Mercedes Pushes for Easier EV Charging with Common Platform
Mercedes Benz India has come up with a revolutionary idea to make the electric vehicle charging experience smoother in India. The luxury carmaker is imagining a common platform that will give real-time information about all the charging stations running under the various service providers. This would substantially improve the convenience of the user, who will have a less troublesome and distressing journey in these electric vehicles.
“A shared app would go a long way in increasing customer satisfaction and speeding up the adoption of electric vehicles in the country. This is because information from various charging providers is aggregated, making it easier to find and access charging stations without having to search for compatible infrastructure.”
Santosh Iyer, MD and CEO of Mercedes-Benz
Iyer further elaborates on the democratization of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. Here again, Mercedes-Benz would want to provide a unified platform, hence making it easier and cheaper for all EV owners to charge whatever model they might have.
A Unified Payment System for Electric Vehicle Charging
It needs standard payment convenience for charging services for electric vehicle owners. In the present system today, drivers need to juggle several apps to locate and pay for charging stations, which is cumbersome. The company’s proposed solution would be based on UPI and streamline such transactions to improve it all around.
“Today, if you buy an electric car, you need 3-4 different apps on your phone. What we are requesting the government is to come up with something like a UPI-based system,”
Santosh Iyer, MD and CEO of Mercedes-Benz
The unified payment system would significantly ease the convenience involved in owning and operating an electric vehicle in India, thus motivating an even larger group of people to make this change from fossil fuel-based transportation to electric mobility, making our environment cleaner and greener.
Paving the Way for Electric Vehicle Adoption in India: A Call for Convenience
Mercedes-Benz India remains optimistic about the growing acceptance of electric vehicles in the Indian market. Despite a competitive landscape and a relatively small customer base, the company continues to expand its EV offerings, with six battery electric vehicles currently available.
He pointed to the example of Germany, where Mercedes owners can easily make payments for various services, including charging, through a single app. However, in India, this level of integration is hindered by the lack of a unified charge point operator.
Iyer emphasized the urgent need for a centralized platform that aggregates information from different charging providers. Such a platform would simplify the charging process, making it more accessible and attractive to potential EV buyers. By prioritizing convenience, the government can create a favorable environment that encourages customers to transition to electric vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz India’s call for a unified platform aligns with recent reports of the central government developing a master app to assist customers in locating nearby charging stations.