ZEVpoint, founded by Akaash Jain and Gurvardaan Singh, aims to combat vehicular pollution and promote EV adoption in India. Inspired by rising traffic and pollution in their hometown, Chandigarh, they set out to make a meaningful impact. Here are key excerpts from their interview:
Tell us more about ZEVpoint and its founding team. What inspired you to venture into the EV space and focus on creating innovative charging solutions?
ZEVpoint’s story began in 2019 when co-founder Akaash Jain experienced driving a Tesla during a visit to Canada. Impressed by the silent and emission-free ride, he was inspired to explore the world of EVs as a solution. By early 2021, post-COVID, Gurvardaan Singh joined Akaash in actively working on the idea. As they delved deeper into the Indian EV market, they recognized a significant gap: despite being the third-largest automobile market in the world, India faced challenges in EV adoption due to insufficient charging infrastructure. In the early stages, ZEVpoint focused on setting up charging stations at hotel chains through corporate partnerships, providing EV charging as a premium amenity for guests. Through continuous customer interactions and learnings, the company eventually expanded its offerings to include personal-use EV chargers, making EV ownership more accessible for Indian consumers.
What role does ZEVpoint play in advancing India’s shift to sustainable electric mobility?
ZEVpoint is leading India’s shift to sustainable electric mobility with innovative, consumer-focused solutions. Offering a range of chargers, including portable, wall-mounted, and all-in-one chargers, we ensure convenient and accessible EV charging nationwide. Our app-enabled chargers and adaptable all-in-one solutions reflect our commitment to enhancing user experience. We prioritize affordability and reliability, aiming to eliminate frustrations with unreliable chargers. Beyond products, ZEVpoint is helping build a sustainable energy infrastructure, combining technology, reliability, and customer support to make EV adoption practical and reliable for all.
How do ZEVpoint’s portable and multi-connector chargers meet diverse customer needs?
ZEVpoint’s portable and multi-connector chargers are designed to simplify EV charging and address common challenges faced by EV owners. Portable chargers are perfect for situations where public chargers are inaccessible, ensuring you’re never stranded. They are ideal for renters or those who need charging access at multiple locations, offering a convenient, single solution for home, work, or travel. On the other hand, multi-connector chargers provide unmatched flexibility, handling both slow and fast charging needs. These chargers can be plugged into a low-power outlet for overnight charging or a high-power source for a quicker boost, adapting to different power setups with ease. A standout product, the Spyder AIO, is India’s first charger with built-in multi-connector functionality. It operates seamlessly on both single-phase and three-phase power, making it highly versatile and a favourite among customers. With solutions like doorstep support and innovative, affordable products, ZEVpoint is committed to making EV charging effortless and stress-free, whether you’re at home, on the road, or anywhere in between.
With smart features like RFID and app-based controls, how is ZEVpoint enhancing the charging experience for EV users?
At ZEVpoint, we focus on making EV charging simpler, smarter, and more convenient with features like RFID and app-based controls, designed to eliminate hassle and give you greater control over your EV’s power needs. The ZEVpoint app allows you to manage charging remotely, offering flexibility to schedule charging during off-peak hours to save costs or adjust power levels to balance your home’s electricity load, such as during high energy use in peak summer. Unlike others who charge extra for such features, we include them with our products to deliver greater value from the start. Additionally, RFID technology brings ease and security to home charging. With a simple swipe of an RFID card, you can start charging without needing to access an app or change settings, making it ideal for households with multiple users. Each user can have their own RFID card, ensuring secure and effortless access to the charger. These thoughtful innovations make EV charging more accessible, reliable, and user-friendly for everyone.
What role do IoT, and data analytics play in optimizing ZEVpoint’s charging solutions and management systems?
We leverage IoT and data analytics to elevate EV charging, making it smarter, more efficient, and tailored to EV drivers’ needs. IoT integration enables real-time monitoring of each charging station, tracking energy usage, charging speed, and potential issues, all of which can be addressed remotely. This ensures a seamless and reliable charging experience, giving you the peace of mind that any malfunction can be quickly identified and resolved. Additionally, data analytics enhances charging efficiency by allowing EV owners to monitor their previous charging records, calculate electricity usage and expenses, and plan sessions more effectively. For public chargers, analyzing data like energy usage patterns and peak times helps optimize sessions while also providing insights into common challenges faced during charging. Together, IoT and data analytics make charging more intelligent, user-friendly, and efficient for everyone.
What challenges do you see in scaling EV charging infrastructure in India, and how is ZEVpoint addressing them?
Scaling EV charging infrastructure in India faces challenges like limited availability, affordability, and user education. ZEVpoint addresses these by offering portable and wall-mounted chargers for home, office, or public use, ensuring accessibility even in smaller towns. Our affordable, durable products, like All-in-One chargers with adjustable charging speeds, provide flexibility without extra costs for features like app-based monitoring or scheduling. We also focus on educating users through social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram, simplifying EV adoption with clear guidance. Additionally, our chargers manage grid load by adjusting speeds based on power availability, ensuring compatibility and efficiency for diverse users.
Can you share recent collaborations that have helped ZEVpoint expand its footprint or improve its offerings?
ZEVpoint has been fortunate to collaborate with several key players in various sectors, helping us expand our footprint and improve our offerings. One of the most impactful areas has been our partnerships with hotel chains such as Hyatt, Wyndham, Altruist, and Fortune. These collaborations have allowed us to set up charging stations at strategic locations, giving EV owners the ability to charge their vehicles while staying at these hotels. In addition to the hospitality sector, we’ve also formed partnerships with corporate offices and Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs). These collaborations have been vital in providing charging solutions at workplaces and residential complexes, where many EV owners face the challenge of finding a convenient place to charge their cars. By setting up chargers in these locations, we can bring sustainable mobility closer to the daily lives of many people.
How is ZEVpoint working with OEMs and fleet operators to streamline EV adoption across sectors?
ZEVpoint is helping fleet operators streamline EV adoption with customized solutions like our AC chargers in various power ranges, catering to different fleet needs. Whether fleets need fast charging for quick turnarounds or slower, overnight charging, our chargers offer the flexibility to meet these requirements. Additionally, the access to charging data provided through our smart features is invaluable for fleet management. Operators can monitor energy consumption, track charging sessions, and adjust charging times, ensuring optimal performance and cost efficiency. Our simplified solution, combining easy-to-use hardware with intuitive software, makes managing fleet charging seamless. We’re already supporting taxi fleets, proving our solutions are trusted and effective for commercial use. These offerings help operators adopt EVs efficiently while managing their fleet’s charging needs with ease.
What do you see as the biggest obstacle to EV adoption in India, and how can startups like ZEVpoint overcome it?
The biggest obstacle to EV adoption in India is still the lack of trust, primarily around range, reliability, and infrastructure. To tackle this, it’s crucial to bring more affordable EVs with higher ranges and better efficiency to cater to different consumer needs. Additionally, collaboration between OEMs and charging companies like ZEVpoint is key. By working together, we can ensure more efficient utilization of resources, create better-charging infrastructure, and offer a seamless experience for customers. This joint effort will go a long way in building confidence and accelerating EV adoption across the country.
As EV adoption rises, how will ZEVpoint adapt to changing market demands and regulations?
As EV adoption rises, ZEVpoint is committed to staying ahead of market demands and evolving regulations. We will continue to innovate improve our product offerings as well as service network, ensuring our charging solutions not only meet the needs of different vehicle types but also providing better customer support pan India. We also recognize the importance of adapting to regulatory changes. Our products come with global certifications and as policies and incentives evolve, ZEVpoint will work closely with regulators and industry stakeholders to ensure our products remain compliant and future-proof. Additionally, smart features like app-based controls and data analytics will continue to be key in optimizing the user experience and meeting the needs of a growing EV market.
Looking ahead, where do you see ZEVpoint in the next five years?
In the next five years, ZEVpoint aims to lead not just through our products but are obsessed with improving our customers’ charging experience. Our focus will always be on understanding what customers need, increasing their trust in EVs, and making charging more accessible, reliable, and practical. We see ourselves expanding our charging network into tier-2 and tier-3 cities, ensuring EV adoption is not just for metros but for all of India. We aspire to dive deeper into charging technology, by working closely with OEMs, fleet operators, and local governments and we aim to create a sustainable charging & energy infrastructure around mobility. Ultimately, if we stay true to our customers and keep innovating, we believe ZEVpoint will continue to lead and shape the future of electric mobility in India.