As of February 2 of this year, there were 12,146 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the nation, according to a written response submitted to the Lok Sabha by Krishan Pal Gurjar, Minister of State for Heavy Industries.
With 3,079 EV charging stations, Maharashtra tops the pack, followed by Delhi with 1,886 and Karnataka in third place with 1,041, according to the minister’s data.
Kerala (852), Tamil Nadu (643), Uttar Pradesh (582), Rajasthan (500), Telangana (481), Gujarat (476), and Madhya Pradesh (341), which make up the top 10 list, come after the top three states.
To help promote EVs in India, the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) has been working steadily. According to the minister, among other things, the FAME-II plan provided financial assistance in the form of subsidies for the establishment of public charging stations in order to boost EV customers’ confidence.
Additionally, the Ministry of Power has implemented a number of measures to hasten the nation’s rollout of public EV charging infrastructure.
EV drivers can now use their current electrical connections to charge their vehicles at home or at work thanks to government guidelines and standards for charging infrastructure.
Along with provisions for supplying electrical connections to Public Charging Stations (PCS) within predetermined timeframes, a revenue-sharing mechanism for the distribution of land at promotional rates for public charging stations has also been introduced.
Additionally, the government has mandated a single-part EV price for public charging stations; until March 31, 2025, this sum cannot surpass the Average Cost of Supply (ACoS).
According to the standards, the maximum amount of electricity that can be used for slow AC charging of EVs at PCS during solar and non-solar hours is Rs 2.50 per unit and Rs 3.50 per unit, respectively.
Furthermore, power used for DC fast charging of EVs at PCS during sun and non-solar hours has been capped at Rs 10 per unit and Rs 12 per unit, respectively.
There will be a 20% discount for the average cost of supply (ACoS) that DISCOMs provide to PCSs during solar hours and a 20% premium for all other periods.
The minister noted that the Green Energy Open Access Rules, 2022, have been notified with the goal of further speeding up the deployment of renewable energy and guaranteeing that everyone has access to reasonably priced, dependable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly energy.
