HPCL-Pulse Energy tie-up marries the vehicular with the vascular. Here’s how…

Pulse Energy, a payments-first EV charging platform, has announced a strategic partnership with HPe Charge, the EV charging brand of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), to integrate HPCL’s network of over 5,000 EV chargers into Pulse Energy’s interoperable access and payments platform.

The integration enables EV drivers to discover, access and pay for charging across HPCL’s stations through a single interface.

With this partnership, HPCL joins a growing ecosystem of charging operators accessible through Pulse Energy, including Shell, ChargeZone, BESCOM, Thunderplus, and other regional and national networks.

While India’s EV push has largely focused on accelerating charger deployments, Pulse Energy has taken a different approach, simplifying how drivers interact with existing infrastructure.

The platform currently supports over 18 million electric kilometres driven every month across partner networks, achieved without owning charging assets or offering energy discounts.

“India doesn’t have an EV range anxiety problem, it has an access problem,” said Akhil Jayaprakash, co-founder of Pulse Energy. “We’re slowly building the infrastructure no one sees, but everyone uses.”

HPCL, one of India’s most widely distributed energy companies, has been rapidly expanding its EV charging footprint across highways, fuel stations, and urban centres under the HPe Charge brand.

The integration with Pulse Energy significantly broadens real-world charging access, particularly for intercity and long-distance EV travel.

For EV drivers, the partnership reduces friction by minimising the need for multiple apps and payment systems.

For operators, it improves utilisation of existing infrastructure. At an ecosystem level, it reflects a gradual but important shift from network competition toward collaboration, a transition many industry stakeholders believe is necessary for mass EV adoption in India.

As the EV market matures, such behind-the-scenes integrations may prove just as important as visible charger rollouts in shaping how seamlessly electric mobility works across the country.