Honda Power Pack Energy India, Honda’s new subsidiary for battery sharing service, on Thursday said it has been established in India to offer battery sharing service for small mobility, which will accelerate the penetration of electric vehicles (EVs).
Honda’s battery “Mobile Power Pack e:” will be made in India, the company said in a statement.
The company has invested ₹135 crore and will be involved in solving three issues of EVs — limited range, long charging time, and high cost of batteries. It is planned to start battery sharing service for electric auto rickshaws (E-auto) from the first half of 2022 in Bengaluru, and expand the operations in other cities in a phased manner, it said.
“Honda’s battery sharing service subscribers can avail the services from the nearest battery swapping station located in the city to exchange battery “Honda Mobile Power Pack e:”, Honda’s all-new portable and swappable batteries, with fully charged ones. By this convenient service, drivers need not wait for charging and can get back on the road in marginal time,” the company said.
In addition to offering battery sharing service, the company will closely work with multiple vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who wish to integrate Honda’s battery into their vehicles, by providing necessary technical information for interface.
By expanding vehicle OEMs, applications, and service areas, it aims to onboard more drivers which will further enhance service convenience, it said.
“By utilising batteries made in India and accelerating electrification of small mobility, Honda Power Pack Energy India seeks to encourage the use of renewable energy and contribute to the carbon neutrality in India,” it added.