Bengaluru based EV charging startup, BOLT has launched a new smart and universal EV charging socket at an introductory price of Rs. 2,599. The BOLT Lite socket is compatible with all portable chargers that come with any electric vehicle (EV) and works with the existing AC power supply at home or office. For your perspective, it's just like android-powered mobile handset chargers that support a variety of mobile phones. The company is primarily targeting the electric two-wheeler segment for its new Lite charging socket. That said, the BOLT Lite is compatible with electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers and electric cars as well.
BOLT says that the unit requires no additional infrastructure and can be installed in under 30 minutes with little to no maintenance. It offers dual-layer of protection with an in-built MCB auto-cut functionality, It automatically switches off electrical circuits during any abnormal condition in the electrical network such as overload and short circuit conditions. BOLT Lite is IP65 certified and therefore provides complete protection from dust, oil, water and other non-corrosive material. Moreover, BOLT Lite is India's first smart charging socket that is IoT-enabled and helps connect EV users across the country. It comes with an energy calculator to monitor the power consumption and owners can choose to switch the device status between 'public' and 'private'. Public charging sockets are open to other EV users and can be bookied on the BOLT app, helping the owner with some passive income. The charging sockets marked as 'private' are exclusively used by the owners and can be operated with or without the app, and supports both Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and WiFi communication.
Mohit Yadav, Cofounder, BOLT said, "As of today, the number of EVs sold in India has already surpassed the number of EVs overall sold in 2021. A robust and pervasive charging infrastructure, both at home and in public spaces is key for rapid adoption of EVs in India. At BOLT, we first solved the issue of public charging of EVs by installing 15,000+ BOLT charging points in 300+ cities. The current usage of a standard 15A socket to charge EVs at home can damage the vehicle, battery and the charger due to uncontrolled charging, exposure to extreme temperatures or unexpected power surges. Now with BOLT Lite, we are addressing the various challenges faced by a user while charging EV at home and have designed an affordable solution which enables safe and smart charging at home. We envisage BOLT Lite charging sockets in the home of every EV user across India and are committed to making EVs smart, safe, connected and ready for the future."
BOLT has partnered with more than 25 OEMs globally, including seven out of the top 10 OEMs in India and aims to build a safe, smart and connected ecosystem for electric vehicles.
