Pulse Energy Joins Unified Bharat eCharge as Certified Tech Enabler

Pulse Energy, an Indian EV charging technology company, announced its participation as one of the first certified technology enablers for Unified Bharat eCharge (UBC), a nationwide interoperable EV charging network launched by the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

The network allows EV users to discover participating chargers and pay for charging through UPI on the BHIM app, without downloading separate applications or maintaining operator-specific prepaid wallets. The launch coincided with India's 80th Independence Day.

How BHIM UPI Payments Work at UBC Charging Points

Under the system, an EV driver can open the BHIM app, identify a UBC-enabled charging point, scan the QR code and pay for the session directly from their bank account through UPI, with no requirement to preload a charging wallet or create a separate account with each operator.

Why India's EV Charging Network Needed Interoperability

The initiative is aimed at addressing fragmentation in India's EV charging ecosystem, where users have had to navigate multiple applications, accounts and wallets across different networks. Under UBC, participating charging points can be accessed through a common network as users travel across cities and highways.

Pulse Energy's Role as a UBC Technology Enabler

Pulse Energy currently works with more than 100 charge point operator partners and operates a connected network of more than 10,000 EV chargers. The company is enabling charge point operators to connect their existing charging infrastructure to the UBC network, allowing operators to retain their own hardware and brands while making their chargers discoverable through the interoperable network. Pulse Energy will also support other application providers — across payments, mobility and automotive — in connecting to the UBC network.

The initial rollout is available through the BHIM app, with participating chargers being added across cities and national highways. UBC has been developed as digital public infrastructure using the open Beckn protocol, with the underlying infrastructure developed by the Network for Humanity (NFH) team. MHI appointed BHEL as the Project Implementation Agency and engaged NPCI BHIM Services Ltd for the network's design and development.

Lalitha Nataraj, CEO, NPCI BHIM, said: “Multiple apps and wallet loading for EV charging is exactly what we wanted to solve for. Discover EV charges on BHIM payments app, charge, pay and go. Simple solution for everyone.”

Akhil Jayaprakash, Co-Founder and CEO, Pulse Energy, said: “EV charging should not require drivers to think about which network they are using before they can plug in. The idea behind UBC is to make charging more accessible by bringing different networks onto a common infrastructure. For users, that means a simpler payment experience, while operators get the opportunity to serve users beyond their own applications.”

Pulse Energy has also established a feedback mechanism through unifiedbharatecharge.com, allowing users to share feedback and request new features, which can be routed to the relevant government points of contact working on the network.