IOC, Other PSUs Setting Up EV Charging Stations Likely To Facilitate EV Adoption

One of the biggest public sector units (PSUs), Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has announced setting up over 10,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across India in the next three years. The move is also in-line with several state EV policies aimed at increasing EV adoption and deals with the charging infrastructure issue which has been one of the biggest challenges. Similarly, state government bodies have taken responsibility of their respective states. North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) also will be setting up 50 new electric charging stations in the city over the next six months and Maharashtra too has announced installing fast chargers at close proximity on highways and expressways.

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Maharashtra is also planning to setup EV chargers in close proximity.

SM Vaidya, Chairman - Indian Oil Corporation said that among the proposed 10,000 EV charging stations, 2,000 will be set up within the period of twelve months itself and the remaining 8,000 will be established in two years.

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The move will facilitate faster EV adoption.

"The idea behind such promises is to fundamentally enhance the non-fossil energy capacity of the country to 500 Gigawatts by 2030, meeting 50 per cent of the energy requirements by renewable resources by 2030, reduce projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tons by 2030, reduce the carbon intensity of the economy to less than 45 per cent by 2030 and targeting net-zero by 2070. EV Charging stations is a small step by Indian Oil but it will be a giant league for the EV ecosystem. The entire EV ecosystem will get totally enhanced because that will give confidence to the manufacturers and a great relief to the buyers," Vaidya added.

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The EV Chargers, to be launched, will be of three types depending on the type, feasibility, destination and capacity of the vehicle- slow, fast, and heavy-duty charger. Indian Oil has made a list of high priority cities, where the EV will be set up initially. The nine high priorities cities include Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Surat, and Pune along with other smart cities around the country which will help to meet the target of 2000 chargers in the coming 12 months.

Quite apparently, these joint efforts by PSUs on national level and state government bodies at state level is aimed at creating a robust ecosystem for electric vehicles. Having said that said, a widespread EV charging network and even faster charging solution is needed to deal optimally with the range anxiety issue and facilitating mass adoption of EVs. But the latest move does complement the government's decision of promoting non-fossil energy capacity at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow.