Rancon teams up with Genex to set up 21 EV charging stations

Rancon Motors, the sole distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Bangladesh, has teamed up with Genex Infrastructure to set up electric vehicle (EV) charging stations around the country to provide charging facilities in the future.

Genex and Rancon are going to set up a total of 21 charging stations across the country before the launch of an EQ series of EVs of Mercedes-Benz for smooth operations and to ensure ease for customers.

"Initially, we will set up seven charging stations in Dhaka and 14 stations in important locations across the country by April 2024," said Chowdhury Md Nabil Hasan, head of marketing of Rancon Motors.

Charging stations are going to be set up as a preparation centring the launch of five different models of EVs of Mercedes-Benz by April, he said.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between two entities at the Mercedes-Benz showroom in Rangs Babylonia Tower at the Tejgaon industrial area on February 12 to set up the charging stations.

Imran Zaman Khan, divisional director of Rancon Motors, Redwanul Zia, chief executive officer, Syed Shafiqul Hassan, chief operating officer at Genex Infrastructure, Mahmudul Hasan Lorance, deputy general manager (finance), Pallab Kumar Paul, senior manager (solution and R&D), and Ghalib Mohammad Karim, assistant manager (business engagement), were present.

According to Hasan, sales of EVs had started just recently in Bangladesh and till now around 80 units of EVs, including of brands Audi, Tesla and BMW, had been registered with Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).

He said Rancon would be the third company to officially declare plans to establish charging stations at different parts of the country as they understand that gradually EVs would grab the automobile market of the country.

The EVs are the future of the market not only globally but also in Bangladesh as they do not require as much servicing as do fossil fuel-run vehicles, he said.

Besides, the import tax is only 90 percent for EVs while for fossil fuel-run ones it is 143 percent to 350 percent depending on the cubic capacity (cc) of the engine, said Hasan.

Regarding the charging stations, he said ultimately the EV charging stations would replace existing fuel refilling stations in the country.

"We will not charge our customers for around one year but customers of other vehicle brands can charge their cars at a reasonable cost," he noted.

According to him, all EVs vehicles from Mercedes-Benz have an advertised range of over 450 kilometres to 650 kilometres per charge.

For this, the 21 charging stations would cover premium hotels, tourist destinations, highway restaurants, shopping malls, and critical commercial areas, he said.

Through this move, Rancon Motors is reinforcing its commitment to environmental stewardship and bringing cutting-edge electric mobility to customers in Bangladesh, he said.

"We are all working together to achieve the goal of Smart Bangladesh," said Imran Zaman Khan.

"Our aim is to work towards increasing the penetration of electric vehicles in Bangladesh and ensure a seamless and convenient experience for our customers through charging stations," he said.

"As more people start using electric vehicles, the demand for charging stations will increase. Our skilled and dedicated team is ready to complete the project properly for a seamless customer experience," said Mahmudul Hasan Lorance.