From South India to Pan-India: Relux Electric’s Roadmap to Becoming a Top 3 CPO

January 28, 2026 EV Charging 8 min read

Karthikeyan Santharam, MD & CEO, Relux Electric, discusses Relux Electric’s approach to the development of public and highway EV charging infrastructure. The conversation covers Relux Electric’s current charging network across cities and highways, the deployment of DC fast-charging infrastructure, and plans for expansion into new regions. The interview also addresses Relux’s partnerships with automakers, fleet operators, and government bodies, planned use of project funding, and priorities for the next phase of growth.

Could you share the current scale of Relux Electric’s EV charging network?

Relux Electric has established itself as a significant player in South India’s EV infrastructure. Our current operational footprint includes:

Charging Stations and Charging Points/Outlets: We have successfully deployed over 200 charging stations across strategic locations, providing more than 500 individual charging points to ensure wide availability for EV users.

Key Presence: Our network is strategically focused on cities including Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Kochi, Vijayawada, and we are actively expanding to new urban centres. We have a strong presence on crucial corridors like Bangalore–Chennai, Bangalore–Hyderabad, Chennai–Coimbatore, and Chennai–Trichy highways, enabling inter-city EV travel.

DC Charger Power Ratings: Our deployed DC fast-charging portfolio is versatile and tailored to different use cases, ranging from 30 kW units for residential compounds and fleet depots, to 60 kW chargers for urban quick top-ups, up to 120 kW and 180 kW chargers on highways to facilitate rapid charging for a variety of vehicles, including cars and commercial fleets. We are actively evaluating even higher-capacity chargers for future deployments.

Relux has been an active and prominent CPO in South India. Please share your expansion plans for North and other regions in India.

While our foundation is strong in the South, a pan-India presence is core to our mission. Our expansion is being carried out methodically.

Phase 1 (Current): Consolidating leadership in South Indian states and key highway corridors, with a dedicated focus on developing infrastructure for major ports and industrial belts, including high-capacity 240 kW charging hubs for heavy trucks.

Phase 2 (Next 12–18 months): Aggressive entry into Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi-NCR, and Rajasthan. We are actively securing real estate, partnerships, and necessary regulatory approvals in these regions.

Our expansion will follow a “Hub-and-Spoke” model, where we first establish charging stations in major metropolitan areas such as Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Delhi, and Bhubaneswar, and then also connect them with robust highway charging infrastructure.

Relux Electric announced INR 250 crore in project funding in 2024. What are your priority areas of focus where Relux plans to deploy these funds?

The recently secured project funding of INR 250 crore will be strategically deployed to fuel our next growth phase:

Network Density (60%): Deployment of 300+ new charging stations and 1000+ additional charging points across existing and new regions.

Technology & Platform (20%): Investment in enhancing our user-facing app, backend CMS, and advanced analytics for network optimisation and a superior customer experience.

High-Power Charging (15%): Deployment of 180 kW+ DC fast chargers and preparation for future technologies, CCS2 standards.

Strategic Partnerships & Talent (5%): Forging new alliances and building a top-tier team to execute our vision.

Relux has started a franchise model for network expansion. Please tell us more about how the model works, commercials involved, who will be eligible to participate, and what kind of returns franchisees can expect on their investment. How does Relux plan to support its franchise partners?

Our franchise model, “Relux Connect,” is designed for rapid, capital-efficient expansion with local partners. Franchisees invest in and own the charging station infrastructure at their location (e.g., fuel station, hotel, mall), while Relux provides the brand, technology, operations & maintenance (O&M), and customer access, with charging revenue shared with the franchisee.

The franchisee bears the capital expenditure (CapEx) for equipment, installation, and grid connection, while Relux manages the operational expenditure (OpEx) for maintenance and software. Revenue sharing is transparent and based on energy dispensed.

Individuals or businesses with ownership or a secure long-term lease of strategic real estate (minimum 1000 sq. ft.) with high traffic visibility and easy highway or city access are eligible to participate. Franchisees can expect an attractive IRR (Internal Rate of Return) of 18–24%+ over a 5–7 year period, driven by rising EV adoption and station utilization.

Relux also provides end-to-end support, including site feasibility, design, vendor management for installation, 24/7 remote monitoring, maintenance, customer support, and marketing to drive users to the location.

Relux Electric recently emerged as the selected bidder in a Tamil Nadu EV charging tender. What factors do you believe helped Relux stand out during the selection process?

Winning the Tamil Nadu EV charging tender was a significant milestone, with competition from several national and regional players. We believe Relux stood out due to our proven execution capability, demonstrated by our existing dense network in Tamil Nadu, a techno-commercial proposal featuring a competitive yet sustainable pricing model and a robust technical plan for equipment and grid management, a strategic focus on locations that balanced urban centers and underserved areas to support equitable EV adoption, and strong financials backed by our recent funding round, which assured the authorities of our project execution capability.

Does Relux Electric also offer home or private charging solutions, or is your primary focus on public and highway-based charging infrastructure?

Our primary focus and expertise lie in public, semi-public, and highway-based charging infrastructure, which is critical for accelerating widespread EV adoption and alleviating range anxiety. However, recognizing the need for a holistic ecosystem, we do offer end-to-end home and workplace charging solutions through partnerships. This includes consultation, installation, maintenance, and networked management solutions for residential complexes, corporate parks, and fleet depots.

Can you name some of the stakeholders you are working with to deploy your charging stations?

Collaboration is key to our growth, and we work with a diverse set of stakeholders.

Charger OEMs & Technology Partnerships: Beyond our in-house manufacturing capabilities for captive use, we actively engage in strategic procurement and deep technical partnerships with leading charger OEMs and key EV charging ecosystem stakeholders. A core focus of these collaborations is ensuring seamless OCPI (Open Charge Point Interface) integration, which is critical for achieving network interoperability and providing a frictionless experience for all EV users.

Automakers: We are the preferred or partnered CPO for several leading automakers, providing seamless charging access and integrated solutions for their customers. We are also in advanced talks with global players like VinFast and BYD for collaborative development of EV charging infrastructure across India.

Fleet Operators: We work closely with major e-commerce logistics companies, last-mile delivery fleets, and cab aggregators to design and deploy depot and destination charging solutions.

State Authorities & Real Estate: We actively collaborate with Urban Local Bodies, GCC, TNGECL, TNEB, SIPCOT, CMBT, CMDA, Tamil Nadu Eco Tourism, TTDC, and leading mall operators, multiplex chains, commercial real estate developers, and hospital chains to secure high-visibility locations.

Over the next 2–3 years, what are the key priorities for Relux Electric?

Over the next 2–3 years, Relux Electric is focused on three key pillars.

In Network Leadership, the goal is to become one of the top three CPOs in India by operational charging points, building a dense and reliable network across 15+ states and 50+ highway corridors.

In Technology & Customer Leadership, the focus is on creating the most user-friendly and reliable charging experience in India through a superior app, seamless payments (including interoperability), and high charger uptime (>98%).

Finally, under Sustainable Business Model, Relux aims to achieve EBITDA profitability for its core charging business while innovating with ancillary services such as advertising, grid-balancing services, and depot solutions to generate additional revenue streams.

Also Read: Relux Electric Project Funding Announcement