Govt is prepping to conquer the biggest fear among EV buyers

Mint

3 days ago

New Delhi: The government is finalizing the operational guidelines for installing electric vehicle public charging stations in the country under the ₹10,900 crore PM E-drive scheme based on aggregated demand from state-owned companies to reduce the upfront costs, according to two people aware of the development.
The ministry of heavy industries (MHI) will install over 72,000 chargers across the country based on the demand aggregated by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Airports Authority of India (AAI), Indian Railways and state governments.
'The guidelines are in the works, they are in the final stage. The EV (electric vehicle) charging infrastructure component has a large share in the PM E-drive scheme– ₹2,000 crore–so the guidelines need to cover demands for charging stations made by all stakeholders," said one official aware of the development on the condition of anonymity.The official added that based on the extensive studies conducted by central public sector enterprises about the locations of these charging stations, MHI will assess the demands and release funds for incentives. 'The same will also apply for the demands made by state governments," the official said.
This demand aggregation is critical as it will map the land and power requirements for the EV charging ecosystem, according to an earlier publicly available draft of the guidelines for EV charging infrastructure. The PM E-drive has been extended by two years till FY28.The scheme was extended via notification on 7 August because funds critical to boosting electric mobility via public transportation had remained unused till that date. Allocation for EV charging infrastructure covers about a fifth of the scheme's total outlay.According to the draft guidelines for incentivising EV charging infrastructure under the PM E-drive scheme published in December 2024, states will appoint a nodal agency to work with urban local bodies, state public sector undertakings (PSUs), municipal corporations, state highway authorities, electricity distribution companies, and other public departments, to determine the quantum of charging stations required.'Some states are also working on plans to add EV chargers to their bus depots, and are considering plans to add such chargers to new depots and bus stations that they will build," said thefirstofficial.Similarly, central ministries will coordinate with PSUs and organizations under their control to gather demand and determine locations of these chargers.'For instance, NHAI will provide the number and location of charging stations to be placed on highways to cover range anxiety issues on key highways," said a second official who also requested anonymity. 'Railways and AAI will map the need for EV charging stations on railway stations and airports, respectively."
Queries sent to MHI, NHAI, Indian Railways and AAI remained unanswered.Charging infrastructure for EVs is critical to reducing range anxiety among consumers, who fear that the vehicle's battery will exhaust in the middle of travel.According to Niti Aayog's India Electric Mobility Index 2024, states such as Haryana and Karnataka led the way in charging infrastructure preparedness.The operational guidelines for charging infrastructure under the PM E-drive scheme will come days after the Niti Aayog batted for strengthening the push on electric mobility by proposing disincentives for fossil-fuel vehicles in addition to incentives for cleaner mobility.
Consultations by the NITI Aayog found that public charging facilities for EVs were inadequate, and existing public charging stations were battling low utilization.
The government think tank said EV charging infrastructure should be scaled up strategically after testing the viability of the charging stations in particular locations.Under earlier electric mobility schemes, like the second iteration of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric (and Hybrid) vehicles (FAME), the government had directed public sector bodies such as state-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd and Energy Efficiency Services Ltd to set up charging infrastructure on select highways.'Charging infrastructure for larger vehicles like electric buses and trucks has become a strategic priority, especially as India seeks to reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels," said Saket Mehra, partner and auto & EV industry leader, Grant Thornton Bharat.Depot-based overnight charging is ideal for city buses and other delivery services, offering low-cost, high-efficiency solutions, said Mehra. 'However, opportunity charging- at bus terminals, truck loading docks, and along highways is also essential to maintain operational flexibility. E-buses and e-trucks are among the most impactful segments for reducing emissions and fuel consumption, yet they face challenges in financing and infrastructure availability."