Energizing India Podcast

EP 68 | India’s EV charging story is entering its toughest phase — execution | Kartikeya Hariyani, Founder & CEO of ChargeZone

Five years ago, EV charging in India was a promise… today, it’s a battlefield. Billions of dollars committed, networks being built at speed, and yet—range anxiety, broken chargers, and questions on profitability still linger. The hype phase is over. This is now about execution, resilience, and who actually survives the decade. My guest today isn’t theorising about this transition—he’s building it. Brick by brick. Charger by charger. For the third time on Energizing India, I’m joined by Kartikey Hariyani, founder and CEO of ChargeZone—one of India’s largest independent EV charging networks, taking on giants and redefining what scale looks like in this space. Kartikey, welcome back—this one’s going to be fun. In this podcast Episode, Chargezone CEO Kartik Harani discusses the rapid maturation of India's electric vehicle charging sector as it transitions from a growth phase to an execution-focused grind. He debunks the misconception that network size equals success, emphasizing instead that energy sales, reliability, and supercharging capabilities are the true drivers of profitability. Harani highlights Chargezone’s shift toward ultra-fast intercity infrastructure and its "open access" strategy that serves both personal cars and commercial fleets. The conversation also explores how India can achieve national energy security by following China’s integrated approach to electrification, particularly through subsidizing electric trucks. Looking toward 2030, Harani envisions a consolidated market where traditional banking capital and innovative franchise models fuel expansion. He concludes by sharing his bold vision for sustainable microgrids, aiming to control the entire lifecycle of an electron from solar generation to vehicle propulsion.

EP 67 | Geopolitics has returned to the centre of the energy conversation. | Pramit Pal CHAUDHURI

Over the past decade, the energy transition has largely been framed as a technology and capital story—batteries getting cheaper, EV adoption accelerating, hydrogen scaling, and climate capital flowing across borders. But in the last few months, something fundamental has shifted. Geopolitics is back at the center of energy. The escalating conflict involving Iran, the return of a more protectionist and unpredictable United States under President Trump, and the increasingly assertive roles of China and Russia are no longer distant headlines—they are now shaping supply chains, energy prices, and strategic decisions in boardrooms across the world. For CEOs in the energy transition space, this raises urgent questions: Are we entering a new era of energy fragmentation? Will supply chains be redrawn along political lines? And most importantly—how should businesses prepare for a world where geopolitics, not just economics, drives outcomes? To help us unpack this, I’m delighted to welcome Pramit Pal Chaudhary. Pramit is one of India’s most respected voices on geopolitics and global strategy. He has been a foreign policy advisor to the Indian government, a senior fellow at leading global think tanks, and a long-time analyst of how power, policy, and economics intersect. Today, we go beyond headlines—to explore the tectonic shifts shaping the future of energy, and what they mean for India and the world. (00:00:15) Introduction: The Fundamental Shift: Geopolitics Returns to Energy (00:01:57) Is the World Entering an Era of Permanent Conflict? (00:05:51) Assessing the Escalating Iran-US-Israel Conflict Dynamics (00:11:13) Unpacking Trump's Personal Animus and Iran Strategy (00:17:29) Decades of Missteps: Why US Foreign Policy Fails (00:23:30) China's Strategic Advantage in Energy Independence (00:25:58) Tiptoeing Around Global Energy Infrastructure Attacks (00:29:49) India's LPG Crisis and Long-Term Energy Security (00:35:30) India's Regional Energy Role and LPG Supply Challenges (00:40:01) Modi's Israel Visit and Rules of Naval Warfare (00:47:37) How China and Russia Benefit from Global Instability (00:52:49) Lessons from Conflict for Taiwan Strait Scenarios (00:54:49) Preparing for Geopolitical Risks: Advice for Energy CEOs (01:01:52) Energizing India Podcast: Episode Conclusion and Credits

EP 66 | Designing Cities for People, Not Just Cars: Rethinking Urban Mobility with Zohra MUTABANNA

Designing Cities for People, Not Just Cars: Rethinking Urban Mobility with Zohra MUTABANNA What happens when we plug electric vehicles into cities that were never built for them? Urban designer Zohra Mutabanna joins us to unpack the real design challenges of India’s mobility future...from shared transport to the Avoid-Shift-Improve model, and how our cities can evolve into living, breathing ecosystems instead of chaotic grids. Welcome to the Energising India Podcast. On this program, we engage with the key protagonists shaping the future of energy, mobility, and sustainability within India and globally. I’m your host, Ravin MIRCHANDAN, and today we step into the world of cities, the spaces that hold our daily lives together yet often crack under the weight of growth, congestion, and unsustainable planning. Today, we speak with Zohra MUTABANNA —an architect, urban designer, and thought leader who believes that cities must be designed as ecosystems, not afterthoughts. She works with the intersection of design, policy, and sustainability, asking bold questions about whether India’s cities are truly ready for electric mobility or whether we risk building EVs into an already broken urban fabric. Zohra brings years of experience reimagining the built environment through resilience, inclusivity, and innovation. With her, we’ll explore the Avoid-Shift and improve framework,the realities of urban transport and shared mobility, and design choices that will determine whether our urban future is chaotic or truly sustainable.

EP 65 | FreshBus: Driving India’s Intercity Travel Electric | Sudhakar CHIRRA

Welcome to the Energizing India Podcast! On this program, we engage with the key protagonists shaping the future of energy, mobility, and sustainability in India and globally. I’m your host, Ravin MIRCHANDANI, and today we’re stepping into a completely new lane of India’s transport story in relation to zero-emission intercity travel going electric. We’re talking about FreshBus, a young but ambitious player redefining what it means to move people cleanly, comfortably, and efficiently across states. Joining us is Mr. Sudhakar CHIRRA, a serial entrepreneur synonymous with innovation in India’s bus mobility space. Before FreshBus, he founded and led AbhiBus, India’s first bus-ticketing app that reshaped how travelers connect with operators. Now he heads FreshBus, an all-electric, full-stack intercity bus platform that’s rewriting expectations of cost, speed, and sustainability in mobility. Since launching in 2019, FreshBus has built a battery-powered fleet, carried hundreds of thousands of passengers, and is now backed by a $10.5 million Series A round to scale that ambition nationwide. With Sudhakar as our guide, today we’ll explore: ● What does it mean to start fresh with a 100% electric fleet? ● How does one build profitability in a capital-intensive asset under real Indian conditions? ● What’s the passenger experience really like when “EV+Tech” replaces convention? Sudhakar, welcome to the program.

EP 64 | Under the Hood: Hyundai’s Clean Mobility Journey with Puneet ANAND

Three decades, countless innovations, one mission...redefine how India moves. PuneetANAND pulls back the curtain on Hyundai’s journey in clean energy, EVs, and community-driven mobility. Buckle up, it’s a ride into the future. Welcome to the Energizing India Podcast. On this program, we engage with the key protagonists shaping the future of energy, mobility, and sustainability, both in India and globally. I’m your host, Ravin MIRCHANDANI, and today we’re in the driver’s seat with one of India’s most exciting automotive journeys. The transformation of mobility as we knew it in this country. Joining us is a man who quite literally has his fingerprints across the evolution of the Indian automobile industry. Puneet Anand is the vertical head of corporate affairs, corporate communications, and  social responsibilities as AVP with Hyundai Motors, India, and has an enviable 3 decades of experience in the Indian automotive sector. Since 1998, Puneet has been an integral part of Hyundai’s leadership in India, steering pivotal functions and driving growth in a dynamic and often unpredictable automotive sector environment. Today, we look under the hood of Hyundai’s clean energy transition from investments in EVs, hydrogen technology, and renewable energy to localization strategies that boost the resilience of India’s economy. We explore the role of public policy, infrastructure, and community engagement that Hyundai plays in redefining mobility in the next generation. What does the road ahead look like for India’s clean mobility revolution? How does a giant like Hyundai balance cutting-edge innovation with deep local relevance? Puneet ANAND, welcome to the program.