Brands
Thunderplus, Bijliride team up to power India’s EV charging network
MUMBAI: If chai breaks could charge your scooter, India’s EV story just got its perfect plug. Thunderplus, the country’s fastest-growing EV charging network, has teamed up with Bijliride, a SaaS-powered electric two-wheeler rental platform, to supercharge urban mobility with a partnership that’s equal parts speed, sustainability, and smarts.
The alliance aims to zap away India’s biggest EV worries, range anxiety and charging delays by integrating battery-swapping and fast-charging services across all 250 plus Thunderplus hubs. Think of it as the digital-age pit stop for everyone from gig workers on the go to students zipping through city traffic.
Under this collaboration, every Thunderplus hub will now feature BijliRide battery-swapping machines, allowing users to swap batteries in seconds instead of waiting for hours. For those who’d rather top up than swap out, there’s the new “Thunder Tej” 12 kW LEVDC fast charger, which powers two- and three-wheelers to 80 per cent in just 10 minutes, the time it takes to sip a cutting chai.
“At Thunderplus, we believe in collaboration over competition,” said Thunderplus CEO Rajeev YSR. “Our hubs will now evolve into multi-activity economic centres, offering not just fast charging but battery swapping and community access points for EV users.”
Hyderabad where Bijliride first plugged in continues to lead India’s electric mobility charge. The city’s vibrant mix of professionals, gig workers, and students makes it the perfect launchpad for Bijliride’s hub-and-spoke STAR expansion model.
“Our goal is simple make sustainable mobility as easy and convenient as ordering a cab,” said Bijliride CEO and co-founder Shivam Sisodiya. “By combining ThunderPlus’s infrastructure with our rental ecosystem, we’re creating connected pickup and drop-off points with charging, swapping, and service support all under one roof.”
The result? A city where no EV user is more than a few minutes from power. Whether it’s a delivery rider racing against time or a commuter heading to college, the partnership ensures smooth, stress-free rides without the dreaded battery panic.
Thunderplus and Bijliride also see this as the start of a nationwide circuit. After powering Hyderabad, Bijliride plans to roll out its STAR model in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, expanding its 24/7 operational hubs and integrating charging, swapping, and rentals across India’s major metros.
For now, the first 24/7 flagship hub in Madhapur, Hyderabad sets the template, a connected, data-driven, user-first experience that redefines what “refuelling” means in an electric age.
“Together, we’re building not just charging stations but a smarter, cleaner, and more connected ecosystem,” added Rajeev. “The goal is simple: to make EV ownership as convenient as it is responsible.”
With Thunderplus providing the volts and Bijliride bringing the wheels, India’s EV future looks set to move faster, cleaner, and one chai break at a time.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
