The Climate Pledge launches JOULE project to drive electric vehicle adoption in India

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The Climate Pledge announced a new joint action project – JOULE (Joint Operation Unifying Last-mile Electrification) – with its signatories and industry partners to build a new network of shared electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Bengaluru, India.

Co-founded by Amazon and Global Optimism in 2019, The Climate Pledge is a commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 – 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement.

Pledge signatories and partners will collectively invest over $2.65 million into the project by 2030. Amazon, Mahindra Logistics, Uber, HCLTech and Magenta Mobility will work together to optimise the usage of the EV charging stations, combining the charging needs of their EV fleets to ensure the infrastructure is well utilised. Industry partner Kazam, an India-based EV charging platform, will build the network of shared charging stations. The project will also be supported by renewable energy provider Greenko and strategic consulting partner Deloitte.

“Together with the Pledge signatories, we are proud to launch this joint action initiative which will support India’s transition to electric vehicles, including Bengaluru’s goal of having 100% EVs for three-wheelers, cab services, and corporate fleets by 2030,” said Sally Fouts, Global Leader, The Climate Pledge.

“This project not only addresses some of the current challenges in India’s charging infrastructure to support greater electric vehicle adoption, but also sets a new standard for corporate climate collaboration.”

As part of this project, the first EV charging station located at Doddakallasandra is fully operational as of today, and the project aims to build five more charging stations in Bengaluru by the end of this year, with plans to further expand in order to meet the growing demand for local electric vehicle infrastructure. While the project is estimated to support about 5,500 EVs in Bengaluru by 2030 (based on expected demand), it is able to service about 9,500 EVs at full capacity. To maximize utilisation, the infrastructure will also be available for other companies to charge their fleet vehicles during the day.

All of the electricity used by the charging stations (projected to reach 22,700 megawatt-hours of power) will be matched with 100% renewable energy, amounting to an estimated 6.2 megawatt of renewable energy capacity by 2030. By the same year, the project is also expected to save over 11.2 million liters of fuel and abate an estimated 25,700 tonnes of carbon-dioxide. Beyond reducing tail pipe emissions, the project will create an estimated 185 full-time jobs in Bengaluru between 2024 to 2030.

“Establishing a shared network of EV charging stations in Bengaluru is a significant step towards achieving our national goal of increasing electric vehicle adoption, and we fully support this innovative collaboration led by The Climate Pledge,” said Gunjan Krishna, Indian Administrative Service, Industries Commissioner, Government of Karnataka. “This initiative not only enhances the accessibility of EV infrastructure but also demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships in driving India’s transition to a more sustainable future.”

According to a new Deloitte whitepaper, for India to achieve its goal of having EV sales account for 30% of all new vehicle sales by 2030, the country will require a ratio of 1 station per 20 vehicles. The current ratio — approximately 1 charging station per 135 EVs — is significantly lower than this and hinders the country’s transition to EVs. Key challenges, such as the lack of EV charging stations, uncertainty in utilisation rates, range anxiety, coupled with hesitance from businesses to install charging stations due to high capital costs and the lack of awareness of benefits, remain concerns for prospective EV owners.

The joint collaboration project addresses these challenges by establishing dedicated charging stations that offer priority access, security services, essential amenities, and dedicated parking slots for corporate consumers. By bringing together companies on both the demand and supply sides, and aggregating usage demand, the project also provides greater certainty on the utilisation rate and financial viability of the infrastructure.

“India’s road transport sector still heavily relies on diesel and petrol, which have significant negative impacts on pollution and CO₂ emissions. But there is a silver lining in this – while India’s EV penetration is low compared to other countries, it is expected to become one of the largest EV markets in the world by 2030”, said Shailesh Tyagi, Partner, Climate Change and Sustainability Leader, Deloitte South Asia. “By bringing together companies from different sectors, this initiative is helping to create a more-sustainable and efficient model for EV charging – and accelerating EV adoption in India.”

“The Climate Pledge is proud to support The Climate Pledge and its signatories, through our advanced EV charging solutions tailored for e-commerce and electric fleet operators. We are excited to announce our involvement in Project JOULE, a significant step towards a cleaner and more sustainable future. At Kazam, we believe that Project JOULE represents a crucial milestone in our shared mission to combat climate change and drive the transition to green mobility,” said Paras Shah, COO & Co-Founder at Kazam.

As part of the event,  a panel discussion involving JOULE stakeholders held with interesting discussions over achieving zero emission in multiple ways.

Last year, The Climate Pledge announced the Laneshift initiative – committing US$10 million to C40 Cities to kickstart the development and deployment of zero-emission electric trucks and charging infrastructure across major cities in India and Latin America. In India, Laneshift will accelerate the development of EV infrastructure and the deployment of EV vehicles across Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Pune, helping to reduce emissions, clean up the air and generate new jobs.

Also Read : Electric vehicle revolution to see on-board chargers to become standard on BEVs by 2027: Study