Bangalore-based e-mobility solutions startup Lithium Urban Technologies has announced that it has expanded its operations to Kolkata. The company, along with charging infrastructure provider Fourth Partner Energy, has associated with West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (HIDCO) to set up a new EV charging station named ‘Powerbunk’ at New Town, Kolkata.
The new station is said to be the largest EV charging hub in the country so far. Lithium Urban Technologies strategies to introduce 1,000 electric vehicles in Kolkata in two-three years and aim to swap diesel-run vehicles in the corporate transportation fleet to offset approximately 10,000 metric tons (MT) of carbon emissions in the city annually.
The e-mobility start-up has devoted investments of up to Rs 150 crore in introducing the EV fleet for corporate transportation in the city along with setting up the associated charging infrastructure. The company also targets to generate around 3,000 direct and indirect jobs and will also explore research partnerships with the academia, as well as knowledge partnerships with the government and industry to further enable the adoption of e-mobility in the country.
Ashwin Mahesh, Co-Founder, and CEO, Lithium Urban Technologies said, “Our initial conversations with potential clients have been very encouraging, and the cluster of companies around New Town have shown great interest. This city is home to many historic companies, and we will create a great future too with them. We are extremely thankful to HIDCO for being a champion of this step, and we look forward to championing sustainable mobility together in West Bengal.”
“Fourth Partner Energy is delighted to enable EV adoption in Kolkata by establishing public charging infrastructure under the umbrella of Shuchi. In partnership with Lithium, we are committed to operate public charging infrastructure in other major cities in India and source power from renewables wherever allowed as per regulations,” believed Vivek Subramanian, Co-Founder, and Executive Director, Fourth Partner Energy.
