India observed a substantial rise in sales of EV vehicles in the financial year 2023-24. The sales grossed 1,665,270 units from April 2023 to March 2024, averaging 4,562 daily sales, a 71.06% increase from the previous financial year.
The uptrend of EV sales is clearly visible in the data. Hence, it’s a good opportunity to fulfill our country’s increasing need for electric charging stations. The government is well aware of this and is trying hard to make the installation process of EV charging stations smoother.
Steps for Opening Electric Vehicle Stations in India
As we said before, the government of India is trying to smoothen the process of opening EV charging stations in India. Making the installation of EV charging stations without a permit is the very first thing it did to achieve the mammoth task of developing infrastructure for electric vehicles.
Now, look at seven simple steps to install an electric vehicle charging station.
1. Look into the market:
Analyse the area in which you want to install an EV charging station. You’ve to answer questions like what is the total number of CV users, how’s competition, consumer behavior, etc to understand the market. There should be a sufficient amount of EV users to benefit the facility you’ve created. You don’t want to install the EV station in some countryside town with negligible EV users, do you?
2. Location:
Decide where you want to build your charging station. Choosing the correct location is essential, it will be easy and quite straightforward in tier-2 cities. But the task will get complex and intricate if you want to install an EV charging station in a metropolis. Supposedly, you may think it will be better to install the EV charging station in Pritampura, Delhi instead of some outskirts of Chandani Chowk. But you might face extensive competition in Pritampura.
3. A meeting with DISCOM and Authorities:
You don’t need any license to install an EV charging station, but you need to comply with standards set by the Power Ministry of India and Niti Aayog. DISCOM will assist you in your project.
4. Installation:
Now comes the real work. After you are done with all the paperwork and permissions. You can start funding the construction of your electric charging station. You also have to decide the charger type of want at your charging station. AC, DC, or Hybrid. According to the government, the charging station must have at least 2 slow AC charging cables and 3 fast DC charging stations.
5. Testing:
Testing whether your chargers and cables are working or not. Also, take complete care of safety measures at your charging station.
6. Charging Charge:
The owner decides the fees for charging it should be equal to or below the rate fixed by the state government. The charging rate of public charging stations cannot exceed the fixed rate decided by the state government.
7. Maintenance:
The EV charging station will require constant maintenance for effectiveness, safety measures, and power checks. It’s recommended to go through an inspection every 6 months and annual maintenance of your EV charging station.
Also, Read: Guide to Ola Electric Scooter Booking Online
What Steps Should I Follow to Start an EV Charging Station?
The EV charging stations installed for daily use must be above the standards set by the government. Let’s have a look a them;
- The charge or rate of public EV charging stations will be decided by the state government. It cannot exceed the fixed rate.
- The tariff on electricity supply will be single-part and it cannot exceed the average cost of supply till the next financial year.
- The EV charging stations can get electric supply from the electric power grid and power generation companies via open access.
- The electricity board and power grids must supply electric lines within seven days in megacity, 15 days in municipal corporations, and within 30 days in rural areas and outskirts of the city.
- The EV charging station must partner with one telecom service so that users can locate the charging stations or advance book charging slots.
What Are the Different Types of EV Chargers Available?
Most organizations incorrectly state three levels of EV charging cables. But actually, there are a total of four types of EV charging stations in India. Two types of
AC chargers and two of DC. Let’s understand them;
1. AC (Alternating Current)
- AC level 1 – It’s a regular plug found at our offices. It supplies 120V, 5A alternating current. It is the slowest EV charger out there, it may take 8-10 hours to recharge the EV battery.
- AC Level 2 – It’s an improvement to the AC Level 1 charger. It provides 240V, 15A current that can charge your EV battery under 6-8 hours.
2. DC (Direct Current)
The current we receive at our home is an alternating current. The alternating current needs to be converted into direct current. Hence, it’s difficult to install a DC charger at our home; it can only be found at EV charging stations. DC chargers are known for rapid charging speed.
- DC Level 1 – It supplies a maximum of 80 kW at 50–1000V. It can recharge your EV battery in 4-5 hours.
- DC Level 2 – It can supply a highest of 400 kW at 50–1000V. It’s the fastest EV charger, it can charge your battery within an hour.
How can I estimate the cost of opening an EV charging station in India?
Now it’s time to analyze the cost of installing EV Charging stations cost in India. The price can be divided into two parts; infrastructure and cost of charger.
| Infrastructure | Equipment/Accessory | Annual Cost in Rs. |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Rent of land | ₹6,00,000 |
| 2. | Electrical equipment | ₹7,00,000 – ₹8,00,000 |
| 3. | Labor work | ₹2,00,000 – ₹3,00,000 |
| 4. | Inspection and Maintenance | ₹1,00,000 – ₹2,00,000 |
The prices stated above are subject to change geographically. For instance, labor costs may differ from place to place. This is also true for land lease costs.
Now let’s look at the price of the charger types.
| Charger Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| AC Level 1 | ₹65,000 |
| AC Level 2 | ₹1,20,000 |
| DC Level 1 | ₹2,47,000 |
| DC Level 2 | ₹3,50,000 – ₹5,95,000 |
Note – Price may vary according to the suppliers.
Total estimate – 20,05,000
Also, Check –
- celcom prepaid check balance code
- electric vs petrol car
- What does an NGO do?
- How Many Days Left Until Ramadan 2024?
- How to Write a Resume for a Job?