- The government is also focusing on getting local manufacturers for electric vehicle batteries
- Shettar added that BESCOM is also installing 100 charging points at 80 locations for EVs
As per a report by the New Indian Express, Jagadish Shettar, large and medium scale industries minister of Karnataka has said that the state government has planned to develop an electric vehicle cluster soon. He added that the government is also focusing on getting local manufacturers for electric vehicle batteries.
The report said that Shettar added that batteries comprise of 30 percent of the cost of an electric vehicle. It is one of the most expensive components in the entire unit. EVs will become affordable if the cost of the battery goes down. He further said that it is the state government’s priority is to initiate local manufacturing of EV batteries. The government will develop an EV cluster in the state and keep a dedicated fund for e-mobility and manufacturing sector.
EV manufacturing hub
As per the report, Shettar said that Karnataka is among the first ten Indian states to have taken the lead on forming a separate EV policy in 2017. It aims to become an EV manufacturing hub and also integrate EVs in public transport. He added that under the FAME India II scheme, the state will get 400 e-buses, of which 300 will be leased by BMTC. The government has decided to hire 6,000 more buses for BMTC out of which 50 per cent will be electric.
Shettar added that BESCOM is also installing 100 charging points at 80 locations for EVs. Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) will issue a notification soon to make it mandatory for all high rises, shopping malls and apartment complexes to have dedicated EV charging facilities in parking lots.
