To accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and contribute to building a fast-paced web of charging stations, Gulf Oil India has decided to bring its smart 7.2kW AC chargers to India. This marks a major event in Gulf’s history while ushering in a new era for the mainstream oil and lubricant giant. However, the company will continue to develop its expertise in fluids for future forms of mobility, such as hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles. The company recently revealed its electrification plans exclusively to CarWale.
The Gulf had invested in the UK-based EV charging solutions provider, Indra Renewable Technologies Ltd, at the beginning of 2021. It is one of the fastest-growing companies in the EV charging segment in the UK. The firm makes a wide range of Type 2 AC chargers with unique features.
Gulf aims to utilise Indra’s expertise in India, to provide chargers not only via commercialisation but also by offering the products to EV owners for home or office use. Meanwhile, the oil major has already piloted the 7.2kW Type 2 charger in many regions across the country, and the chargers have passed the tests.
Alongside the core oil business, Gulf aims to be a key player in the EV value chain. Being an established entity, it has about 8,000 bike stops and 2,000 car stops. The company plans to leverage its presence contacts to expand the EV business. With this, it can also make a significant contribution to the growing charging network in India, with its present and future partnerships, to make EV adoption fast-paced.
Coming to the India-bound Gulf EV charger, this Type 2 AC charger gets a few hi-tech features. To begin with, it comes equipped with solar compatibility, where one can connect the charger to their solar system and then charge the car. Another notable feature is the scheduled charging, which charges an electric vehicle when electricity charges are lower to keep the electricity bill down.
Indra has developed Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) feature, which allows bi-directional charging. It not only charges your EV but can also return surplus energy to the grid. Also, it can power your home appliances, namely washing machines, induction hobs, or even heat your shower. Additionally, Indra smart charger promises a lower cost of installation.