Ola Electric, Ather Energy, Hero MotoCorp and TVS Motor have all agreed to refund the fees paid by customers for EV chargers. The decision came after the center blocked incentive payments to electric vehicle makers under the FAME II program, which is designed to charge customers with electric vehicle chargers that come with electric scooters.The refund amount is estimated to be approximately ¥3 billion. The rebates will make EV makers eligible again for FAME II incentives offered by the government.
Ola Electric, currently India’s leading maker of electric two-wheelers, is blaming vested interests seeking to disrupt the growth of the EV industry. “Despite attempts by vested interests, the EV industry has achieved unprecedented success over the past few years, such as the recent narrative around charger pricing,” Ola Electric said in a statement Thursday morning.
The electric car maker also said it had decided to issue refunds to customers to maintain their trust. The statement read: “Technical details aside, as an example for others to follow, we have decided to reimburse all eligible customers for their chargers. This move not only demonstrates our commitment to the electric vehicle revolution, but also helps strengthen trust And add more value to our customers.”
Also read: Ola S1 and TVS iQube rival, Vida V1 Pro and V1 Plus electric scooters now on sale ¥120000
Ola Appliances will reportedly be refunded ¥1.3 billion to about 100,000 customers who pay for the chargers alone.Ather Energy, one of India’s top EV makers, will also pay about ¥Between 1.4 billion and 95,000 customers, according to a Mint report.Hero MotoCorp and TVS Motor will also reportedly be reimbursed ¥180 million to nearly 90,000 customers.Earlier, the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV) had said the center was not close enough ¥12 billion to EV manufacturers in the form of EV subsidy payments.
The center has stopped providing FAME benefits to electric vehicle manufacturers after discovering the violations. At least two electric two-wheeler manufacturers have been suspended from receiving incentive benefits for not meeting localization norms, which are part of the criteria to qualify for FAME subsidies.
First published date: May 4, 2023 at 09:33 AM CST
https://auto.hindustantimes.com/auto/electric-vehicles/ola-electric-ather-energy-hero-motocorp-and-tvs-motor-agree-to-refund-charger-cost-to-customers-41683171285174.html