Latest news with #Statiq
Entrepreneur
02-08-2025
- Automotive
- Entrepreneur
Charging India Forward
In five years, we see Statiq as the leading EV charging platform not just in India, but potentially in emerging international markets, says Akshit Bansal, Statiq This story appears in the July 2025 issue of Entrepreneur India. Subscribe » You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. 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."
Mint
30-07-2025
- Automotive
- Mint
Can you live with an EV as your main vehicle?
Next Story Shouvik Das Electric cars are tricky as a primary way to get around, many believe. The truth is a mixed bag, as this writer finds out over several long drives Can you rely on public charging infrastructure in long-range drives in India? Gift this article It was the middle of June, with the north-Indian heat wave threatening to step into 50 degrees. I hadn't felt its impact in the near-350 kilometres that I drove to reach the basement of a five-star hotel in Chandigarh—which I was pointed to as the closest destination for a public electric vehicle charger. It was only after I had reached the basement that I started feeling the heat—in more ways than one. It was the middle of June, with the north-Indian heat wave threatening to step into 50 degrees. I hadn't felt its impact in the near-350 kilometres that I drove to reach the basement of a five-star hotel in Chandigarh—which I was pointed to as the closest destination for a public electric vehicle charger. It was only after I had reached the basement that I started feeling the heat—in more ways than one. I'd driven in with a BMW i7—an electrified variant of the luxury sedan. I was loaned the car by the company to get a taste of how 'the best" electric car in India works. And yet, despite finding a public charger and making a payment, ChargeZone, the charging station provider, could not process my request or detect the car. That the charger was hidden in the corner of a basement with barely any access to network—for a service that wouldn't work without an app—compounded the mess of the situation. As I found out, India's nascent electric vehicle charging infrastructure is a quagmire of contradictions. When it works, it is a charm—but to find one that really works is a task that can leave you stranded with no way out. The ideal second car Six months ago, 45-year-old Koyeli Mapa, a biochemistry researcher, upgraded to an MG Windsor from her decade-old Honda Brio hatchback. Today, she is extremely happy with the choice that she made as her new car. 'I wanted a car that was spacious from the inside since we often have four humans and a dog travelling together, and still felt premium. I could go electric because my husband already drives a petrol SUV—which is what we use on long road trips. Plus, I didn't need to spend additional money to install my own charger—the apartment complex I live in has four charging points. Even though they are slow chargers, I mostly leave my car plugged in overnight once a week—and that is good enough for a week's worth of city driving," Mapa said. For the past three weeks, I drove nearly 1,500 kilometres—including a road trip from Delhi to Jaipur—in a Hyundai Ioniq 5. While the car turned many heads, the key point of its experience is that availability of charging infrastructure is still far from ubiquitous, but if you can find a fast charger near you, there can be no greater joy. Shell Ventures-backed Statiq has by far the most reliable charging infrastructure in the National Capital Region at the moment. In Noida's sector 18, the company has what I could find to be the fastest public charger in my two-month experience—a 120kW charger that could fully charge the Ioniq 5 in 35 minutes. For more common EVs with smaller batteries, such as the Tata Nexon EV, a 120kW charger can fully charge the car in less than 20 minutes. When it pours But finding such chargers is a rarity, and needs you to go out of your way to try refuelling your vehicle—which is the biggest shortcoming for EVs today. The most common 'fast' chargers available commonly are 60kW public chargers—found mostly with ChargeZone, Statiq and Reliance Industries' EV charging infrastructure platform, Jio-BP Pulse. These can take just over an hour to fully charge cars with large battery packs of more than 60kW. Unfortunately, most chargers found with vendors such as Tata Power, IIT Guwahati alumnus-backed CharjKaro, Finnish power firm Fortum-backed Glida and others, are either slow or damaged. Many of CharjKaro's Delhi EV charging points, for instance, were either defunct or hard to access on busy roads. Then, there's customer support. My predicament with ChargeZone, for instance, was a fault in the company's mobile application because of which the payment I made towards charging my car did not register, despite being deducted. The process of accessing the startup's customer care service, explaining my issue, and having them reinstate my payment took nearly two hours—after a one-hour struggle with the company's resistive touch interfaces on chargers that need you to enter a four-digit code before your car can be charged. The experience was similar with Glida, which Mint reported in May was being eyed for a takeover by either Adani or Reliance's conglomerate subsidiaries. Would a big-ticket takeover help make EV charging standardized and more equipped? Perhaps, but for now, Glida's charging app fails to register a request to stop charging your car. This means that you end up with any surplus balance in your app being deducted, without any room for you to recover—as contacting customer support only leads to human agents offering preset answers, without any actual 'support' being lent to users. For the future EVs, however, are certainly the right way to go. Three electric cars that I drove over the past two months were each very well equipped, laden with every form of technological assistance such as adaptive cruise control, emergency braking (a potentially life-saving feature for Indian roads), lane cameras, wireless infotainment via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a silent, refined in-car experience that elevates what cars at any price bracket has on offer as yet. For instance, in the sub- ₹ 20 lakh range, the MG Windsor offers almost every feature that one can think of—except for the inconvenience that almost every essential feature is also touchscreen-controlled. The Hyundai Ioniq 5, yet again very well-equipped and rather edgy by design, still costs ₹ 49 lakh—a price bracket that most Indian buyers would expect a European badge for, including fully-assisted highway driving. But, the lack of USB-C ports in the car, a plasticky dash, smaller screens than competitors, and that you don't get wireless Apple CarPlay—a feature that cars exponentially cheaper has on offer, can be deterrents to new car buyers looking for a suave EV today. In the luxury segment, the BMW i7 offers an array of features to play around with. The only qualm? The car's overall driving range—initially projected to be over 550 kilometres with 90% of battery power—takes a significant hit if you use the theatre screen, seat coolers and massagers, all at the same time. This, though, is what brings us to our key point. While the cars are fantastic from the viewpoint of feature sets, can you really rely on public charging infrastructure in long-range commutes? With charger discrepancies, lack of customer support and the often-occurring issues of chargers just being offline across north India, it is difficult to certify an EV as a primary car, or a family's only car, for now. Also Read | OnePlus Buds 4 review: Excellent audio, imperfect fit Topics You May Be Interested In Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Statiq launches hyperlocal EV awareness campaign in South India
Statiq , an EV charging network provider, has launched a Hyperlocal EV Campaign across Hyderabad, Chennai, and cities in Kerala. The initiative is aimed at increasing awareness and utilisation of Statiq's charging infrastructure in South India through location-specific outreach. The campaign highlights Statiq's expanding charging network, which includes FLUX DC fast chargers and AutoCharge-enabled points installed at malls, hotels, fuel stations, and highways. The network is supported by the Statiq app, which provides features such as route planning, real-time charger availability, and a digital wallet for payments and rewards. Regional outreach and technology integration Akshit Bansal, Founder & CEO, Statiq, said, 'Our Hyperlocal EV Campaign is about making EV infrastructure a reality for everyone in South India, especially in regions that have so far remained unconnected. We're focused on bridging the gaps and ensuring that reliable, accessible charging is available not just in major cities, but across towns and emerging areas as well. As India moves towards clean mobility, we at Statiq are dedicated to deepening EV penetration and making every part of India truly EV-friendly and accessible.' Raghav Arora, Co-Founder & CTO, added, 'Statiq's strength lies in our ability to innovate for India's unique needs. From FLUX fast charging to hyperlocal app features, we're ensuring that every user enjoys a seamless, tech-driven charging experience. Our vision is to power the next wave of EV adoption across real India, one city at a time.' The awareness campaign uses a combination of on-ground and digital strategies. This includes billboards, hoardings, and standees in cities like Kozhikode, Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Thiruvananthapuram. Other outreach tools include origami fans and bookmarks to promote sustainability, Meta and Google ads with city-specific sign-up codes, WhatsApp messages, hyperlocal push notifications, and in-app updates through Statiq Buzz . Statiq is also partnering with regional influencers producing content in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam to explain the app's functionality and accessibility to local users. Through this campaign, the company aims to increase charger usage and promote awareness of EV infrastructure among communities in both urban and semi-urban regions.
Hindustan Times
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
EV revolution interrupted by 'ghost chargers'
MUMBAI: Beneath India's roads, if you listen close enough, there are some jarring sounds—the hum of 'ghost chargers.' These chargers were engineered to be silent. But as things are, they appear to be yelping in pain as all kinds of powers flog India's ambitious electric vehicle (EV) revolution. The cables are straining and it would appear to many their purpose is forgotten. And why may that be? Picture this: You navigate to a charging station confidently highlighted as 'active' on your app. On getting there, you find the place either stripped of essential components or repurposed into a garbage bin. In Delhi alone, 84% of surveyed chargers are non-functional. Casualties if you will, of theft, negligence, or unreliable power. Nationally, half of all chargers lie idle, failing EV owners who placed their trust in India's electric promise. Yet, rewind to May 2025. India proudly announced nearly 30,000 public chargers, a significant jump in infrastructure. The numbers painted progress. But they masked an unsettling truth: there's always a chasm between promise and gritty ground realities. The narrative makes itself obvious on talking to automobile enthusiasts. Take NC Toney from Kochi as a case in point. He owns an electric scooter. With a reliable home charging station, he swears by his scooter as an ideal one for short city runs. It allows him do 60-70 kilometres on a single charge. Yet, Toney wouldn't dare venture far into the city. He knows to find reliable charging points is close to impossible. His experience mirrors that of many potential EV users. Consider Mumbai. Not too long ago, I tinkered actively with buying an electric car. But I'm the kind of person who begins to get nervous when the needle on the fuel tank goes below half. How am I to deal with 'range anxiety' in a city where the infrastructure to charge vehicles is abysmal? Not just that, in the older apartment complex where I live, finding a charging point is both daunting and complicated. This is a common narrative. Business realities complicate matters further. Despite investments from major players like Tata Power and HPCL, partnered with aggregators such as Statiq, Charge Point Operators (CPOs) face daunting economics. Rampant theft, high maintenance costs, logistical nightmares, and persistently low utilization rates averaging below 5% nationally make infrastructure investments less attractive. Shifting standards from Bharat DC to CCS2 further complicate long-term investments. Financial hurdles persist for consumers too. EVs remain expensive upfront due to high battery costs—around 35-40% of total vehicle price—and concerns around battery degradation loom large. Replacement batteries cost a hefty ₹5-10 lakh for cars and ₹55,000- ₹100,000 for two-wheelers, severely impacting resale values and long-term ownership appeal. Zooming out, these issues underline a broader disconnect. India excels at swift digital transformations, layering software atop existing infrastructure. But electric mobility demands something sturdier—a tangible, reliable, physical backbone, beyond the quick fixes of India's celebrated 'jugaad' approach. The ambitious goal of achieving 30% EV sales by 2030 hangs precariously unless infrastructure realities are decisively addressed. The absence of real-time data on charger functionality further impedes effective policymaking. The 'ghost charger' saga is more than technical glitches or failed installations. It encapsulates India's complex dance between visionary aspirations and the mundane yet vital execution of durable infrastructure. It poses an urgent question: Can a nation celebrated for its nimble digital leaps also master the slow, meticulous groundwork required for a lasting physical transformation? The answer hangs quietly, like the first rains of an awaited monsoon. Full of promise, yet uncertain on when it will arrive. What we know is that it will arrive. Like the monsoon inevitably does.
News18
04-06-2025
- Business
- News18
From Fashion to Fur Babies to Future Cities: How Indian Brands Are Going Green
Last Updated: This World Environment Day, we celebrate not only what these companies are doing for the environment, but also how they are inspiring everyday citizens to join the journey In an era where sustainability has evolved from a buzzword to a business imperative, Indian brands across diverse sectors are leading the charge with innovative, ground-level action. This World Environment Day 2025, companies are walking the talk on climate action, pushing boundaries of eco-consciousness in ways that are practical, scalable, and deeply human. Maninder Singh, Founder & CEO of CEF Group, shares how the company is spotlighting high-impact sustainability projects, 'Our Dal Lake Waste Processing Plant in Srinagar is actively restoring ecological balance in a heritage zone." 'In cities like Jammu and Ahmedabad, we convert municipal solid waste into Bio-CNG and organic manure—clean energy and farming, powered by urban waste." 'Our 2-acre City Forest in Ghaziabad is a thriving carbon sink, while our Urban Farming Initiative enables 250+ families to grow chemical-free produce at home with support from trained farmers." To make sustainability an internal culture, CEF organizes employee-driven initiatives such as plantation drives, zero-waste challenges, and sustainability workshops. 'The toughest part is changing habits and ensuring consistency, but we overcome it by aligning sustainability with team goals and recognizing individual contributions," Singh says. Circular economy principles are at the heart of CEF's mission: reducing waste at the source, recycling through composting and energy conversion, and redesigning systems to create value from waste. Calderys is focusing on reducing energy and water usage, expanding green cover through tree plantation drives, and involving employees in social and environmental projects. 'Sustainability begins with governance and team engagement. Our Odisha-based CAPES refractory plant, designed for zero wastewater discharge and energy efficiency, exemplifies this." Calderys also maximizes reclaimed materials and designs zero-discharge plants across India to ensure continuous progress towards carbon-conscious operations. Electric Mobility Akshit Bansal, Founder & CEO of Statiq, shares the brand's World Environment Day pledge: 'We're expanding our network of smart EV charging stations across India and launching awareness campaigns to encourage greener transportation choices." Statiq empowers employees through green initiatives, workshops, and volunteering. 'Sustainability is embedded in our core values," says Bansal. 'We design products for longevity, promote component reuse, and responsibly recycle e-waste. Our goal is to make sustainability seamless for every Indian." Green Building Movement 'As India continues to grow, the choices we make today will define the planet's future," says Akash Deep, DGM & Treasurer, GRIHA Council. Through green rating systems and awareness programs, GRIHA is shaping India's built environment with an eye on low-carbon, resource-efficient habitats. 'World Environment Day reminds us of our opportunity to embed sustainability at scale in future infrastructure. We must build not just structures, but legacies," he adds. Sustainable Style: The Rise of Circular Fashion The fashion sector is undergoing a quiet but impactful revolution. Chandan Singh, founder of Glamour Prints, describes the brand's philosophy: 'We use eco-certified fabrics and collaborate directly with grassroots artisans. Our dyes are plant-based, sourced from discarded flowers." Glamour Prints' dedication to circularity stands out—fabric scraps are upcycled, packaging is plastic-free, and every design choice supports local economies and the planet. 'Sustainability isn't a marketing angle for us; it's our identity." Pet care is also going green. Zai Tandan, founder, Heal Your Paws (HYP), explains, 'Every service we offer—from grooming to therapies—uses herbal products safe for pets and the environment." The centre's café, 'Bite Me', is built from recycled materials, pool water is reused, and dog waste is composted. 'Our motto is simple: compassion for animals should extend to the planet." Small Acts, Big Change Ankit Babbar, Co-founder, Tavasyam and My Learning Garden, celebrates this World Environment Day by gifting herbal plants to clients. 'Our ethos is conscious living. From reusable cups to daily green choices, small actions build lasting impact." top videos View all Across industries from infrastructure and fashion to mobility and pet care, Indian brands are proving that sustainability is more than a corporate responsibility; it's a shared value system. This World Environment Day, we celebrate not only what these companies are doing for the environment, but also how they are inspiring everyday citizens to join the journey. In a world that often talks green, these brands are living it—one tree, thread, and charging station at a time. First Published: June 04, 2025, 21:20 IST News lifestyle From Fashion to Fur Babies to Future Cities: How Indian Brands Are Going Green
