MG Motor ties up with Fortum to set up charging stations in India
- The 50KW fast-charging stations for EVs will be opened initially at MG Motor dealerships in five cities
- Fortum will install the charging stations showrooms in five cities, the NCR, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, by September
NEW DELHI: China’s SAIC Motor Corporation-owned British automobile brand MG Motor – the country’s youngest vehicle maker – on Tuesday announced a tie-up with Finland-based clean energy major Fortum to install 50 kilowatt fast charging stations in India. The charging stations will adhere to CCS and Chademo charging standards and will be established on the premises of the company’s dealerships in five cities.
The move to set up charging stations comes months before the launch of the company’s first electric sport utility vehicle EZS. MG Motor will be the second mass market vehicle manufacturer, following Hyundai Motor India Ltd, to launch an SUV with an electric powertrain.
Fortum will install 50 KW CCS and Chademo DC fast public charging stations for electric vehicles across showrooms in five cities, the National Capital Region, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, by September. The smart chargers can be accessed by an electric vehicle user, having cars compatible with the CCS and Chademo charging standards by registering with Fortum Charge & Drive India through its mobile app, said the company in a press release.
In order to consolidate the brand in India, Morris Garages will launch its electric SUV as its second vehicle. Also, being the largest Chinese vehicle maker, the parent company SAIC Motor Corporation Ltd has the knowhow to develop mass market electric vehicles.
According to Rajiv Chaba, president and managing director, the upcoming launch of the eZs is aligned with the government’s long-term objective to have more electric vehicles on the road in the next few years.
“We are delighted to be partnering with one of the leading electric vehicle charging service providers in the global EV space, to set up charging stations at MG dealerships in select cities to begin with. This is in line with our goal to provide accessible EVs to Indian customers and create an EV ecosystem in India,” added Chaba.
“We have already witnessed an uptake in adoption of electric vehicles in the last one year. This collaboration will further bolster this growth. As one of the key players, we are constantly evaluating the Indian market for charging infrastructure and will continue to offer a pleasant charging experience to EV users,” said Sanjay Agarwal, managing director, Fortum India.
Source: livemint
