Energy Systems Catapult is launching a demonstrator project, inviting applications from businesses developing innovative Electric Vehicle (EV) charging solutions, which are accessible, easy to use and provide value for money for EV users. The project will allow innovators to test and develop their technology in India with monetary support for direct costs.

The demonstrator project will be delivered through a new sustainable transport systems centre, developed by Energy Systems Catapult and the Indian Science Institute. The centre, launching in 2023, will be a bilateral collaboration to address key challenges around the decarbonisation of transport by carrying out joint research into specific sustainable transport issues and enabling the piloting, support and scale-up of new sustainable solutions.

For this project, the new centre will provide the locations for hardware installation, engagement with local partners, stakeholders, EV users and local on the ground resource where necessary.

The Opportunity
2 and 3-wheeler EVs are starting to penetrate the Indian market. However, two of the key challenges for current EV owners in India, and issues which prevent new consumers from making the switch to an EV, include lack of widespread public charging infrastructure and the cost of charging where it is available. Improving access to shared charging infrastructure and the costs associated will be key to unleashing widespread EV uptake, not only in India but also globally.

Working in partnership with the new sustainable transport systems centre, innovators will have the opportunity to trial their solutions for two and three wheeler EVs on the ground in Indian cities in spring/summer 2023. The solutions will be installed where EV users are based and used by both private and/or commercial EV owners.

Selected businesses for demonstrator project will benefit from:

• Real world testing of their charging solutions in India to understand the feasibility of their solutions’ installation and use with 2 and 3-wheeler vehicles.
• Data collection around the performance and use of the chargepoints.
• Feedback from EV users
• Monetary support for UK applicants – between £5,000 and £15,000 to support direct costs as a result of participating in the demonstrator*

*Monetary support provided cannot be used to support other R&D activities.

Who should apply and why?

This demonstrator is seeking to find EV charging innovators with low-cost charging solutions who can meet the following key requirements:

• Able to have hardware ready for shipment to India by March 2023
• Can support hardware installation either remotely or on the ground in India
• Can provide chargepoints with the ability to collect charge event data which can be shared with the centre, after appropriate anonymisation and data protection measures have been taken.
• Are able to engage with the centre throughout the project and provide support for their solutions for the extent of the demonstrator.

Interested organisations should apply via the application form by 25^th January 2023.

Applications are welcome from UK organisations. Combined applications from UK and Indian organisations working collaboratively are encouraged. The selected organisation must be in a position to supply low cost EV charging hardware, support and monitoring in India by Spring/Summer 2023.