Q1: Kazam has made significant strides in digitising EV charging infrastructure across India. Given that heavy-duty vehicle electrification is still nascent in India, what key technological, financial, or infrastructural barriers must be addressed to accelerate the adoption of heavy electric vehicles? Additionally, could you share your plans or ongoing projects aimed at supporting the electrification of heavy-duty vehicles, such as buses, trucks and other commercial fleets?

Kazam currently powers 20 million green kilometers every month across all vehicle segments. When we first started, we helped 2 and 3 wheeler e-commerce fleets adapt to the electric mobility transition and gradually moved to last mile logistics and car fleets. In the last 6 months, there have been significant advancements in India’s heavy vehicle electrification - supported both by the government and private players. Kazam has been able to use its learnings to develop specialised software modules to digitalise full fleet and depot operations, giving bus OEMs greater control on their energy utilisation. A few challenges that the industry is working to overcome are-

Technological Barriers:

The current generation of electric buses and trucks (Gen 1 EVs) still face challenges in vehicle efficiency, battery pack optimization, and safety. While these vehicles serve as an initial stepping stone, the transition to Gen 2 models will bring significant improvements in range, reliability, and overall performance. Additionally, charging infrastructure and grid management solutions must evolve to meet the high energy demands of heavy-duty EVs. Smart charging, dynamic load balancing, and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities will be critical to ensuring seamless operations, and we are seeing more takers for Kazam’s advanced charging software.

Financial Barriers:

Most electric buses operate on a per-kilometer model, with private OEMs bidding for operational contracts. However, many operators and OEMs lack the financial bandwidth to deploy vehicles at scale. The demand for commercial EVs currently outweighs supply, further straining the ecosystem. Greater financial incentives, flexible leasing models, and government-backed funding mechanisms will be essential to accelerating deployment.

Infrastructural Barriers:

While the government provides grid infrastructure up to the LT panel (415V), operators are responsible for wiring, panel installations, and charger procurement. Many OEMs-turned-operators lack expertise in selecting the right charging solutions, understanding maintenance requirements, and ensuring infrastructure scalability for long-term contracts (10+ years). Addressing these gaps requires standardized charging protocols, proactive maintenance strategies, and education on long-term infrastructure planning.

Kazam is actively working on solutions to enable the large-scale electrification of commercial fleets, including buses and trucks. Our approach includes:

• Smart Charging Solutions: We offer intelligent charger management systems (CMS) that optimize energy distribution, implement dynamic tariffs, and ensure real-time monitoring of charger performance. We’ve saved around 10-15% of energy costs by shifting energy between ToD and non ToD tariffs.
• Energy Management Systems: Our approach is to look at the whole electrification piece as an ecosystem building opportunity. Not only does Kazam’s software suite focus on maximising the e-buses time on road, it also ensures efficient grid utilization, load balancing, and predictive maintenance to prevent downtimes. Kazam monitors this energy from the grid to the vehicle to find efficiencies in the whole process. In the past year, we’ve worked hard to build standards and benchmarks for this new industry at the depot level.
• Fleet Electrification Support: We collaborate with fleet operators and OEMs to integrate scalable charging infrastructure tailored to heavy-duty vehicle needs. This would mean we set up the charging infrastructure, help with energy directing, charger maintenance, driver authentication, revenue management, and maximising savings as well as revenue.
• Turnkey Infrastructure Solutions: From charger selection to deployment and maintenance, we help operators build reliable, long-term charging networks.

We are working with distribution companies (DISCOMs), think tanks, and other government agencies, such as NITI Aayog, to set the right guidelines for this space.

Q2: Grid stability remains a critical concern with the large-scale adoption of electric vehicles, particularly given the stress placed on India’s electricity grid in peak seasons.

a) Considering India’s unique energy mix, what are the most effective ways to ensure that the transition to electric trucking is not just zero-emission at the tailpipe but also sustainable in terms of energy sourcing and grid management?

By leveraging solar energy during peak generation hours, energy can be stored in Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and utilized during non-solar hours. This reduces dependence on fossil fuel-based grid electricity, balances load fluctuations, and minimizes strain on the grid during peak demand periods.

Kazam’s intelligent charging solutions dynamically adjust power consumption based on grid availability and energy pricing can prevent sudden spikes in demand. Load balancing and time-of-use (ToU) charging strategies will be essential to optimize energy distribution without overwhelming the grid.

Decentralized solar and wind-powered microgrids at logistics hubs and depots can reduce dependency on centralized grid infrastructure. Pairing EV charging with renewable generation at the point of consumption minimizes transmission losses and enhances energy security.

Encouraging EV operators to procure green energy through open access policies, renewable energy credits (RECs), and power purchase agreements (PPAs) will further drive sustainability in electric trucking.

By integrating these strategies, the transition to electric buses and trucks in India can be both environmentally responsible and grid-resilient, ensuring a stable, clean, and efficient energy ecosystem.

b) How does Kazam's Charging Management System (CMS) address the challenges of electricity demand regulation to maintain long-term grid stability, particularly with the high energy requirements of electric buses and trucks?

Kazam’s Charging Management System (CMS) ensures grid stability for electric buses and trucks through Dynamic Load Balancing (DLB), smart demand regulation, and renewable energy integration. We have been using the DLB to distribute charging power based on grid conditions, preventing demand surges. Predictive analytics and peak shaving shift charging to off-peak hours, lowering costs and avoiding grid overload. Renewable integration with BESS enables solar energy storage for sustainable charging. Designed for scalability, the CMS optimizes charger utilization, route and charging schedules, and revenue management, ensuring high uptime and uninterrupted fleet operations.

Q3: Unlike passenger EVs, commercial fleets require high uptime and seamless charging access. In your view, what kind of charging infrastructure—battery swapping, fast charging, or a hybrid model—would be the most practical and scalable solution for India’s logistics and transport sector?

India’s complex logistics and transport sector requires a hybrid charging approach—combining battery swapping, fast charging, and slow charging—for scalability and efficiency. Battery swapping minimizes downtime for last-mile and high-utilization fleets but demands standardization and infrastructure investment. Fast charging is crucial for long-haul trucks and buses, enabling quick energy replenishment at depots but requiring careful battery management. Slow charging is cost-effective for fleets with fixed schedules, extending battery life but unsuitable for high-mileage operations. A balanced mix of these solutions ensures optimal uptime, cost efficiency, and long-term fleet sustainability.

Q4: As Kazam’s footprint continues to expand, have any collaborations or partnerships been established with public transportation agencies, logistics companies, or fleet operators to facilitate the transition to zero-emission mobility?

Kazam has established collaborations with leading electric bus fleet operators such as PMI, GreenCell Mobility, and other vehicle OEMs to support large-scale fleet electrification. We are working closely with logistics companies and fleet operators like Magenta, Mahindra Logistics, Zypp, Kadam Mobility, Zevo, Zen Mobility and more to integrate scalable charging solutions for last-mile delivery fleets.

Q5: As heavy-duty vehicle electrification progresses, what innovations in financing models—such as pay-per-use charging, battery leasing, or energy-as-a-service—could help overcome cost barriers and accelerate adoption?

High upfront costs for electric trucks, buses, and charging infrastructure remain key barriers to adoption. EaaS eliminates capital investment by allowing fleet operators to pay a fixed or usage-based fee for energy, mirroring the ICE fuel model. Pay-per-use charging enables flexible, scalable operations, optimizing costs with smart charging and dynamic pricing. Battery leasing reduces upfront vehicle costs by separating battery ownership, while swapping models ensure uptime for high-mileage fleets. Kazam’s team essentially acts as energy consultants for players looking to transition to New Energy by making recommendations on their fleet and charger make up, providing infra and servicing personnel, and also turning real-time data into functional business decision making metrics for the most efficient energy use.

Q6: Looking ahead, how is India’s EV charging ecosystem expected to evolve over the next 5-10 years, particularly for commercial and heavy-duty vehicles? What key lessons from global markets can be adapted to the Indian landscape?

The Indian government has been extremely supportive of this evolution and is expected to introduce standardized charging protocols for heavy-duty EVs, ensuring interoperability across OEMs and reducing infrastructure fragmentation. Different markets in the world have seen different models of ownership when it comes to large-scale infrastructure deployment. In India, we believe public-private partnerships (PPPs) are a great way to drive sustainable change.

The best part is that utility companies have shown eagerness to drive renewable energy integration and further enhance grid stability and streamline operations for bus and trucking fleets. Kazam’s work with the Unified Energy Interface (UEI) alliance has given us the opportunity to present real-life solutions to government stakeholders and receive intent for collaboration across the country.

Background of Kazam

Founded in 2020, Kazam is building the gateway to mobility’s transition to new energy. With a robust portfolio of hardware and software solutions, Kazam powers over 20 million electric kilometers every month across 15 countries. Partnering with OEMs, fleets, and CPOs, Kazam enables businesses to scale in the EV ecosystem. Driven by innovation, climate-focused talent, and initiatives like the Unified Energy Interface alliance, Kazam is shaping the future of sustainable energy and e-mobility.