based B2B SaaS company on a mission to become the world's leading EV charging software provider by elevating customer experience, reliability and scale. Its open protocol (OCPP) charge point management system (CPMS) is specifically designed to address the industry's most pressing challenges, including uptime, transparency and profitability. Epic delivers seamless interoperability with major EV charger manufacturers and an intuitive user experience for fleets, businesses and more information, visit ABOUT 600LSD Situated at 600 N Lake Shore Drive, 600LSD is a leading-edge high-rise residential condominium property. The two-tower development features one-, two- and three-bedroom condominiums and offers sweeping views of Lake Michigan. Located near Navy Pier, Michigan Avenue and Ohio Street Beach, residents enjoy convenient access to these popular attractions. The impressive list of amenities includes a heated garage with 499 parking spaces, 515 bike racks, newly built state-of-the-art fitness and business centers, dedicated golf simulator, two furnished roof decks with Weber grills and several community more information, visit their website. View source version on Contacts Álvaro CarreiraMarketing ManagerEpic Charging+34 689 40 78 14alvaro@
