A new industry consortium, the Light Electric-Vehicle Acceleration Forum (LEAF), has been launched to support the development of a more integrated and interoperable charging ecosystem for electric two- and three-wheelers in India.

The forum was inaugurated by H. D. Kumaraswamy. It brings together stakeholders across the light electric vehicle (LEV) ecosystem, including vehicle manufacturers, charging infrastructure operators, component suppliers and technology providers.

LEAF has been established through a memorandum of understanding between Hero MotoCorp, Ather Energy and IPEC India. The founding members will form the initial steering committee.

The consortium aims to work with government bodies, regulators and industry associations to facilitate the development of EV charging infrastructure in line with policy direction. It will focus on improving interoperability across charging networks, enhancing reliability and enabling a more consistent user experience.

Among the initiatives referenced is the Light Electric Combined Charging System (LECCS), which has been approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards. The standard (IS 17017 Part 2/Sec 7) defines a combined AC/DC “Type 7” connector designed to support both slow and fast charging for light electric vehicles, while enabling communication and network interoperability.

At launch, LEAF included over 20 member organisations spanning OEMs, charge point operators, suppliers and software providers. The consortium plans to expand its membership further in the coming months.

The forum is positioned as an industry-led effort to address challenges related to fragmented charging networks and to support the broader adoption of electric mobility in India.