Chennai: IIT Madras-incubated firm Plugzmart has developed an indigenous electric vehicle (EV) charging platform that allows chargers to connect to multiple Charging Management Systems (CMS) simultaneously, a first-of-its-kind solution in the country.

The platform, branded as 'Relay', acts as a middleware enabling a single EV charger to be accessible through multiple apps and networks in real time, eliminating the traditional restriction of one charger being locked to a single CMS.

“This boosts charger visibility and utilisation while allowing operators to serve more EV users across platforms,” said Mr Raghavendar TS, Director, Software Business Unit, Plugzmart. “The innovation addresses one of the biggest bottlenecks in EV adoption—lack of publicly visible, accessible chargers.”

Relay ensures uninterrupted operations by dynamically routing charging sessions across networks. In case one CMS faces downtime, others remain operational, especially benefiting fleet operators. The system provides a unified dashboard for operators while maintaining backend control for each CMS.

Unlike OCPI (Open Charge Point Interface), which enables standardised data exchange but can be cumbersome for smaller players, Relay offers lightweight interoperability, making it suitable for rapid deployments and flexible integrations. It is also compatible with OCPP-compliant chargers, requiring no hardware upgrades.

Key features include multi-network compatibility, dynamic session routing, vendor lock-in avoidance, and maximised ROI for charging point operators.

Founded in 2019 at IIT Madras Research Park, Plugzmart is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of EV chargers and provider of smart charging infrastructure. Its portfolio includes 18 products catering to 2, 3 and 4-wheelers. The firm aims to deploy one million charging ports by 2025.

Plugzmart's innovation comes at a crucial time as India ramps up EV adoption and infrastructure growth, aligning with national sustainability goals.