India to get over 800 new EV charging stations across 16 national highways

India is all set to get more than 800 electric vehicle charging stations soon. These EV charging stations will be installed along 16 national highways across the country to help electric car owners the ease of charging on the go. These charging stations are expected to be established in the next six to eight months. Setting up of these EV charging stations on national highways will also help reduce range anxiety among EV owners to some extent who are still sceptical about long drives on electric cars in India.

The Convergence Energy Services Ltd (CESL), a subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) which delivers electric vehicles to government offices and agencies, will set up 810 electric vehicle charging stations along a number of national highways and expressways covering 10,275 kilometres across the country.

According to a statement issued on Thursday, the EV charging stations will be installed along the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Ahmedabad-Vadodara Highway, Delhi-Agra Yamuna Expressway, Eastern Peripheral Expressway, Hyderabad ORR Expressway, and Agra-Nagpur Highway among others.

According to CESL, the electric vehicle charging stations will cater to both private and commercial vehicles. CESL said electric cars like Tata Nexon EV, Hyundai Kona MG ZS EV among other passenger electric cars will find these charging stations compatible. These stations will also cater to electric buses as well. There will be DC fast chargers available at the se stations. CESL will set up 590 590 chargers with 50kW capacity. These EV chargers will be available on highways and expressways at every 25 kms. CESL will also set up 220 chargers with 100kW capacity at every 100 kms.

CESL will be using the public-private-partnership model to set up these charging stations. It will partner companies who will invest and operate these EV charging stations. The whole project is part of the FAME-II scheme under the Ministry of Heavy Industries.