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India’s commitment to sustainable transportation is evident in the growing network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the country. The Ministry has approved the establishment of 12,146 electric vehicle charging stations in 849 cities across 28 states and Union Territories. Among these, Maharashtra leads with 3079 followed by Delhi leads with 1886 stations. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have 1041 and 643 stations respectively. This growing infrastructure signifies India’s commitment towards promoting the use of electric vehicles and reducing carbon emissions.
Global pollution is on the rise and actions are needed to be taken to reduce it and save the planet. According to the World Air Quality Index, India had 35 entries in a list of 50 polluted cities. Cities like Bhiwandi, Ghaziabad, and Delhi topped the chart. Millions of cars running on the road are the major reason behind air pollution in these cities. EVs are a good alternative to cars powered by petrol and diesel.
Electric Vehicles were invented more than 100 years ago. But, it also took them 100 years to get popular. Today, traditional companies like Ford, General Motors, and even Mercedes are getting into EV businesses. Much more than the mentioned companies, Elon Musk-owned Tesla had a major hand in this revolution which started in the USA and then spread across the world.
State-wise operational Public EV Charging Stations (PCS) in 2024
The Ministry of Power in India has launched several initiatives to speed up the installation of public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Key measures include issuing guidelines and standards for EV charging infrastructure in January 2022, with updates in November 2022 and April 2023. These guidelines allow EV owners to charge their vehicles at home or work using existing electrical connections and introduce a revenue-sharing model for providing land at discounted rates for public charging stations. Additionally, they mandate timely provision of electricity connections to public charging stations, set a single-part EV tariff for these stations not exceeding the Average Cost of Supply (ACoS) until March 31, 2025, and establish pricing caps for slow AC and DC fast charging during solar and non-solar hours. The guidelines also specify a 20% rebate on ACoS for charging during solar hours and a 20% surcharge at other times.
To promote renewable energy, the Green Energy Open Access Rules of 2022 were introduced, ensuring affordable and reliable access to green energy. The "GO ELECTRIC" campaign, launched in February 2021, aims to educate the public about the advantages of electric vehicles, EV charging infrastructure, and electric cooking.
According to NITI Aayog, the need for charging infrastructure varies based on factors such as the types of EVs, their usage patterns, geography, urbanization, and the technology of the vehicles and charging equipment. These factors are still evolving, leading to a dynamic requirement that ranges from 1 charging point per 20 EVs to 1 per 150 EVs.
|
S. No. |
State Name |
No. of Operational PCS |
|
1 |
Andaman & Nicobar |
3 |
|
2 |
Andhra Pradesh |
327 |
|
3 |
Arunachal Pradesh |
9 |
|
4 |
Assam |
86 |
|
5 |
Bihar |
124 |
|
6 |
Chandigarh |
12 |
|
7 |
Chhattisgarh |
149 |
|
8 |
D&D and DNH |
1 |
|
12 |
Haryana |
377 |
|
13 |
Himachal Pradesh |
44 |
|
14 |
Jammu & Kashmir |
47 |
|
15 |
Jharkhand |
135 |
|
16 |
Karnataka |
1041 |
|
17 |
Kerala |
852 |
|
18 |
Lakshadweep |
1 |
|
19 |
Madhya Pradesh |
341 |
|
20 |
Maharashtra |
3079 |
|
21 |
Manipur |
17 |
|
22 |
Meghalaya |
21 |
|
23 |
Nagaland |
6 |
|
24 |
Odisha |
198 |
|
25 |
Pondicherry |
23 |
|
26 |
Punjab |
158 |
|
27 |
Rajasthan |
500 |
|
28 |
Sikkim |
2 |
|
29 |
Tamil Nadu |
643 |
|
30 |
Telangana |
481 |
|
31 |
Tripura |
18 |
|
32 |
Uttar Pradesh |
582 |
|
33 |
Uttarakhand |
76 |
|
34 |
West Bengal |
318 |
|
Total PCS |
12,146 |
|
Electric vehicle registered in India till 05-02-2024
India had more than 3.7 million electric vehicles (EVs) on its roads, with the majority being two and three-wheelers. Electric vehicle (EV) sales in India, though initially slower than anticipated, have begun to gain momentum steadily. According to a recent report from Counterpoint Research, EVs could potentially account for 29% of all vehicle sales by 2030.
|
Sr. No. |
Vehicle category |
Total |
|
1 |
TWO WHEELER(T) |
11,807 |
|
2 |
TWO WHEELER(NT) |
18,49,813 |
|
3 |
TWO WHEELER (Invalid Carriage) |
117 |
|
4 |
THREE WHEELER(T) |
16,19,638 |
|
5 |
THREE WHEELER(NT) |
1,538 |
|
6 |
MEDIUM PASSENGER VEHICLE |
772 |
|
7 |
MEDIUM MOTOR VEHICLE |
31 |
|
8 |
MEDIUM GOODS VEHICLE |
31 |
|
9 |
LIGHT PASSENGER VEHICLE |
19,653 |
|
10 |
LIGHT MOTOR VEHICLE |
1,40,008 |
|
11 |
FOUR WHEELER (Invalid Carriage) |
67 |
|
12 |
LIGHT GOODS VEHICLE |
10,436 |
|
13 |
HEAVY PASSENGER VEHICLE |
6,312 |
|
14 |
HEAVY MOTOR VEHICLE |
153 |
|
15 |
HEAVY GOODS VEHICLE |
542 |
|
16 |
OTHER THAN MENTIONED ABOVE |
7,626 |
|
Total |
36,68,544 |
|
In 2023, despite a 10% year-on-year growth in India's passenger vehicle (PV) sales, surpassing 4 million units, EV sales nearly doubled, increasing by 97% year-on-year to constitute 2% of the total four-wheeler sales.
Counterpoint Research's India Passenger Vehicle Model Sales Tracker forecasts a 66% growth in EV sales in 2024, making up 4% of the total PV sales. Looking ahead to 2030, EVs are projected to make up nearly one third of India's PV market.
As of 3rd August 2022, India had 13,92,265 EVs on the road out of which 50 percent were e-rickshaws. Numbers also state that only 54,252 electric four-wheelers were present in the country. We can extrapolate that there are major reasons why people don't want EV to be their vehicles.
Karnataka highest number of EV charging stations in India
Karnataka leads the nation in public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, boasting 5,059, according to data from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Union Ministry of Power. Bengaluru Urban district alone accounts for 4,281 of these stations, representing 85% of the state's charging infrastructure.
Since pioneering India's first EV policy in 2017, Karnataka has maintained its leadership in charging infrastructure, surpassing other states like Maharashtra (3,079), Delhi (1,886), Kerala (958), Tamil Nadu (643), Uttar Pradesh (583), and Rajasthan (500). However, Uttar Pradesh tops the country in the number of EVs, with 7.45 lakh vehicles, followed by Maharashtra with 4.15 lakh and Karnataka with 3.31 lakh.
The number of registered EVs in Karnataka has seen a remarkable increase, rising from 9,703 in 2020 to 33,306 in 2021, 95,892 in 2022, and 1.52 lakh in 2023.
National highway-wise operational Public EV Charging Stations
In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, the Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries, Krishan Pal Gurjar, informed that the Ministry of Power issued revised guidelines for public EV charging infrastructure on January 14, 2022, and updated them on November 7, 2022. These guidelines set a single-part tariff for public charging stati ons, which will not exceed the "Average Cost of Supply" until March 31, 2025. DISCOMs can use funding from the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) for necessary network upgrades due to new charging stations, without passing these costs on to consumers. Additionally, housing societies, malls, office complexes, restaurants, and hotels are allowed to install public charging stations, including for visitor vehicles.
|
National Highway |
No. of operational PCS |
|
National Highway-10 |
1 |
|
National Highway-11 |
3 |
|
National Highway-128 |
1 |
|
National Highway-13 |
3 |
|
National Highway-130 |
1 |
|
National Highway-130A |
2 |
|
National Highway-130B |
2 |
|
National Highway-130C |
2 |
|
National Highway-135 |
2 |
|
National Highway-143 |
2 |
|
National Highway-148A |
2 |
|
National Highway-149 |
2 |
|
National Highway-15 |
4 |
|
National Highway-150A |
2 |
|
National Highway-16 |
37 |
|
National Highway-161A |
2 |
|
National Highway-163 |
9 |
|
National Highway-167 |
3 |
|
National Highway-167A |
1 |
|
National Highway-169A |
2 |
|
National Highway-19 |
5 |
|
National Highway-2 |
5 |
|
National Highway-20 |
2 |
|
National Highway-21 |
1 |
|
National Highway-22 |
3 |
|
National Highway-228 |
2 |
|
National Highway-24 |
7 |
|
National Highway-254 |
2 |
|
National Highway-26 |
4 |
|
National Highway-27 |
2 |
|
National Highway-275 |
2 |
|
National Highway-28 |
3 |
|
National Highway-29 |
1 |
|
National Highway-3 |
4 |
|
National Highway-30 |
12 |
|
National Highway-305 |
1 |
|
National Highway-307 |
5 |
|
National Highway-309 |
3 |
|
National Highway-31 |
1 |
|
National Highway-313 |
1 |
|
National Highway-32 |
1 |
|
National Highway-320D |
1 |
|
National Highway-334 |
6 |
|
National Highway-34 |
8 |
|
National Highway-346 |
2 |
|
National Highway-347 |
2 |
|
National Highway-347B |
2 |
|
National Highway-35 |
1 |
|
National Highway-353 |
2 |
|
National Highway-365 |
1 |
|
National Highway-39 |
10 |
|
National Highway-40 |
1 |
|
National Highway-43 |
2 |
|
National Highway-44 |
39 |
|
National Highway-46 |
2 |
|
National Highway-47 |
2 |
|
National Highway-48 |
11 |
|
National Highway-49 |
2 |
|
National Highway-5 |
6 |
|
National Highway-50 |
3 |
|
National Highway-507 |
1 |
|
National Highway-515 |
4 |
|
National Highway-52 |
6 |
|
National Highway-53 |
5 |
|
National Highway-539 |
14 |
|
National Highway-55 |
9 |
|
National Highway-565 |
1 |
|
National Highway-58 |
10 |
|
National Highway-59 |
2 |
|
National Highway-6 |
8 |
|
National Highway-63 |
1 |
|
National Highway-64 |
2 |
|
National Highway-648 |
2 |
|
National Highway-65 |
22 |
|
National Highway-66 |
8 |
|
National Highway-67 |
4 |
|
National Highway-7 |
18 |
|
National Highway-716 |
1 |
|
National Highway-727A |
1 |
|
National Highway-730 |
4 |
|
National Highway-731 |
2 |
|
National Highway-75 |
3 |
|
National Highway-752B |
2 |
|
National Highway-752C |
2 |
|
National Highway-765 |
1 |
|
National Highway-766 |
2 |
|
National Highway-8 |
12 |
|
National Highway-86 |
2 |
|
National Highway-9 |
15 |
|
National Highway-948A |
2 |
|
Total |
419 |
DISCOMs must provide electricity connections for public charging stations within specific timelines: 7 days in metro cities, 15 days in other municipal areas, and 30 days in rural areas, as per the "Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020." Charging stations dedicated to in-house use can choose their own specifications, and any public charging station or chain can source electricity from any generation company through open access, which must be granted within 15 days. Only certain charges, such as cross-subsidy, transmission, and wheeling charges, will apply.
The guidelines also cover the requirements for public charging infrastructure, locations for these stations, and maintaining a database of charging stations. To address high land and charger costs, the guidelines provide for promotional land rates for public charging stations. Government and public entities can access land on a revenue-sharing basis at a fixed rate of Rs.1/kWh used for charging, for an initial period of 10 years.
Several Steps have been taken by the Government of India to popularise Electric Vehicles in India. GST on EVs has been reduced from 18% to 5% and for charging stations 5% from the previous 12%. Special Green colored license plates are issued and they are exempted from the requirement of any permit. Road taxes are also waived off from these vehicles which result in reduced cost of EVs. But still, after these relaxations, there hasn't been a significant rise in the popularity of EVs in India. One main reason behind it could be poor charging infrastructure.
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Charging Infrastructure in India
Home Charging: One needs to have 230V/50A of power supply connection in their home. It is usually slow. No new meter is required as billing can done in the home meter.
Public Charging: These include charging stations maintained and run by a government or private entities. Electricity consumption determines are people are charged. They are generally fast and require less time.
The cost of charging an electric vehicle in India changes based on the region. The cost of charging an EV in Delhi is Rs. 4.5 per unit for low tension EVs and Rs. 5 per unit for high tension EVs. Meanwhile, the price is around Rs. 15 per unit in Mumbai and Rs. 7.28 per unit in Bengaluru.
As per the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, 3448 stations were established by Oil Marketing Companies at their Retail Outlets. Uttar Pradesh had 308 charging stations highest in the country followed by Rajasthan and Karnataka having 281 and 250 charging stations respectively. On average, there is 1 charging station for 404 vehicles. Even if a charging station has 10 charging ports and takes 30 min to fully charge a vehicle it will take them a whole day to charge all of them which is not impressive at all.
Apps and websites of companies like Tata Power, Tata Motors, Ather, Statiq help you to find charging stations in India. Even Google Maps can be used to navigate to the nearest charging points. They even let you book a slot in advance and even pay for it.
Conclusion
India has set a goal to have a 30% share of EV’sout of all the new vehicles registered by 2030 to reduce carbon emissions and fight against Climate change. And it does not seem India could complete it by the set date. To have electric Cars running around a country needs to have a strong network of charging stations and in a country, with a population of 1.4 billion, it doesn't feel practical. We need to also find some alternatives and the battery swap seems to be a perfect one. It will not only save time but also money.
The government of India is investing money and putting all the efforts to popularise EVs in India. But the prices of electric models are more than petrol or diesel models. We need more companies to sell Electric cars which will result in more competition and demand for EVs and result in the affordability of these vehicles. It will also result in the improvement of technology. The more the merrier.
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