Green Motion launches Pilot Project with Tata

Green Motion hast just began shipping the first charging stations for an ambitious pilot project in three major Indian cities. For the scale-up based close to Lausanne, this is an important first step on the Indian market. Contacted by Startupticker.ch, François Randin, Green Motion’s CEO tell us more about the pilot project and how it started:

“It all started in 2017 when I first met Mr. Ratan N. Tata at the Geneva Motors Show. A couple of months later, I did my first trip to India invited by Mr. Anil Sardana which was the CEO of Tata Power at that time. I did a speech at their headquarter of Mumbai about Green Motion’s unique pure player experience in the new charging infrastructure business. Some executives of other Tata companies, including Tata Motors, were also present.

As the Indian electric vehicles market was not as advanced as in Europe or in China, we did not install any charging stations at that time but instead began to successfully work in 2018 with them on the on board charger of the future electric cars that needs. In 2019, the Indian market is finally ready for our charging stations, that’s why we sent our first units last week. That’s the story of Green Motion, we are a Swiss company, always a bit in advance. But we like to say that to arrive on time, you have to leave early.”

As the CEO explains, Green Motion will be sending enough charging stations - modified to fit the BHARAT EV charging standard which is unique to India - to test the market. The Swiss provider of charging systems for electric vehicles intends to demonstrate the quality and the functionalities of its products (hardware and software). The scale-up also wants to learn more about the habits and behaviour of the emerging Indian EV driver and to fine tune the products before localizing them and starting the production in India.

Speaking of the challenges faced by Green Motion in India, François Randin explains that the market is extremely price sensitive and the environment conditions challenging. But the CEO remains confident as his company overcame a major challenge already: finding the good local partner and establishing a mutual trust relationship.

Green Motion is determined to make this pilot project a success by following it closely, being on site often for the next months. Then will come the time to localize and industrialize with its local partner ensuring to keep the Green Motion Swiss quality. Sales will have to follow of course, but here too the CEO remains optimistic, thanks to the quality of its partner.

(ES)