As India’s EV demand gradually increases and the sentiment around these vehicles gives rise to a positive outlook, there is a need for an equally robust charging infrastructure.
According to a study, most Indians would consider buying an EV in 2022, which is two years earlier than the global average of 2024.
Keeping the current trends and future projections in mind, the EV revolution in India needs a charging infrastructure that caters to this rising demand. The charging requirement for any electric vehicle depends on the type of vehicle and the purpose it is being used for, i.e. personal, commercial, etc., according to an estimate by Grant Thornton
The schemes by the Government of India, FAME1 (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles) & FAME 2 equally focus on the charging infrastructure.
The EV charging infrastructure is considered to be one of the backbones of electric mobility in the country.
However, to ensure that these don’t turn out to be a major barrier to the adoption of EV adoption in the country. Let’s look at the current stage of growth and development in the EV charging infrastructure around the country in 2022 and the coming years.
The Current Status
As of now, India has a total of 1,640 operational public EV chargers. Out of these 1,640 operational public EV chargers. Out of these, nine cities comprise around 940 stations, which include Surat, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai.
In a recent update, there has been an additional installation of 678 public EV charging stations between October 2021 to January 2022 in these nine cities, which is an amazing feat in itself, considering it is about 2.5 times the previous numbers in the same period.
The number is constantly on the rise, with many more EV charging stations allocated around the country under the FAME-1 & FAME-2 initiatives by the Government of India.
What are The Challenges for EV Mobility in India?
Apart from the charging infrastructure, there is a range of notions and challenges existing as a hurdle for a successful EV adoption around the country. Here are some of them.
End-user anxiety: There lies a range of anxieties pertaining to the day-to-day operation of an EV in India. The one that irks many prospective EV buyers is range anxiety, i.e. the number of kilometers an EV might run on a single charge.
Moreover, this further leads to time anxiety. Many customers want a charge time that’s comparable with refueling your ICE vehicle. According to a report, customers expect an average charging time of around 35 minutes and not more than that.
Utilization Rates: There are concerns by many about the utilization rates of an EV charging station in the country. However, there can be a spike in the overall cost optimization and utilization rates in the coming years.
Land Acquisition: There are concerns around finding the right size of land in the right corners of a city. While it seems like an easy task, several state governments have been facing the issue of acquiring the right amount of land to set up charging infrastructure.
What Are The Future Plans for India's EV Charging Infrastructure?
As India rides on its path to electric mobility, the country and its respective stakeholders have taken up the challenge of providing robust infrastructure.
In order to cater to the upcoming demand for EVs, government bodies, as well as private players, are playing a paramount role in strengthening India’s EV charging infrastructure.
Government initiatives like Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles which was implemented in 2015 have been quite pivotal.
Adding to that is the National E-mobility Programme, with a target of plying 30% of the vehicles to be electric by 2030. The NEMP also aims to boost the adoption by boosting the charging infrastructure without charging a licensing fee.
The FAME1 program was followed up by the second phase of the program, the FAME 2. The FAME 2 program by the Government of India has a budget allocation of INR 10 billion.
When it comes to developing robust and efficient charging infrastructure, private players, like TATA Power, are doing exceptionally well in the space too. According to a report, in the next 18 months, to be established by key players, including start-ups will stand at 7,000, with 50% of the market share accounted by state-held players.
Conclusion
As we move towards an ‘electric’ future, the government and other key stakeholders are equally encouraged to provide EV charging solutions in the country. As India moves forward towards the mass adoption of EVs, there is a range of issues that need to be addressed.
Moreover, a better EV charging infrastructure complements the plan of seeing EVs deployed on the road, at par with ICE vehicles.
A robust EV charging infrastructure can look into the issues like range anxiety present within the minds of various consumers.
We, at BluSmart, are on a journey to help India fast-track on its road of adopting EVs. With our consistent efforts, we’re able to complete 31 million+ clean kilometers covered. With 9 charging