Now charge your EV using existing electricity connection, centre issues new guidelines

As per Ministry of Power, new charging guidelines and standards will enable a faster adoption of electric vehicles in India.

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The new guidelines issued by the Centre for electric vehicles charging infrastructure now allow owners to charge their vehicles at their residences or offices using existing electricity connections. The new revised consolidated guidelines and standards for electric vehicle charging infrastructure were announced by the Centre on January 14.

According to the Ministry of Power, these new guidelines and standards will enable faster adoption of electric vehicles in India by ensuring safe, reliable, accessible, and affordable charging infra and eco-system. "This would also promote energy security and reduction of emission intensity of the country by promotion of the entire EV ecosystem," the ministry said.

Besides, these guidelines are exhaustive and include provisions for individual owners of electric vehicles and for ‘Public Charging Stations’ (PCS). The guidelines outline require ‘Public Charging Infrastructure’ for long-range and heavy-duty EVs. "Any individual or entity is free to set up public charging stations without the requirement of a license provided that such stations meet the technical, safety as well as performance standards and protocols laid down under the guidelines," an official said.

Further, the guidelines have been made technology-agnostic by providing for not only the prevailing international charging standards available in the market but also the new Indian charging standards. Moreover, to address the challenge of making a charging station financially viable in the period of growth of EVs, a revenue-sharing model has been put in place for land used for the charging infra.

"Such revenue-sharing agreement may be initially entered by parties for a period of 10 years. The Revenue Sharing Model may also be adopted by the public Land-owning agency for providing the land to a private entity for installation of PCS on bidding basis with a floor price of Rs 1 per kWh," an official said. In addition, the ministry said the guidelines mandate that PCS shall be provided within seven days in metro cities, 15 days in other municipal areas, and 30 days in rural areas.

"Within these timelines, the distribution licensees shall provide new connections or modify an existing connection," the official further said. "The tariff for supply of electricity to public EV charging stations shall be a single part tariff and shall not exceed the "Average Cost of Supply" till 31st March 2025. The same tariff shall be applicable for Battery Charging Station (BCS). The tariff applicable for domestic consumption shall be applicable for domestic charging.

With inputs from IANS