Host: Kunal Khattar, Managing Partner, AdvantEdge
Guest: Akhil Jayaprakash, Co-Founder & CEO, Pulse Energy
As India's electric vehicle ecosystem expands, connecting its growing network of vehicles, charging stations and fleet operators is becoming a challenge of its own. Could EV charging benefit from the kind of interoperability that transformed India's digital payments ecosystem?
In Episode 6 of DRIVEN, Kunal Khattar speaks with Akhil Jayaprakash, Co-Founder & CEO of Pulse Energy, about building the connective infrastructure for India's EV charging ecosystem.
Akhil shares how he identified the opportunity to bring together charging networks and fleet operators, and why making existing infrastructure work seamlessly across platforms is becoming increasingly important as EV adoption accelerates.
The conversation draws parallels with India's UPI journey, exploring how interoperability can simplify access, encourage adoption and unlock new opportunities across an emerging ecosystem.
They discuss:
- The opportunity that led Akhil to start Pulse Energy
- Why growing EV and charger networks create new coordination challenges
- Building interoperability between charging networks and fleet operators
- What India's UPI journey can teach the EV charging industry
- Pulse Energy's early mission and its engagement with NITI Aayog
- How founders refine their understanding of markets and business models as their companies evolve
Beyond EV charging, the episode offers a look at the challenges of building infrastructure businesses in emerging markets, where technological integration, ecosystem coordination and business model evolution must happen together.
Watch the full episode of DRIVEN on YouTube to hear Kunal and Akhil discuss the future of connected EV charging infrastructure in India.