India needs to scale up public charging infrastructure to meet the growing demand and reduce range anxiety. By 2030, electric vehicles are projected to make up almost one-third of India's passenger vehicle market, highlighting the significant infrastructure requirements says Rohit Chaturvedi, Partner, Transport and Logistics sector leader- Government, Infrastructure and Development Sector Advisory Services, Forvis Mazars India.

The electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure market in India is witnessing unprecedented growth, as highlighted in the latest report on India's EV infrastructure potential by Forvis Mazars in India. The number of public Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) charging stations expanded significantly from 1,800 in February 2022 to 16,347 in March 2024, marking nearly a ninefold increase. This robust infrastructure expansion is crucial as it aligns with the increasing demand for EVs driven by heightened environmental awareness, rising fuel prices, and supportive government incentives, setting the stage for a more sustainable transportation future.

The increase in BEV charging stations can be attributed to several key factors, primarily driven by the wider adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and robust government initiatives. The Indian government's recent launch of the Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme 2024 (EMPS 2024) on March 13, 2024, has significantly contributed to this growth. 

Initially set to run from April 1st to July 31st, 2024, with a total outlay of Rs 5 billion, the scheme's budget has now been revised to Rs 7.78 billion. Under EMPS 2024, buyers can avail themselves of substantial subsidy benefits—up to Rs 10,000 for two-wheeler EVs, up to Rs 25,000 for small three-wheeler EVs, and up to Rs 50,000 for large three-wheeler EVs. The scheme targets supporting 560,789 electric vehicles (EVs), comprising 500,080 electric two-wheelers (e-2Ws) and 60,709 electric three-wheelers (e-3Ws), including 13,590 rickshaws and e-carts, as well as 47,119 e-3Ws in the L5 category. 

To promote advanced technologies, incentives are available only for EVs equipped with advanced batteries, ensuring that the infrastructure supports the latest innovations in EV technology. The Indian government's broader policies, such as the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme and the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP), further incentivize EV adoption and the growth of charging infrastructure, making the expansion of BEV charging stations a natural response to the growing EV market.

The country faces a number of difficulties, including a lack of robust electrical charging infrastructure, battery production capabilities, electricity consumption, charger compatibility, improper charging location, and high prices for electric vehicles, particularly four-wheelers.2

Limited Grid Capacity: While EVs can reduce the strain on India’s power grid, they add to the volatility of instantaneous demand, affecting grid stability. India's growing power demand surged by about 12%  in the first half of 2023 alone putting the power grid under significant stress. With the increasing pressure on the power grid due to the rapidly growing demand owing to various factors including global warming, the power grid across the country is witnessing gradually added pressure. Adding electric vehicles to the grid is further increasing the pressure, which may result in frequent power cuts, especially in rural areas. In a nutshell, power generation in India is not growing as fast as the number of vehicles and demand for energy.

Geographical diversity: India is a vast and geographically diverse country. Its various terrains, from mountains to rain-fed plains, require different charging-related considerations. For example, some of the EV charging infrastructure should be resistant to waterlogging, which is common in certain areas during four months of the year. Due to differing population density and travel patterns, rural areas may require entirely different charging infrastructure from urban areas. This massive rural-urban divide can make it more challenging to install and maintain charging stations in remote areas. To compound the issue, these rural areas may not have sufficient EVs to justify the

investment.

Technological limitations: EV charging technologies, namely conductive, inductive, and battery swapping, present unique challenges.

• Conductive charging offers fast but potentially damaging DC charging and slower, cheaper AC charging.

• Inductive charging, while saving space, increases costs due to additional devices.

• Battery swapping overcomes charging time issues but faces standardization and ownership challenges.

Patchy distribution, range anxiety: Most charging stations are clustered in urban centers, leaving rural areas and highways bereft of charging options. This creates "range anxiety" for potential EV buyers, limiting their travel choices.

High costs, low returns: Setting up charging stations, especially fast-charging ones, requires significant investments. Land acquisition, equipment installation, and grid upgrades add to the costs. This can become a roadblock for private players to scale.

The infrastructure must accommodate different charging types such as Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast Chargers. Two-wheelers typically need lower power Level 1 or Level 2 chargers due to their smaller battery sizes. Four-wheelers may require more powerful DC Fast Chargers for quicker refueling, especially in public or highway locations.

Location: Charging stations should be conveniently located to cater to the varying needs of EV users. For two-wheelers, especially popular in urban areas, infrastructure needs to be denser and more accessible at short distances. Four-wheeler charging stations are often positioned at longer intervals due to their larger battery capacities and range. Both types require chargers at homes, workplaces, and public spaces to provide flexible and accessible charging options.

Number of chargers: Adequate numbers of charging points should be available to prevent long waiting times, especially during peak hours.

Fast charging: While two-wheelers may not always need fast charging, four-wheelers often do. Providing a mix of fast and regular charging options can cater to different needs

Space allocation: Charging stations should have designated spaces for both two- wheelers and four-wheelers to avoid congestion.

Load management: Ensuring the local grid can handle the increased load from multiple EVs charging simultaneously.

User interface and ease of use: The charging interface must be user-friendly to cater to all demographics, including clear instructions, multiple payment options, and reliable customer support. This is important for users transitioning from traditional vehicles to EVs and for those with less technical experience

The widespread adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) hinges significantly on two critical factors: public awareness regarding EVs and their benefits, and the availability of a reliable and extensive charging network. These elements are pivotal in assuaging

concerns related to range and charge anxiety, which often deter potential buyers from embracing EV technology. The charging infrastructure landscape in India has experienced significant expansion in recent years. Within just two years, from February 2022 to March 2024, the number of public charging stations surged from 1800 to 16,347

- an almost ninefold increase.

Battery swapping is a technology that allows drivers of electric vehicles to replace their depleted battery with a fully charged one

dual fuel. (petroleum or diesel)

To address range anxiety, a vehicle can be designed as a dual-fuel hybrid, combining an electric powertrain with a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) that runs on either petrol or diesel. This configuration allows the car to operate on electric power alone for shorter trips and switch to the ICE for extended range on longer journeys, ensuring that drivers have the flexibility and peace of mind to travel longer distances without worrying about recharging.

The Ministry of Power is collaborating with agencies like the BEE to build EV charging stations in India, along highways, in cities, and in public areas. Under the FAME India scheme, the Ministry of Heavy Industries has sanctioned the construction of 2,877 EV charging stations across multiple states, as well as 1,576 stations across 16 highways and 9 expressways. These major roads cover 10,275 kilometers across India, so providing sufficient charging stations along them will significantly reduce range anxiety. The government is also incentivising businesses, shopping malls, parking lot owners and RWAs to set up EV charging stations on their premises. The government is providing more education on the benefits of charging stations for businesses, and simplifying the installation processes. These incentives must continue in order for India to reach its EV charging infrastructure goals.

Developing fast-charging technology and its associated software can reduce EV charging times. Slow chargers take anywhere from 1 to 5 hours, but fast chargers take less than an hour. This can alleviate range anxiety, especially for long-distance travel. Fast-charging technology can also cut down the total required number of charging stations. Since fast-charging stations can charge an EV in a matter of minutes, a small number of fast-charging stations can provide the same level of service as a large number of conventional charging stations.

Tata Passenger Electric Mobility has tied up with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd to set up 5,000 public charging stations across the country by the end of the year.

BPCL and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd TPEM have signed an MOU to collaborate in establishing public charging stations across India. The collaboration will leverage BPCL’s widespread fuel stations network and TPEM’s insights from over 115,000 Tata EVs on Indian road, to set up chargers at locations frequently visited by Tata EV owners. The two companies are also exploring the possibility of introducing a convenient payment system through a co-branded RFID card, making payment easier for Tata EV users and to encourage more people to adopt electric vehicles in the country.

BPCL boasts a nationwide network of over 21,000 Fuel Stations and is committed to a sustainable future by amalgamating strategy, investments, and environmental goals. BPCL aims to install 7,000 electric vehicle charging stations by next year. To alleviate electric vehicle owners’ range concerns, BPCL has initiated over 90 Electric Vehicle Fast Charging Highway Corridors across the nation, ensuring a fast-charging station approximately every 100 kilometers on both sides of major highways. These corridors span more than 30,000 kilometers across various highways, assuring enhanced EV convenience and accessibility.

Servotech, a leading manufacturer of EV chargers and solar solutions has received an additional order of approx. 400 units of DC Fast EV Chargers from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and other EV charger OEMs. The project valued at around Rs 200 million will involve manufacturing, supplying, installing, and deploying these chargers nationwide, particularly at BPCL petrol pumps.

The Ministry of Heavy Industries has set up a target of 5833 EV charging stations along Highways out of total 7432 EV charging stations through three Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) under Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoP&NG). A capital subsidy of

Rs 8 billion has been provided to these Oil Companies towards establishment of 7432 EV charging stations.

Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India has notified Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme 2024 (EMPS 2024) with an outlay of Rs 5 billion for a period 4 months, w.e.f. 1st April 2024 till 31st July 2024. The scheme is introduced for faster adoption of electric two- wheeler (e-2W) and electric three-wheeler (e-3W - including registered e-rickshaws & e- carts and L5) to provide further impetus to the green mobility and development of electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing eco-system in the country.

With greater emphasis on providing affordable and environmentally friendly public transportation options for the masses, the scheme will be applicable mainly to those e- 2W and e-3Ws registered for commercial purposes. Further, in addition to commercial use, privately or corporately owned registered e-2W will also be eligible under the scheme. To encourage advance technologies, the benefits of incentives will be extended to only those vehicles which are fitted with advanced battery.

Under the MoP’s direction, states have nominated state nodal agencies (SNAs) to govern the implementation of public charging. SNAs are mandated to select implementing agencies to install, operate and maintain public charging stations and battery swapping/ charging facilities in the state. Unless otherwise specified by the state, state electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs) are the SNAs by default. 15

Phased Manufacturing Programme (PMP) has been adopted which encourages domestic manufacturing and strengthening off EV supply chain. This shall also create significant employment opportunities along the value chain.

Servotech Power Systems Ltd (SPSL) on Tuesday said it has secured an order worth Rs 1.2 billion from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) to install 1,800 fast EV charging stations across various locations in India. The project involves two charger

variants, 60 kW and 120 kW adding that it aims to complete this project by the end of this year.

Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, the EV arm of Tata Motors, have signed a memorandum of understanding in 2023 to collaborate in establishing public charging stations across India. The collaboration will leverage BPCL's widespread fuel stations network and TPEM's insights from over 115,000 Tata EVs on Indian roads, to set up chargers at locations frequently visited by Tata EV owners.

BPCL aims to install 7,000 electric vehicle charging stations by next year. To alleviate electric vehicle owners' range concerns, BPCL has initiated over 90 Electric Vehicle Fast Charging Highway Corridors across the nation, ensuring a fast-charging station approximately every 100 kilometers on both sides of major highways. These corridors span more than 30,000 kilometers across various highways, assuring enhanced EV convenience and accessibility.

The rapid increase in global electric vehicle (EV) sales is significantly influencing India's strategy in expanding its charging infrastructure. The large-scale adoption of EVs has led to innovations and cost reductions in charging networks and overall infrastructure.

The large-scale adoption of EVs has led to innovations and cost reductions in charging networks and overall infrastructure. A parallel can be drawn to the solar panel industry, where initial costs were high, but emerging technologies have driven costs down to a fraction of their original prices.

The growing EV market globally attracts significant investments in charging infrastructure and related technologies.

Observing successful strategies from leading EV markets like China and Europe, India is adopting similar practices to enhance its charging network. This includes the deployment of both slow and fast chargers to cater to different needs.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and other Indian regulatory bodies are actively working on ensuring that the charging standards for electric vehicles (EVs) align with international norms. This alignment facilitates the seamless integration of foreign EV models into the Indian market, crucial for India's goal to become a global leader in electric mobility.

Recent initiatives by BIS include the introduction of standards like IS 18590: 2024 and IS 18606: 2024, which focus on the safety of the EV powertrain and battery performance. These standards reflect India's commitment to integrating global safety measures while also tailoring them to meet local requirements, such as India's unique environmental and traffic conditions.