⚡️⚡️Energizing India Podcast Alert! ⚡️⚡️ Bangalore's pollution- a victim of its own economic success. Can EVs change that? | Thirumalai NC, Sector Head - Strategic Studies at CSTEP In this episode of the Energizing India Podcast, we head to India’s tech capital — Bangalore — a city at the heart of innovation, but also at the edge of an infrastructure overload. With startups like Ola, Ather, and Exponent leading India’s clean mobility revolution, Bangalore is setting the stage for what’s to come ...
Apr 24, 2025•37 min•Ep. 66
In 2025, hydrogen is a darling of the energy sector. It represents hope for a greener tomorrow and the opportunity to democratize the energy generation industry, allowing any country to generate energy rather than being subject to the tyranny of the hydrocarbon molecule. Yet, it is underrepresented by women at the senior level and all levels of management globally. The Women Leaders in Hydrogen - India is a platform built to bring women in the industry together as a community to solve some of th...
Mar 08, 2025•29 min•Ep. 65
In this episode, we explore the intersection of policy and industry with a distinguished guest who plays a central role in advancing Australia's engagement with India. We are honored to welcome Phil Green, Australia's High Commissioner to India, and a seasoned diplomat with a remarkable career spanning four continents. Over the years, Phil has served as High Commissioner or Ambassador to Germany, Singapore, South Africa, and Kenya, amassing extensive international experience and a deep understan...
Jan 27, 2025•35 min•Ep. 64
In this episode, Vijay Gokhale, former Indian Foreign Secretary, offers a nuanced analysis of the evolving dynamics of geopolitics and global trade. He examines China's strategic maneuvers in supply chain control, its negotiation strategies, and the broader implications for international diplomacy. The episode also evaluates the potential repercussions of Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency, considering its impact on global trade and geopolitical stability. Join us for an insightful con...
Jan 20, 2025•31 min•Ep. 63
On Energizing India, we speak with key protagonists in the energy transition and clean mobility sectors to uncover what works, what often doesn’t, and to hear from those who have faced the toughest challenges. While we frequently discuss topics like lithium, hydrogen, and electric mobility, there is another part of the energy transition sector that quietly contributes to making the world a better place to live, even if it doesn’t grab the headlines or generate widespread excitement. In today’s e...
Dec 23, 2024•29 min•Ep. 62
In this episode, we welcome one of the key protagonists for both electric mobility and hydrogen energy in India: Amitabh Kant. A distinguished bureaucrat and policymaker, he is recognized for his substantial contributions to the development of the Indian economy. An alumnus of St. Stephen's College and JNU, he joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1980. Mr. Kant is renowned for his role in spearheading initiatives that have significantly impacted the economy, including Startup India,...
Oct 21, 2024•29 min•Ep. 61
India's population is projected to surpass China's in both overall numbers and population density in the coming years. This growth is particularly concentrated in urban areas, which are facing significant challenges. Traffic congestion, increased road stress, road rage, and heightened demand for utilities and essential services are adversely affecting the quality of life for residents. To improve the lived experience of citizens, it is crucial to address the challenges of urban mobility. In this...
Oct 07, 2024•20 min•Ep. 60
In his Independence Day address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed the government's commitment to establishing India as a global leader in green hydrogen through the National Green Hydrogen Mission. In just a year and a half, this mission has placed the hydrogen molecule at the forefront of discussions among energy developers, investors, policymakers, and industry leaders. The introduction of production-linked incentives, along with significant capital investment for electrolyzer manufactu...
Aug 26, 2024•25 min•Ep. 59
The Indian EV and energy transition sector has been in flux for the last three years. If you looked at it just three years ago, there were only a few thousand vehicles on the road. Since then, we've seen exponential growth: today, there are hundreds of thousands of electric two-wheelers, many thousands of three-wheelers, and thousands of new electric buses being added to the roads every year. Tata alone is targeting 150,000 electric cars this year. Today on the show, we talk to Uday Narang, CEO ...
Jul 30, 2024•41 min•Ep. 58
India has 326 million registered vehicles on the road in 2024. Seventy-five percent of these are two-wheelers, including scooters and motorcycles, down from 80% just four years ago. Approximately 12% of these are trucks and buses, with the vast majority being trucks, as only 2% of registered vehicles in India are buses. The fastest way to clean the air in Indian cities is to convert public transportation, including intra-city and intercity buses, to electric. The government has made significant ...
Jul 05, 2024•41 min•Ep. 57
In this episode, Vijay Gokhale, former Indian Foreign Secretary, delves into the complexities of global energy transitions and geopolitics. He discusses China’s rapid technological advancements, strategic geopolitical maneuvers, and the global implications of energy resource control. Gokhale also provides insights into India’s strategic positioning, technological growth, and the intricate balance of international relations. Join us for an engaging discussion on the challenges and opportunities s...
Jun 12, 2024•58 min•Ep. 56
In this episode, we talk to some of the biggest EV Charger OEMs in India, discussing the various challenges in the EV charging space and how Indian charger companies can dominate the global competition. We feature Arth PATEL, Founder & CEO of Tirex Chargers, and Amit KEKARE, Head of E-Mobility at Siemens, along with Ravin MIRCHANDANI, Chief Dream Merchant at Quench EV Chargers and the host of the Energizing India Podcast. This is a fun one!
May 30, 2024•57 min•Ep. 55
In 2024, hydrogen is a darling of the energy sector. It represents hope for a greener tomorrow and the opportunity to democratize the energy generation industry, allowing any country to generate energy rather than being subject to the tyranny of the hydrocarbon molecule. Yet, it is underrepresented by women at the senior level and all levels of management globally. The Women Leaders in Hydrogen - India is a platform built to bring women in the industry together as a community to solve some of th...
May 07, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 54
Harshavardhana Gourineni is an accomplished business leader who has made significant contributions to the growth and expansion of Amara Raja Energy and Mobility Limited. Harshavardhana has worked in various roles and industries, gaining a wide range of experience and expertise. After living in the US for 25 years, Harsha moved to India and was appointed as Executive Director of Amara Raja. In this role, he is responsible for leading the automotive and industrial business, which has a turnover of...
Mar 29, 2024•27 min•Ep. 53
Bicycles have been pivotal in revolutionizing transportation, offering efficient and accessible mobility for centuries. From enabling faster commutes to fostering leisurely exploration, bicycles have shaped modern society's connectivity and sustainability. But, in this age of electrification, can bicycles still be a part of our everyday lives? Today we have Aditya Oza and Sumedh Battewar, the co-founders of Emotorad, a very interesting startup based out of Pune, who are working on making this a ...
Mar 13, 2024•45 min•Ep. 52
Charge times, battery safety, and affordability are crucial - big obstacles that hinder the faster adoption of electric vehicles globally. In this episode, we engage with a remarkable company in India that is endeavoring to address these challenges in a unique way. Today, we speak with Dr. Akshay Singhal, Founder, and CEO of Log 9 Materials, who holds an honors degree in materials engineering from IIT Roorkee and is also a Forbes under 30 Asia honoree. Log 9 was founded in 2015, and in this time...
Feb 28, 2024•36 min•Ep. 51
Today, we speak with Sheetanshu Tyagi, co-founder of Emo Energy. Emo has developed Zen, a battery tech platform for net-zero solutions, boasting 100% fire safety, a swift 20-minute charge, and 120% extended battery life. Sheetanshu has a decade of expertise in the mobility sector, including roles with major OEMs like Rivian, Ather, and Ola, and is dedicated to creating a sustainable transport system for cleaner cities.
Feb 09, 2024•35 min•Ep. 50
As countries around the world rapidly accelerate their transition to clean energy and clean mobility, amidst all the celebrations of zero emissions, we persistently ask a set of uncomfortable questions. What would happen if all vehicles transitioned to electric? Can the grids in different countries handle such a massive shift? And will wait times for access to charges, and then to charge, become the norm? Today, we speak to a company addressing both of these challenges. In this episode, we turn ...
Jan 18, 2024•35 min•Ep. 49
Apart from causing a lot of traffic, commercial trucks play a very key role in running everyday life in India. However, over the years, these internal combustion engine (ICE) trucks have been major contributors to environmental pollution. Addressing this particular issue today, we have Rohan Shravan, the CEO at Tresa Motors—one of the few companies that is actively building intellectual property (IP) in India, and that too in a space largely dominated by legacy players. This is going to be a fun...
Jan 04, 2024•35 min•Ep. 48
Hydrogen is considered an energy source for mobility worldwide. However, it's essential to note that green hydrogen derives from solar, wind, or hydro power energy sources. It goes beyond just mobility and plays a crucial role in the energy transition by decarbonizing large manufacturing processes, particularly in industries like steel, cement, and paper that rely on gas for their furnaces. Additionally, hydrogen can contribute to achieving energy independence, especially for countries like Indi...
Nov 17, 2023•46 min•Ep. 47
On this show, we typically speak to protagonists who are making policy decisions, regulatory decisions, manufacturing cars, or running a power grid. Sometimes, they are involved in battery production or various aspects of the clean mobility value chain. Every now and then, we have the privilege to speak with super users of electric vehicles to discuss problems, challenges, opportunities, comparisons, and the joys of driving electric vehicles. Today, this is one of those special shows. We are spe...
Oct 21, 2023•33 min•Ep. 46
On the show, we rarely have the same guest visit twice. Today, we talk to a very special person who's coming on the show for the third time: none other than Vasudha Madhavan, CEO & Founder at Ostara Advisors. She is an investment banker who helps facilitate investments as well as M&A transactions in the Electric Vehicle Space. In this special episode, we talk about the Funding Winter, major deals this year from January to August, the categories that are doing well, and much more.
Sep 30, 2023•19 min•Ep. 45
The motorcycling spirit is a passion that runs deep. It's a love for the open road and the freedom it brings. It's the feeling of the wind against your skin and the rush of adrenaline in your heart. So, what would happen when a hardcore biker desires to challenge the age-old industry and aspires to build one of the most impressive motorcycles to come out of India? Today, we speak with Ranjita Ravi, the co-founder and CEO at Orxa Energies, who is building Mantis, an all-electric performance bike,...
Sep 12, 2023•42 min•Ep. 44
The EV revolution that we are witnessing globally right now has demonstrated that legacy players have been repeatedly caught off guard as new technologies were adopted earlier than they had anticipated. Whilst General Motors and Ford were sleeping, Tesla changed how people drive in America. Legacy car makers globally, even the super green European ones, had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the clean mobility era, more than 10 years after Tesla launched their first commercial car. In most...
Jul 14, 2023•42 min•Ep. 43
In this episode, we hit the road and have a conversation with Visakh Sasikumar, an entrepreneur who co-founded Fyn, a startup focused on end-to-end micro-electric mobility. Their approach involves leveraging data to enhance productivity during the last mile of delivery. Visakh, an alumnus of IIT Madras, envisions making last-mile zero-emission mobility more efficient through complete digitization. By blending technology with execution, he aims to facilitate rapid scale-up. Currently, he is activ...
Jun 15, 2023•28 min•Ep. 42
How often in your life do you get to meet someone who wants to design and launch a new car, an actual car? For many kids, particularly boys, the first ever drawing they make is often a car. But very few grow up with that dream to challenge an established industry that is over 100 years old and is dominated by giants. Today, we speak to someone who is actually doing that—designing and launching an electric car specifically for urban mobility in India. We speak with Nilesh Bajaj, co-founder & ...
May 15, 2023•35 min•Ep. 41
Today we are speaking with Vasudha Madhavan, the founder and CEO of Ostara Advisors, the first electric mobility and sustainability investment bank. Ostara Advisors has facilitated some of the pioneering investment deals in the sector, such as Greaves' acquisition of Ampere and Altigreen's raising of the largest private equity round in this space in India. Join us for a relaxed and fun conversation as we delve deep into the finance sector of EVs, discuss the various capital raised by EV startups...
Apr 20, 2023•22 min•Ep. 40
More often than not, we speak with people who bring to India a brilliant idea or technology from overseas. Today, our show features a subtle difference as we speak with the founder and CEO of a company that is swimming furiously against the trend. While the market is flooded with electric scooters being assembled by a myriad of companies in India, this company is making a fast, furious, and sexy electric motorcycle. They are producing a world-class product for consumers, designed and made here i...
Apr 11, 2023•33 min•Ep. 39
In today's episode, we are changing the pace and diving into the world of hydrogen. If you have been curious about the global hydrogen industry, how it works, and what it involves, this episode is especially for you. Today we go to Sweden to meet Nilsson Energy, a company that has developed a small-scale off-grid solution for generating hydrogen using solar or wind energy. This solution can help schools, communities, or even small towns to go off-grid and generate power 24/7 using 100% renewable...
Mar 21, 2023•34 min•Ep. 38
On our program, we have the opportunity, or perhaps the word is providence, to speak with some of the major protagonists and decision-makers in the electric mobility sector in India. More than ever we have enjoyed speaking with the senior team at MG Motor India, who so often bring an unfiltered and refreshing viewpoint on clean mobility. Today we welcome back to our program Gaurav GUPTA, Chief Commercial Officer of MG Motor India. His team recently commissioned a very interesting study through N...
Mar 16, 2023•37 min•Ep. 37
