Mahindra To Install 180 kW Electric Vehicle Fast Chargers At HPCL Petrol Bunks
Finding a reliable, high-speed charger on the highway remains a common hurdle for electric car owners. To address this, Mahindra’s dedicated charging infrastructure division, Charge_iN, has signed an agreement with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited. The plan is to install electric vehicle charging stations directly at existing HPCL petrol pumps across the country. This practical move allows Mahindra to skip the complicated, time-consuming process of acquiring new real estate. Instead, the company will use established fuel stations to quickly expand its public charging footprint.
The most crucial detail in this partnership is the specific type of hardware being deployed. Mahindra is exclusively installing 180 kW direct current fast chargers at these locations. Currently, a large number of public chargers on state and national highways max out at 30 kW or 50 kW. At those lower speeds, drivers often have to wait well over an hour to get a meaningful battery top-up. A 180 kW charger alters this dynamic for highway commuters.
For modern electric vehicles capable of accepting high charging inputs, this hardware can add hundreds of kilometres of range in under half an hour. Each charging unit will feature a dual-gun setup. This means two cars can physically plug into the same machine simultaneously. However, it is standard technical practice for dual-gun chargers to split the total power output when both cables are in use, meaning the charging speed will drop if two vehicles draw power at the exact same time.
Building a reliable public charging network from the ground up requires massive capital and administrative approvals. By partnering with a state-owned fuel retailer, Mahindra gains immediate access to a ready-made network. HPCL currently operates over 24,400 retail fuel outlets nationwide. Placing chargers at these specific locations makes logical sense for the end user.
Petrol pumps already occupy prime real estate along major intercity highway corridors and at prominent intersections inside city limits. Beyond just the location, fuel stations offer essential amenities that are frequently missing from standalone electric vehicle chargers. Drivers have access to washrooms, convenience stores, well-lit parking areas, and security staff. This makes charging late at night significantly safer and more comfortable compared to plugging in at an isolated, unstaffed basement parking lot.
HPCL is already an active player in the electric mobility space. The oil corporation operates its own independent network under the HP e-Charge brand. This existing setup includes over 5,400 electric vehicle charging stations and roughly 150 battery swapping stations spread across different states.
However, a large portion of this current infrastructure caters to electric two-wheelers and commercial three-wheelers, or relies on slower alternating current charging standards. The new tie-up with Mahindra specifically targets the premium passenger car segment. It brings in the heavy-duty electrical hardware required to properly service modern electric SUVs equipped with high-capacity battery packs.
For Mahindra, funding this infrastructure expansion is a calculated move ahead of its upcoming product onslaught. The automaker is gearing up to introduce a completely new range of electric SUVs built on its dedicated skateboard architecture. These new vehicles will carry larger batteries designed specifically for long-distance travel.
If buyers are expected to spend premium money on a long-range electric SUV, they need absolute confidence that they will not be stranded between cities. By building out a high-speed charging network through the Charge_iN brand today, Mahindra is essentially laying the necessary groundwork to support its own future vehicle owners.