Statiq, founded in 2019 by Akshit Bansal and Raghav Arora, is an electric vehicle (EV) charging network that allows users to locate and book EV chargers in public places such as shopping malls, parking lots, gas stations and highways. The company’s mobile application allows individuals to charge their EVs conveniently at public places. The app also facilitates remote and seamless payment.
The start-up, headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana, creates and aggregates its own smart EV chargers as well as public EV chargers. The idea of Statiq was envisaged with a vision to make sustainable transportation a reality in India. Since its inception, Statiq has collaborated with multiple stakeholders to build India’s smartest charging network to bridge the EV charging station infrastructure gap. It raised $2.4 million in 2019, followed by another round of funding in 2020. Statiq joined Y Combinator’s S20 batch and was incubated with NASSCOM 10,000 start-ups. The company conducts 700 weekly charging sessions and is growing by 10 per cent per week. The EV charging network has also been selected as part of Tech30 to build a smart public charging network.
Growth strategy
Statiq claims to have installed over 600 charging stations in over 40 cities. It has collaborated with companies such as NoBroker Hood, WeWork and Airtel. In 2021, Statiq planned to launch as many charging stations as feasible in strategic locations to strengthen its network. The charging stations at Hotel Highway Express Delhi Side, Behror, Rajasthan, on NH48; Krishna Hansraj Hotel on Old Hoshiarpur Road, Una; Savoy Greens, Jabli, Himachal Pradesh, on NH-58; and Fun and Food Carnival, Khatauli Bypass, Bhainsi, Uttar Pradesh, on NH-58 were selected due to their location on busy routes with heavy traffic. The Rani Bagh Resort Charger is strategically located on NH-58, just prior to the diversion towards Udaipur and Jodhpur for visitors travelling from Jaipur. The model installed is a 50 kW Dual Gun DC CCS fast charger by Delta. Another station is at Suket Café in Pungh, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, on NH-21. It extends EV connectivity for those commuting from Delhi to Manali and back.
All charging stations set up by Statiq are in close proximity to food and beverage joints, keeping in mind EV users’ comfort of grabbing a bite while the car charges. There is a large traveller population in DelhiNCR that travels to the mountains or deserts depending on the weather and that has been an important factor in the company’s choice of charger locations.
Recent developments
In April 2022, Ather Energy, an electric scooter manufacturer, partnered with Statiq to enhance and share the EV charging network operated by both companies in the northern region of the country, with a special emphasis on NCR. Both the companies will together install more charging infrastructure across north India, enabling EV owners to travel stress free without range concerns. Recently, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and Statiq entered into a collaboration to set up over 200 charging stations across the highways of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Uttarakhand. The company stated that 10,000 such chargers will be established by the end of 2022.
In January 2022, Statiq set up its first installation in south India. The company inaugurated a full-stack charging station at
Forum Fiza Mall, Mangaluru, where one can charge two-, three- and four-wheelers. Earlier, Statiq inaugurated EV charging stations in Una and Jabli in Himachal Pradesh. The EV charging station in Una is at Krishna Hansraj Hotel on Old Hoshiar pur Road, and it is equipped with one 20 kW CCS DC charger. The EV charging station in Jabli is at Savoy Greens. It is equipped with one 20 kW CCS DC charger and one 7.7 kW charging unit.
Outlook
In the long run, Statiq intends to eliminate all problems regarding EV charging while travelling, whether within the city limits or outside. It aims to provide adequate charging assistance.
By Anusshka Duggal
