Jio-BP (the operating brand of Reliance BP Mobility Limited, a joint venture of Reliance Industries and BP), a leading provider of EV charging services and solutions, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DRIVN, an electric vehicle leasing platform focused on accelerating the adoption of commercial EVs, to explore opportunities to strengthen the charging infrastructure for commercial EVs, including trucks and buses, across India.
The collaboration brings together DRIVN’s commercial EV leasing capabilities and Jio-bp’s charging network to meet the growing needs of fleet operators and support the expansion of commercial electric mobility.
Jio-bp has developed one of India’s largest fast EV charging networks focusing on electric buses and trucks, in line with the objectives of India’s PM E-DRIVE initiative. As part of this effort, priority pan-India corridors and locations have been electrified to support commercial EV operations.
Together, the two companies will explore integrating Jio-bp’s charging network with DRIVN’s leasing platform, including advanced charging-location search capabilities for fleet drivers. The partnership will also explore preferential tariffs and turnkey EV charging projects in identified cities and highways.
Commenting on the partnership, Alpana Jain, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer, DRIVN, said: “As commercial EVs become a larger part of fleet operations, charging infrastructure will have to keep pace with where and how these vehicles are used. For buses and trucks, the location of the charger and the route it serves can directly impact operations. Our MoU with Jio-bp gives us the opportunity to address these needs As we expand our commercial EV business and make it easier for fleet operators to find and use charging infrastructure, this partnership is the first step towards building the ecosystem needed to make electric mobility more scalable and commercially viable.
Sarthak Behuria, Chairman, Jio-BP said: “India’s transition to electric mobility is no longer a question, it is happening rapidly. At the center of this transformation are commercial fleets – the buses and trucks that move our people, cargo and economy every day, often covering the longest distances and most difficult routes. At Jio-BP, we believe that EV charging infrastructure is a vital part of the national infrastructure and our partnership with DRIVN to meet the demands. This transformation is an important step towards building the necessary charging backbone.”
Akshay Wadhwa, CEO of Jio-bp, said: “Jio-bp Pulse is built on a simple promise – accessible, reliable, high-uptime EV charging wherever it is needed. With DRIVN, we are increasing our focus on commercial fleets, which have different needs based on route, battery capacity and operating patterns. This MoU allows us to directly address those needs while finding practical charging and financing solutions for fleet operators. “, our goal is to make reliable charging more accessible for electric buses and trucks.”
The MoU between DRIVN and Jio-bp aims to accelerate commercial EV adoption by combining DRIVN’s fleet leasing expertise with Jio-bp’s EV charging network. The partnership will explore route and fleet-specific charging solutions, easy access to charging stations, preferential tariffs, turnkey charging projects and integrated financing solutions. The initiative focuses on building a scalable charging ecosystem to suit the operational needs of electric buses and trucks in major cities and highways.