An official stated that the initiative is designed to facilitate the installation of 72,300 public charging stations by allocating INR 2,000 crore. Out of these, 48,400 charging stations will cater to two- and three-wheelers, and 1,800 will be dedicated to buses.
The government has revamped its strategy to roll out electric vehicle (EV) charging stations by introducing subsidies for establishing chargers for two- and three-wheelers. This marks a significant shift from previous versions of the EV subsidy program, known as Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME), which did not include support for two- or three-wheeler charging infrastructure.
Currently, India has approximately 12,000 operational EV charging stations, primarily serving cars. A new initiative aims to facilitate the installation of 72,300 public charging stations with an allocation of INR 2,000 crore. Of these, 48,400 will cater to two- and three-wheelers and 1,800 to buses, according to a government official.
The newly introduced INR 10,900 crore PM E-DRIVE scheme will subsidise up to 80% of the costs for back-end infrastructure development, as stated by senior officials. This scheme will also involve collaborations with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Indian Railways, and state governments.
Officials have noted that the scheme is designed to shift EV charging to daylight hours, a period of abundant clean energy availability in the country. The power ministry has also set lower rates for charging EVs during solar hours, from 9 am to 4 pm, effective until March 31, 2028, with these rates subject to annual reviews.
The amount of subsidy per EV charger will be determined by a project implementation and sanctioning committee (PISC) led by the secretary of the Ministry of Heavy Industries. NHAI will manage the placement of chargers on interstate highways, and Indian Railways will handle station placements. The chief secretary will make decisions on the locations of EV charging stations within states. The PISC will also set benchmark prices and other technical specifications for the project, which may include infrastructure enhancements like pantograph and flash charging.
Additionally, the scheme promotes linking renewable energy sources with charging infrastructure and the advancement of smart grids. It also continues the push for local production, mandating a minimum of 50% domestic value addition in the manufacturing of EV chargers starting from December 2024.
