Earth Day gets a splash of colour—quite literally—as EV charging stations double up as cultural pit stops
India’s electric mobility journey just got a little more artistic. ChargeZone has marked one year of its public art initiative SHWA, a platform that is quietly transforming everyday EV charging stations into vibrant cultural spaces across the country.
Launched with the idea that sustainability doesn’t have to look dull (or grey concrete), SHWA has already brought 10 installations to life across key highway corridors, with over 50 more planned in FY26. Think murals, redesigned instruction boards, and thoughtfully curated art pieces—essentially turning your EV charging halt into something closer to an open-air gallery than a routine pit stop.
Timed with Earth Day, the milestone highlights a broader shift in how infrastructure is perceived. While ChargeZone continues expanding its EV charging network, SHWA acts as the “experience layer”—adding local identity, ecological storytelling, and a dash of visual delight to otherwise functional spaces.
Spread across high-traffic routes such as Hyderabad–Vijayawada, Chennai–Bengaluru, Chennai–Villupuram, Vadodara–Mumbai, and Delhi–Chandigarh, these installations are building what can only be described as India’s first distributed highway art network. Each site reflects regional themes—from biodiversity and water conservation to food systems—making sustainability a bit more relatable, and perhaps even Instagram-worthy.
The initiative collaborates with a diverse lineup of artists and collectives including Aravani Artist Collective, Mounica Tata, Elwin Charly, Trespassers, A Kill 108 Collective, Sadhna Prasad, Paperplane Studio, Neha Shetty, and Sayan Mukherjee. Each installation is designed to respond to its local environment, ensuring that no two charging stops feel the same—because even your EV deserves a unique backdrop.
Speaking on the occasion, Devbrat Hariyani noted that as EV infrastructure scales, there’s an opportunity to create spaces that go beyond utility. Through SHWA, the company aims to make charging stations not just accessible, but culturally engaging and environmentally conscious.
In a country where highway breaks usually mean chai, snacks, and a quick stretch, SHWA adds one more reason to pause—art. And as India accelerates toward an electric future, it seems the journey might just get a lot more colourful along the way.
