Kozhikode-based Startup chargeMOD to Launch 250 EV Charging Stations in Kerala

KOCHI:
With an aim at charging electric vehicles anywhere anytime, Kozhikode-based startup chargeMOD will establish 250 charging stations in various parts of Kerala by the end of 2021.

Setting up the pilot project of chargeMOD in Kozhikode, the startup has established eight charging stations in Kozhikode, one each in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Angamaly. As part of the expansion, the charging stations will be set up at shops, restaurants, cafes, or wherever it’s possible so, they can charge their vehicle while shopping, having tea or food and help in increasing the business of the establishments.

The surge in the popularity of electric vehicles (EV) in Kerala encouraged Raman Unni, Chris Thomas, Anoop V, and Advaith C, to launch their startup ‘chargeMOD’ in late 2018. The hefty cost of acquiring the right hardware urged them to shift their focus to developing hardware by the end of 2019 and the team was ready with their first 22kW AC charging machine in Kozhikode.

“The project will be effectively supported by the ‘chargeMOD’ APP which enables any customer to locate and access all the EV charging stations. Even the availability of a charging station is shown so that the consumer can plan accordingly” says M Ramanunni, CEO, chargeMOD.

Packages worth Rs 355, 855, and 1,255 are available in the app so that the consumer can choose his plan according to the vehicle usage and all the transactions are done via the app. For instance, choosing a plan of Rs 855 will allow a consumer to charge up to 91 units. And further top-ups may be used by the customers in case the main package is exhausted for the customer within the period, Ramanunni said.

“Currently, chargeMOD is developing machines with capacity ranging from 3.3kW-22kW. The transition from refuelling a combustion engine car to charging an EV is no different. With chargeMOD, we try to make every EV charging session a special moment with the absence of pungent gasoline odour and the repercussions on nature. 550 e-auto rickshaws operating in Kozhikode itself prove that people will embrace EV vehicles if we introduce more charging stations. Setting up across the state will encourage people to buy them and reduce the consumption of petrol and diesel fuels,” said Ramanunni.

Around 550 e-auto rickshaws are operating in Kozhikode alone. With the increased number of charging stations, people are confident to buy electric vehicles. Developing our hardware has helped to bring down the manufacturing cost by around 33 per cent. The charging station and the supporting systems are provided by us,” said Ramanunni.

chargeMOD is one of the very few companies and the only startup in India which has type tested their EV chargers and certified by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI). The four youngsters who passed out from the Government Engineering College Kozhikode, in 2018 started with developing control and ecosystem software for the EV charging stations. However, they realized that the state lacks ample charging stations and decided to go ahead with the project.