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  • Spiro appointed former Indofast Energy CEO Anant Barjatya as Group CEO.

    Spiro appointed former Indofast Energy CEO Anant Barjatya as Group CEO.

    Spiro, Africa’s leading electric mobility company, has appointed Anant Badjatya as its new Group Chief Executive Officer, strengthening its leadership team as the company accelerates its next phase of growth across the continent.

    The appointment follows Spiro’s recent historic equity raise of US$215 million, which is expected to support the company’s ambitious Pan-African expansion strategy and further strengthen its position in the rapidly growing electric mobility sector.

    Badjatya has over two decades of leadership experience in India, the Middle East and Africa with a proven track record of building and expanding businesses in the electric mobility, energy and industrial sectors. Most recently, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Indofast Energy, a joint venture between IndianOil and Sun Mobility.

    During his tenure at Indofast Energy, Badjatya led the creation of one of India’s largest battery-swapping ecosystems, expanding the network to over 1,800 stations and supporting nearly 90,000 vehicles every day. His experience in developing large-scale clean mobility infrastructure is expected to play a key role in Spiro’s continued expansion and operational growth.

    As Group CEO, Badzatya will oversee Spiro’s strategic growth initiatives across Africa while driving innovation, operational excellence and market expansion. The company also plans to further strengthen its technology and engineering capabilities in India under his leadership with a focus on strengthening its technology centers in Pune and Bengaluru.

    The appointment comes at a significant moment for Spiro following its historic US$215 million financing round, one of the largest investments ever made in Africa’s electric mobility sector. As Spiro accelerates its mission to transform mobility across Africa, Infinite’s broad mandate will span battery swapping, leasing, logistics, energy and vehicle manufacturing. As CEO Mobility, Kaushik Barman will continue to further strengthen Spiro’s leadership and fleet across Spiro’s 7 existing markets and beyond.

    Under Mr. Badjatya’s leadership, Spiro aims to significantly strengthen its India technology centers – both Pune which serves as the hub for automotive innovation, and Bengaluru, Spiro’s hub for innovation in technology. With over 100 headcount already, the Pune Tech Center is set for rapid expansion, creating high-value jobs in EV powertrain design, battery management systems (BMS). The Bengaluru hub, which already has 50+ people, will develop IoT-enabled cloud platforms and pilot R&D localization efforts in Kenya and Nigeria.

    Gagan Gupta, Founder and Chairman of Spiro, said: “As Spiro accelerates its mission to transform mobility across Africa through clean, affordable and accessible electric transportation solutions, Anant will strengthen the group’s strategic initiatives and guide the company through the next chapter of growth and execution in mobility, energy and technology.”

    Commenting on his appointment, Anant Badjatya said: “Africa represents the most exciting frontier for electric mobility. Spiro has built a unique platform and is exceptionally well-positioned to accelerate the transition to cleaner and more accessible mobility across the continent. I look forward to working with our teams, partners and stakeholders to drive the next phase of growth and impact.”

  • Battery Smart by AWS | AutoguideIndia hosts ‘HackSmart’ tech hackathon for the first time in collaboration with AutoguideIndia

    Battery Smart by AWS | AutoguideIndia hosts ‘HackSmart’ tech hackathon for the first time in collaboration with AutoguideIndia

    Battery Smart, India’s largest battery-swapping network for electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers, has successfully concluded its first technology hackathon, ‘HackSmart’, organized in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS).

    Aiming to address real-world challenges in clean mobility, the hackathon focused on innovation in battery intelligence, EV operations and cloud-scale infrastructure. HackSmart attracted over 1,000 registrations across the country, with over 200 participants selected from leading engineering institutes including IITs, BITS, NITs and other premier universities.

    The hackathon began on January 31, 2026 and culminated in an intense 24-hour build sprint supported by engineers from Battery Smart and AWS. The participants showcased their solutions through demo-based presentations, which were evaluated by a jury comprising Battery Smart leadership and technology experts. The top five teams were chosen as winners.

    Commenting on the initiative, Tejasav Khattar, Senior Vice President – ​​Engineering, Data & Product, Battery Smart, said, “HackSmart underlines our commitment to advance clean mobility while nurturing India’s innovation ecosystem. The quality of ideas and execution displayed by the participants was exceptional and reinforces our focus on leveraging AI- and ML-powered solutions to address battery management and grid-readiness challenges.”

    The event concluded with the announcement of winners, prize distribution and a networking session, giving participants the opportunity to connect directly with Battery Smart’s engineering and leadership teams. The top three teams received non-cash prizes including PlayStation 5, GoPro Hero 12 and Marshall Speaker, along with cash prizes up to ₹2 lakh and opportunities for pre-placement interviews at Battery Smart.

    With a network of 1,600+ battery swap stations across 50+ cities and over 270,000 IoT-enabled batteries, Battery Smart said it will continue initiatives like HackSmart to strengthen its cloud, data and AI capabilities, while building a strong pipeline of future-ready engineering talent aligned with India’s clean mobility mission.

  • Battery Smart crosses 100 million EV battery swaps, announces ₹10 crore driver welfare fund |

    Battery Smart crosses 100 million EV battery swaps, announces ₹10 crore driver welfare fund |

    Battery Smart has achieved a historic milestone in India’s electric mobility journey by becoming the first company in the country to complete 100 million EV battery swaps. This achievement extends to electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers across its nationwide network, underscoring the rapid adoption of battery-swapping solutions in India.

    Reaching this milestone in less than five years since its inception, Battery Smart’s growth reflects India’s growing shift towards clean, affordable and accessible electric mobility. The company’s success is driven by its technology-based, scalable and pan-India battery-swapping model, with strong ecosystem partnerships and a focus on cost efficiency. Today, it is estimated that Battery Smart powers approximately 70% of India’s battery swapping infrastructure.

    To further strengthen its commitment towards the EV ecosystem, Battery Smart also announced a ₹10 crore EV Driver Welfare Fund to be launched in 2026, aimed at supporting the well-being and livelihood of EV drivers across the country.

    To celebrate this achievement and strengthen its commitment towards drivers, Battery Smart also launched Driver Welfare Fund 2026, a ₹10 crore initiative aimed at enhancing the social and economic security of its driver community. The fund will provide insurance and financial protection, referral and reward programs, free swaps, skill development and community inclusion initiatives, benefiting approximately 1 lakh EV drivers.

    Speaking on the milestone, Pulkit Khurana and Siddharth Sikka, co-founders of Battery Smart, said, “Crossing 100 million swaps is a milestone not only for us, but for EV adoption in India. It demonstrates the potential of battery swapping to make clean mobility accessible, affordable and inclusive on a large scale. Each swap represents a choice, a driver who chooses clean mobility over combustion, providing reassurance over worries and long waits.” This achievement is thanks to our community of drivers, battery swap station partners, investors and policy makers who believed that battery swapping could be successful in India.

    Looking ahead, the Driver Wellbeing Fund reinforces our commitment to the community that made it possible. As we move forward, we are focused on strengthening India’s EV mobility backbone powered by smart IoT batteries, more efficient station operations and stronger safety systems. This milestone is just the beginning, and together, we are building the future of clean mobility for India,” said Siddharth Sikka, Co-Founder, Battery Smart, sharing his thoughts.

    Battery Smart has also built an inclusive EV ecosystem with over 5,000 women drivers and over 250 women partners, promoting diverse participation in India’s clean mobility journey. Its technology stack enables predictive maintenance, minimizing downtime for drivers, a key factor in the gig economy where every hour counts. Leveraging IoT-enabled batteries and real-time monitoring, the company ensures high uptime and reliable swapping experience across the country, allowing drivers to swap anytime, anywhere.

    Looking ahead, Battery Smart plans to expand to 100 more cities by 2026, deploy thousands of additional swap stations, and increase daily swaps to meet the growing demand from commercial EV operators. The roadmap also includes investments in next-generation safety systems and advanced IoT intelligence, while the company continues to collaborate with regulators and industry stakeholders to accelerate India’s clean mobility transformation.

  • Battery Smart leads India’s EV revolution, crosses 50 million battery swaps |

    Battery Smart leads India’s EV revolution, crosses 50 million battery swaps |

    Battery Smart, India’s largest battery swapping network for electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers, has completed 50 million battery swaps on its network. This achievement is a first for the country and underlines Battery Smart’s position as a leading and trusted player in the electric vehicle (EV) industry.

    In less than five years, Battery Smart has rapidly expanded its network to over 1,400 swapping stations across India. By adopting a partner-led strategy that leverages existing infrastructure, Battery Smart not only accelerates its expansion, but also supports local businesses, increasing EV penetration, especially in Tier 1 to Tier 3 areas where Charging infrastructure is limited.

    Commenting on this achievement, Pulkit Khurana, Co-Founder and CEO, Battery Smart, says, “Achieving 50 million battery swaps is not just a milestone for us, it is a testament to our determination to make EV adoption both accessible and affordable. Shows commitment. The success of our battery-swapping model lies in its ability to solve the key challenges faced by EV users. By offering fast, two-minute swaps, we eliminate range anxiety and help drivers earn more. This, combined with the cost-effective nature of our service, has made EVs a more attractive option for a wide range of consumers. We are grateful to our partners, customers and the government for supporting battery swapping as India moves towards sustainable mobility.”

    Battery Smart eliminates the need for end users to store batteries, reducing upfront EV costs by up to 40%. By subscribing to Battery Smart’s network, drivers get easy access to a fully charged battery on the go. Battery Smart’s female drivers, who are 3-4 times the industry average, have benefited significantly, enjoying greater financial freedom and more employment opportunities in the growing EV sector.

    As EV battery-swapping is gaining momentum, the timing to boost the adoption of electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers in India aligns perfectly with the PM e-Drive scheme, which recently launched a phase-out for battery swapping. Complemented by power ministry guidelines that support a strong EV ecosystem.