World EV Day 2022: The need for Green electric vehicle chargers in India

World EV Day: India's grid power depends on power plants that use coal as an energy source and at this crossroads, the critical question of whether the EV is genuinely 'green' is relevant.

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India has been actively promoting the usage of electric vehicles (EVs) since 2015, with the Centre and many state governments coming out with new policies to stimulate the adoption of EVs. The efforts appear to bear fruits, as EV sales are rising steadily. For a nation of India's size, trying to transition to EVs makes sense. However, we need a robust charging infrastructure as a prerequisite for a successful transition toward EVs, and India appears to be struggling there currently. A vast network of EV charging stations is necessary to inspire people to buy EVs and increase consumer confidence.

When deciding whether to switch to electric vehicles, drivers who have been using gasoline or diesel vehicles for a long time will always compare how easy it is to locate a gas station with how easy it is to locate a public charging station. According to data from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), EV adoption significantly increased between FY20 and FY22, with EV sales rising 155% year over year in FY22.

We have 50000 EV four-wheelers registered on the road, but the number of operational public charging stations in the country for them stood at only 1800.

India's Electric Vehicle Charging Market

In its most recent report, the ICRA, which is backed by Moody's, noted that by FY25, electric two-wheelers would account for roughly 13–15% of new vehicle sales, while the percentages for electric three-wheelers and e-buses would be higher at more than 30% and 8–10%, respectively.

The Government of India has established an aggressive target to electrify 70% of all commercial vehicles, 30% of private cars, 40% of buses, and 80% of two-wheeler and three-wheeler sales by 2030. This aggressive target would need simultaneous penetration of charging stations across India.

ICRA adds in its study that the growth of charging infrastructure, which is currently at an embryonic level, would play a vital role in the penetration of electric vehicles. India will likely add around 48,000 additional electric vehicle chargers at an investment of around ₹14,000 crores over the next 3-4 years amidst a healthy EV penetration in the country.

Future Outlook of India's Electric Vehicle Charging Market

India's EV Charging Equipment Market will generate substantial revenues owing to an increase in EV market penetration and a surge in government initiatives to develop EV charging infrastructure. With the right government policies, a local supply chain, lower battery prices and widespread charging infrastructure, the EV market could contribute $6.4 Bn in the next five years.

E-rickshaws, eAutos, and e2Ws are India's most promising electrification segments and would account for more than 4 million units by 2025.

Strong Government Push

There have been persistent and extended policy interventions at the state and central levels to ensure the deployment of charging infrastructure in the last few years. Treating EV charging as a "service" has been the first and most crucial step. It allows anyone to set up and operate an EV charging station without requiring a license.

The Government of India has supported the EV industry through schemes such as FAME1 and FAME2 that significantly focus on charging infrastructure. The industry players have been quite encouraging and shown an enthusiastic interest in the overall EV Charging ecosystem. While EVs are being worked upon by prominent OEMs, an ecosystem for the development of chargers, charging stations, and other services are steadily growing.

Biogas-powered EV charging stations

Firms are constantly improving the power storage capacity of EVs. Simultaneously, EV charging infrastructure is a significant opportunity, and fast charging stations are cropping up across urban areas. Many charging stations run on-grid power. India's grid power depends on power plants that use coal as an energy source. At this crossroads, the critical question of whether the EV is genuinely 'green' is relevant.

Electric vehicles in India would soon have the option to go carbon-free in operations as the government attempts to supply renewable energy to charging stations, a first-of-its-kind initiative worldwide. One method is bio methanation – conversion of organic waste to renewable fuel in the form of biogas. The Large-Scale Purification and Conversion of Biogas into BioCNG for Use as an Automotive Fuel is encouraged by the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) Initiative.

The best example of a charging station for electric vehicles that use biogas produced by a biomethane plant next to it is a recent installation in Haji Ali, Mumbai. In this EV charging station in Haji Ali, diesel/petrol has been substituted by biogas, a green fuel alternative. The EV charging station uses this renewable energy as its input, supplying it to charge the electric vehicles.

Green EV Charging stations are the Future

The transportation industry is going through a monumental transformation, where sustainable, electric engines are slowly replacing combustion engines. The only way for this vision to be completely green is if the electricity used to power these hybrid cars also gets produced in an environmentally friendly process.

We have made noteworthy strides in the EV sector, and active cooperation between policymakers, businesses, and other players will be essential in the accelerated adoption and transition to green mobility. The foundations have been set up, and it is now critical to build on them to drive India's ambition of accomplishing a net zero carbon footprint and contributing positively to the cause of global climate change.

This article is authored by Chetan Walunj, CEO and Founder Repos. All views are personal.