Faster charging, wider reach as govt unveils new plans for EV charging infrastructure

India’s Ministry of Power, on Monday, proposed a revised set of guidelines that would reduce the approval time for electricity connection for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. 

The approval time has been reduced to three days in metropolitan areas, seven days in other municipal regions, and fifteen days in rural areas after the submission of electricity connection applications for EV charging stations. 

Previously drafted guidelines in 2023 had proposed a time frame of seven days in metro cities, fifteen days in other municipal regions, and thirty days in rural areas for approval of electricity connection to these charging stations. 

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Additionally, the Ministry also added that State Nodal agencies and city authorities will conduct period mapping at least once every year to identify the geographic distribution of EV charging demand. 

The guidelines also further reduce the distance between two charging stations and suggest one be set up every 20 km instead of the previously suggested 25 km on both sides of highways, expressways, or roads. 

At least one charging station shall be available in a grid of 1 km x 1 km in the urban limits by FY2030, the guidelines say. 

Any comments on the draft norms have to be submitted within 30 days. 

According to think tank Niti Aayog’s website, India has 399 EV startups which include popular names such as Ola Electric, BlueSmart, and IPO-bound Ather Energy, and the government in March said that it is aiming for 30% of all vehicle sales to be electric by 2030. 

The draft proposals seek to enable faster adoption of EVs in the country and to support the creation of an ideal EV charging infrastructure to fast-track the adoption of electric vehicles in India.