India develops first-ever indigenous charging standard for electric two & three-wheelers

In a major move towards higher adoption of electric vehicles in the country, India has indigenously developed its first-ever AC and DC combined charging connector standard for light electric vehicles (LEVs) comprising electric two- and three-wheelers and micro cars. This is also the world’s first-ever combined AC and DC charging connector standard for LEVs and has been completely designed and engineered in the country.

The new charging system saw the NITI Aayog, the Department of Science and Technology, ARAI, electric vehicle makers, and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) come together to develop a national standard. The new technology makes way for a common AC and DC combined charging system for LEVs and will not only benefit Indian vehicles but LEVs globally as well if adopted. The new unified charging system will not only help vehicle owners but also manufacturers as well as charge point operators.

Speaking on the new charging standard for LEVs,. B V R Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog said, “I am happy to note the development of a combined charging standard which is an absolute necessity if we are to achieve our EV targets. A strong need was felt for a combined charging system for Light EVs in India and since such an option has not been provided in International Standards, it was necessary to develop it indigenously to give Light EV customers the option of charging both from an AC or a DC outlet, whichever is available conveniently for them. Since more than 75 per cent of new vehicles sold in India are either two or three-wheelers, we created a standard that impacts the biggest chunk of the vehicle market. Several government bodies and private sector OEMs came together to make this happen."

“This is a unique global innovation that has been indigenously developed by BIS. It facilitates both AC (slow) and DC (fast) charging from the same service point/station and has enormous potential for adoption and proliferation of Electric Mobility. This is also a fine example of what we can achieve when good policy, innovation, and enterprise come together to guide the country in the right direction. We expect the new standard to be one of the most helpful factors in making India a global player in the clean mobility space," he added further.

Swapnil Jain, Founder - Ather Energy, said, “Taking our stride further in the EV space today, we have an EV charging standard for India with the potential to be implemented worldwide. This is a remarkable achievement because, for the first time, an India-designed and developed technology can be used globally. As a country, we have come a long way because we are no longer dependent on any EV technology transfer from outside India to create something that has a worldwide market. This could well be the tipping point that catapults India into a global league of technology-based solution providers in the EV-automobile sector that only a few countries in the world are capable of."

Niranjan Gupta, CEO - Hero MotoCorp, said, “A home-grown connector standard is a breakthrough achievement for the country and the EV industry, aligned with the government’s ‘Make in India’ policy. In fact, it is not just about Make in India any more, it is ‘Innovate in India and Make for the World’. Along with Ather Energy, it has been Hero MotoCorp’s constant endeavour to take the industry forward and make India the global leader in the light electric vehicle category. This development will go a long way in the pursuance of our vision. We appreciate the government agencies for passing this landmark standard that will provide convenience to customers. Congratulations to the teams at Ather Energy and Hero MotoCorp for supporting this significant government initiative."

The new charging connectors for LEVs sets it apart from from the more expensive electric four-wheeler charging connectors since the latter is unfeasible to adopt on most cost-conscious EVs. With a common connector for slow and fast charging, not only does it reduce costs but also helps bring an interoperable network for charging, while customers need not carry bulky chargers with the vehicle all the time.