The Hindustan Petroleum Company has a 25% share of Indian oil and natural gas in the public-sector. To continue rolling the numbers, two-and three-wheelers make up over 80% of private vehicles in India according to MyDigitalfc. That’s a huge reliance on fossil in these changing times. However, news on street corners in Mumbai says the Hindustan monolith is changing too.
Change is Hounding the Hindustan Petroleum Company
Hindustan Petroleum has five major refineries, 21 zonal offices, 128 regional offices, and 14,675 retail gasoline outlets. However, its grip on the private transport market is weakening. That’s because electric ebikes are on par with gasoline in terms of ‘cost of ownership’.
Moreover, Bloomberg New Energy Finance has said the two- and three-wheelers “are expected to lead electrification of transport in India.” So what do you do when more and more light electric vehicles hum pass your 14,675 stores without stopping by? You offer them a different kind of top up, Hindustan Petroleum Company may have just decided.
However Implementation Could Be Future News
The petroleum monolith, dare we say verging on potential ‘dinosaur’ is remaining tight-lipped on this one. However, MyDigitalfc insists it is planning a batteries exchange pilot. The alpha site may be somewhere in Thane. That’s a Maharashtra coastal city of over a million people.
Thane has an interesting connection with the evolution of transport having been the first terminus for a passenger train in India. In 1863, three steam locos Sahib, Sindh, and Sultan provided the energy. We understand Hindustan Petroleum Company is keeping mum on its plans for a ‘one-minute battery exchange’. However, we suspect the current rumor may be true.
It’s all very well owning oil and gas refineries. However what else will you do with the stuff when 80% of your customers are sailing past your pumps in electric two- and three-wheelers?
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