Let a thousand charging points bloom: Bescom’s response to growing EV transition

As interest in electric vehicles (EVs) grows in the city, Bescom is preparing to set up over 1,000 charging stations in the next six months.

Currently, the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (Bescom) has installed 136 public charging points in 74 locations where they witness an upsurge in usage, prompting them to set up more stations to meet the sudden surge in demand for EVs.

Started in January 2020, the 136 stations recorded a steady increase in sessions, with each vehicle charging at the station regarded as one session. While a mere 33 sessions were recorded in April 2020, it zoomed to over 6,000 sessions by October.

“As a nodal agency, we carry the responsibility to promote the use of electric vehicles,” said Bescom’s managing director Rajendra Cholan. “We play a bridging role between the manufacturers and consumers. Improving the infrastructure will give a much-needed boost to the industry.”

The initiative to set up charging points is taken up under the Government of India's ambitious Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and EV (FAME II) scheme. Making best use of the programme, the energy department wants to commission 980 new stations in Bengaluru alone.

“We are identifying 140 locations across the city with seven charging points at each location. Overall, 980 charging points will come up within the next six months, under the FAME II scheme,” said C K Sreenath, deputy general manager (smart grid and electric vehicles), Bescom.

The stations will come up at various government offices and government-owned public properties. “Every location will get seven fast-charging points. We have selected a few government offices, boards, and other government entities to set up the stations. The BBMP has suggested that the stations could be set up on the premises of the Indira Canteens in the city. We are also exploring that possibility in the coming days as it would be beneficial to citizens,” Sreenath said.

Officials said 1% of the revenue generated at the charging stations must be transferred to the land-owning agency. Bescom also has plans to set up the stations in private buildings if they show interest.

“Since they receive 1% of the revenue, it is a win-win situation for all concerned. Apart from government institutions, the focus, as of now, is to set up the stations in malls and apartment complexes where there is increased use of electric vehicles,” Cholan said.

Bescom will only provide technical guidance and connect property owners to third-party vendors willing to set up the stations. “We are also planning for a week-long Abhiyan (campaign) to gather all stakeholders such as manufacturers, charging point vendors, consumers, mall owners, and apartment associations on one platform,” Cholan said.

He said Bescom needs to build infrastructure considering the growth in the next 10 years. “We will identify more locations to set up the stations. We aim to have at least one charging station per kilometre inside the city and on the highways,” he said.

Great start, say experts

EV industry experts hailed the initiative as a great start to promote EVs since the transition is evident.

“For a city like Bengaluru, distribution of charging points must be dense if we are to promote electric two- and three-wheelers. We need more than 1,000 charging points,” said Pawan Mulukutla, WRI programme director-Clean Mobility and Energy Tech.

Mulukutla believed that the focus should be on setting up smaller charging points at more locations.

“India’s electrification journey is focused on two- and three-wheelers. While we can still do away with relatively lesser charging stations for cars, the needs of two- and three-wheelers are different and the authorities should focus on setting up many more small charging points,” he explained.

He further suggested that the state government should create more awareness and provide subsidies to promote the industry.

Policy changes

Bescom officials said they are also proposing policy changes to encourage EVs.

“Apart from ramping up infrastructure, Bescom has suggested the urban development department change building bylaws to mandate charging stations in any construction over 800 sqm. Also, the transport department is working on a policy to dedicate a portion of the parking space across the city for EVs,” a senior Bescom official said.

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