The Indian capital of Delhi is set to have a hundred more new EV charging stations by the end of July 2023, according to the city’s power minister, Atishi. The charging infrastructure will be installed at strategic locations throughout the city, including metro stations and bus depots, and will offer the lowest cost of charging per unit not only in India, but globally, with the cost of charging set to be less than Rs 3 per unit.
Delhi to have 100 more EV charging stations by July, pay less than Rs 3 per unit
The Delhi government has announced plans to set up 100 more electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the city by the end of July. The new charging stations will be located at metro stations, bus depots, and other strategic places across Delhi. The government has said that the cost of charging per unit will be the lowest in the world, with people paying less than Rs 3 per unit for charging.
The announcement was made by Power Minister Atishi, who said that officials have been directed to address issues occurring during the installation of charging stations and ensure that 50 of them are ready by the end of April and 100 by the end of July.
Electric vehicle sales have been on the rise in Delhi, with EVs contributing close to 15% of the overall vehicles sold in March, according to the transport department. Out of 7,926 EVs sold in March, four-wheelers contributed to 20% of the sale, and three-wheelers contributed 12%.
The Delhi government is building the charging stations based on a public-private partnership (PPP) model. In its EV report for 2022, the government stated that over 2,300 charging points and 200-plus battery swapping stations were running across the city. It also revealed that Delhi had registered 93,239 EVs till December 31, 2022. Out of these, 5,189 registrations took place in 2020, 25,809 in 2021, and 62,241 in 2022.
The sales of EVs in Delhi increased by 141% in 2022 compared to 2021. In comparison, a total of 10.03 lakh EV sales took place across India in 2022, and these sales contributed to 4.73% of total vehicle sales. Delhi’s EV contribution was as high as 10.24%, according to government figures.
Atishi said that the building of new charging stations are in progress to meet the rising demand for electric vehicles in the city. “We are building 100 EV charging stations in the capital to ensure that people have enough stations available around them and do not face problems,” she said.
The move is sure to boost the adoption of EVs in Delhi and help the city reduce its carbon footprint. The government has been taking several steps to promote the use of electric vehicles in the city, including providing subsidies to buyers and setting up charging infrastructure. With the new charging stations, Delhi is is now on the verge to become a more EV-friendly city, encouraging more people to switch to electric vehicles.
