Draft recommendations for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure have been produced by the Ministry of Power, which suggests substantial modifications to facility requirements and rate structures.
A new rate structure for the delivery of power to EV charging stations is one of the draft’s main recommendations. The Ministry recommends a single-part tariff that is set until March 31, 2026, and capped at the Average Cost of Supply (ACoS).
Furthermore, differential pricing based on solar hours (9:00 AM to 4:00 PM) at 0.7 times ACoS and non-solar hours (1.3 times ACoS) is introduced in the draft.
The standards cover topics like billing and metering as well. It is suggested that EV charging stations include their own metering to enable precise invoicing and usage tracking.
Public charging stations would be required to offer both prepaid and post-paid options with time-of-day rates and solar hour discounts.
In a move to diversify power sources, the draft allows public charging stations to obtain electricity through open access, which must be provided within 15 days of application.
Applicable surcharges would be limited to current cross-subsidy levels, transmission charges, and wheeling charges.
The Ministry’s proposal emphasises the importance of online services. Charging station operators would be required to partner with at least one online Network Service Provider (NSP) for remote booking of charging slots.
They would also need to provide detailed information on location, charger types, capacity, and service charges.
Infrastructure planning guidelines are also outlined in the draft. In urban areas, the proposal calls for one charging station per 1 km x 1 km grid by FY30.
For highways and expressways, it suggests one station every 20 km on both sides. To cater to long-range and heavy-duty EVs, fast charging stations are proposed every 100 km. The draft also recommends locating urban facilities for heavy-duty EVs in transport hubs and bus depots.
These proposals aim to standardize and expand EV charging infrastructure across India, potentially accelerating electric vehicle adoption.
Stakeholders are encouraged to submit their responses to help shape the final guidelines.
