Andhra Pradesh inks EV deal that will create 5,000 jobs
What's the story
Andhra Pradesh has signed a ₹515 crore deal with ThunderPlus, ETO Motors, and Roqit to set up an electric vehicle (EV) charging network across the state. The ambitious project is expected to create over 5,000 jobs in total. This includes direct employment for 1,450 people and indirect employment for another 3,100. The consortium has also promised dedicated job opportunities for women in areas such as fleet operations, charging station management, customer support services, and mobility management roles.
Infrastructure development
ThunderPlus to establish state's charging infrastructure
ThunderPlus, the lead partner in this consortium, will be responsible for establishing the state's charging infrastructure. The plan includes installing 120kW chargers every 25km and 1MW ultra-fast chargers every 100km on highways and intercity corridors. The company already has a 3MW charging hub in Vijayawada and smaller facilities in Nellajarla and Visakhapatnam.
Project rollout
Implementation to begin in 2 clusters
The implementation of this project will start in two clusters: Amaravati Capital Region (Gannavaram Airport, Vijayawada, Amaravati, and Guntur) and Visakhapatnam Urban Region (NAD Junction, Pendurty, Simhachalam, and Dwarakanagar). These areas will be the first to see the state's multi-modal EV shuttle network. The consortium also plans to integrate EV manufacturing with city/intercity operations and charging infrastructure.
Tech integration
Unified digital ticketing system to be developed
Roqit will develop a unified digital ticketing system to connect different modes of transport through a single app. Rajeev YSR, CEO of ThunderPlus Solutions, said this partnership is a major step toward making Andhra Pradesh India's clean mobility capital. Nirmal Reddy, CEO of ETO Motors, emphasized that they are building an integrated system that improves daily commuting for lakhs of citizens.