Meet Zankhana, the founder of HiCharge, a company focused on electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. HiCharge provides charging stations for homes, offices, and public spaces, making it easier for people to switch to EVs and support a sustainable future.
Starting her own business wasn’t easy for Zankhana. She wanted to work on something meaningful in the sustainability space but didn’t know where to begin. By 2022, with the Government rolling out supportive policies like FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles) and PLI (Production Linked Incentive) schemes, she decided to dive in.
Zankhana began her journey by researching extensively. She reached out to companies in India and China, compared products and prices, and kept up with the latest EV news. The EV market showed massive potential, growing from 1.80 million vehicles today to a projected 7.80 million by 2032—a 22.28 per cent annual growth rate!
Breaking Stereotypes
Being one of the few women in the male-dominated auto industry, Zankhana faced her share of challenges. ’People told me I’m probably the second or third woman in this field,’ she says. But that didn’t stop her. She designed HiCharge’s software to be simple and effective for users, even incorporating features like temperature and vacuum tracking.
While two-wheelers are becoming popular, EV passenger cars are still expensive compared to petrol and diesel vehicles. However, Zankhana believes that as technology advances, these cars will become cheaper and more accessible.
For Zankhana, HiCharge is just getting started. She hopes for more government support to create awareness and help small businesses grow in the EV space.
’Every marathon begins with a single step,’ says Zankhana. And with HiCharge, she’s leading the way.