[TusharK]

Hopcharge has launched an on-demand, doorstep, EV fast-charging service in Gurgaon.



Having completed a pilot run in parts of Gurgaon, the company now plans to deploy Hopcharge across all major metropolitan cities in the coming months.

Hopcharge aims to address the challenges of unavailability of charging facilities, slow charging at home and productive time being consumed to charge vehicles by deploying its patented modular rapid charging systems. It is said to offer a virtual energy cloud for EV owners, which synchronizes with the grid to balance the supply and demand of energy.

The company offers multiple ad hoc and subscription models like HopchargeX and Hopcharge Xpresso. Customers can book the on-demand charging service through an Android or iOS app.

Link to Team-BHP News

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by TusharK

Hopcharge has launched an on-demand, doorstep, EV fast-charging service in Gurgaon.

Doesn't look like a practical option unless they have got some special high speed charging stuff inbuild. Not sure about the technology either, battery to battery charging or battery to AC and than to battery or DG Set charging.

Besides the costs, doesn’t look practical to get an outside paid help for charging

Best case scenario, can work as RSA for stranded electric vehicles!

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Doesn't look like a practical option unless they have got some special high speed charging stuff inbuild.

Besides the costs, doesn’t look practical to get an outside paid help for charging

Best case scenario, can work as RSA for stranded electric vehicles!

The news suggests that it does indeed have fast charging capability too.

Agree that RSA is definitely one clear end use. But there will be a certain section of users for whom even daily usage will be on some paid basis. For instance apartment block solutions where your charging facility does not link to your own meter but has a third party vendor solution for the apartment based on a fee structure.

For someone completely dependent on such arrangements, the above service - if priced at a marginal premium to the fixed point solutions to account for its mobility service factor - may still have some demand.

For instance if I want to do Mumbai - Pune in an EV but don’t want to kill time at a fixed point charging station and head straight to my client meeting / office, I could pre-order this to charge my vehicle at the client / meeting site.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by Axe77

The news suggests that it does indeed have fast charging capability too.

Will like to know more about the technology, a fast charger that can be put inside the Van. I feel fast charging, in this case, will be more like what hybrids mean to Maruti currently

the above service - if priced at a marginal premium to the fixed point solutions to account for its mobility service factor - may still have some demand.

It can’t cost the same or a little higher, has to be very high. You have to factor expenses of the Van, driver, support staff and the charging infrastructure plus the expenses on actual power that’s going to charge or run whatever is inside that van, which I am unable to find any details.

Definitely curious to know more.

Edit - It’s for cars too from the news-

The startup is addressing the challenges of unavailability of charging facilities, slow charging at home and productive time being consumed to charge vehicles, by deploying it’s unique made-in-India, patented, rapid charging technology that enables modular and mobile charging infrastructure that augments local grid, minimises expensive grid upgrade and saves productive time for EV owners, it said in a press statement.

https://www.freepressjournal.in/busi...arging-service

We have built custom hardware which has a battery and a high power charger, just like the chargers which you find at the fast-charging stations. The custom hardware is then fitted inside CNG vans to add mobility to it, and enabling the flexibility to charge on-demand at any location,” he added.

The charging service will be priced somewhere between petrol charges and slow-charging EV costs. “We are aiming to keep it less than 50 percent to 60 percent from the petrol kilometre cost but 20 percent to 30 percent higher than the slow charging,”

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com...le36245311.ece

[anandhsub]

I don't understand how their charging point is powered and their website doesn't have much info.

Do they have some mechanism by which they can tap the power supply even if you don't have a power point?

Or do they have some massive batteries inside the vehicle to charge the EV or is it the van's engine that powers the charging point that in turn charges the EV.

Seems quite inefficient.

[sathyasuri]

Instead they could look at hop and swap battery option. Something like a mobile battery swap for the recently launched Bounce Infinity scooter.

[AutoNoob]

Tata Motors is providing similar on-road fast charging service as part of RSA for it's EV fleet.

I remember watching the same on a youtube channel. Not able to recall the name. The vlogger is from Pune.

[pram_ind]

Originally Posted by AutoNoob

Tata Motors is providing similar on-road fast charging service as part of RSA for it's EV fleet.

I remember watching the same on a Youtube channel. Not able to recall the name. The vlogger is from Pune.

I think you are referring to Noise Factory videos.

Link :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFfba6Y2DzE

[aashishnb]

Originally Posted by anandhsub

I don't understand how their charging point is powered and their website doesn't have much info.

Do they have some mechanism by which they can tap the power supply even if you don't have a power point?

Or do they have some massive batteries inside the vehicle to charge the EV or is it the van's engine that powers the charging point that in turn charges the EV.

Seems quite inefficient.

Maybe this will make sense if they can plonk a miniaturized nuclear plant / fuel cell plant on the van.

Seem to recollect the earlier versions of fuel cell vehicles were huge vans with 2 seats.