DELHI’S E-VEHICLE STRATEGY HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD

New Delhi: The Delhi government is planning to install over 5,000 kerbside charging points for electric vehicles on all major roads in the next three years. Kerbside charging is an emerging concept globally wherein EVs can be charged while being parked on roadside kerbs using either street light lamp posts or through dedicated charging posts. Last month, the Delhi Government launched the three-year action plan for charging and swapping infrastructure in Delhi with a target of 18,000 charging points. The advantage of the kerbside facility is that it saves the cost of additional infrastructure because it leverages the existing civic and electrical infrastructure for the installation of charging points.

The process will start with a pilot for 100 kerbside chargers spread equitably across all three discoms. The PWD has 1,400 km of roads in Delhi with approximately one lakh lamp posts, which can gradually be brought into the ambit of the project to scale up the facility. The lack of charging points at suitable locations is a major deterrent in India in the way of promoting greater popularity of the e-vehicle segment. Let alone on the highways, even in our cities, there is a woeful lack of charging stations at strategic distances the way petrol pumps are, so that vehicle owners can have the option to charge their vehicles every 3-4 kms or so. In close to two years, Delhi has sold over 62,000 electric vehicles (Evs). With more manufacturers gradually entering the market and more options now available to the consumer, it is likely that higher sales are going to add to Delhi’s EV count.