Indian airports to induct more EVs, develop charging infrastructure

The Airports Authority of India (AAI), which manages a total of 137 airports, has said that it is working towards switching to electric vehicles (EVs) and is encouraging the airport service providers for inducting EVs and developing charging infrastructure at airports. The move is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of transitioning towards electric mobility. The institution aims to achieve 100 per cent target for switching over to electric vehicles by 2030.

AAI has initially inducted 10 electric vehicles for official use at its corporate and regional headquarters in New Delhi while a total of 45 e-vehicles had been engaged at AAI airports' offices across the country through direct purchase from original equipment manufacturers/hiring for airside operations' city-side usage.

The move is also in line with India's support to the global EV30@30 campaign, which targets to have at least 30 per cent new vehicle sales be electric by 2030. The government aims to see a penetration of EVs of 30 per cent for private cars, 70 per cent for commercial vehicles and 80 per cent for two- and three-wheelers by 2030.

AAI is working on hiring/leasing/purchasing against replacement of AAI-owned internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Actions have been taken by AAI for switching over from existing AAI diesel, petrol, CNG vehicles to e-vehicles at various AAI airports. It also plans to add charging stations to ensure proper charging facility for these EVs.

The institution is also encouraging government organisations/public sector undertakings (PSU) /government discoms and similar other public entities to build and operate public EV charging infrastructure at parking lots of airports as well as airside area.

Recently, the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) announced that it will deploy 57 electric vehicles in the airport ecosystem in order to reduce carbon emissions caused due to vehicular pollution.