As the world proceeds to transition towards sustainable energy solutions, electric vehicles have gained quite a lot of traction as a sustainable and cleaner mode of transportation. This transition from internal combustion vehicles to electric vehicles raises the need for an efficient and widespread charging infrastructure. As we look ahead to the year 2030 it becomes increasingly important to estimate the number of charging stations required to support the anticipated growth of electric vehicles.

An efficient charging infrastructure can speed up the transition significantly, it is a very difficult task to estimate the exact need of charging stations by 2030. However, a current report by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) sheds some light on this. This article will highlight the report’s important aspects.

About the report

The report claims that India will be requiring around 13 lakh charging stations to provide for the growing EV industry. It argues that India would need to deploy roughly 4 lakh EV chargers each year.

The CII report, produced in collaboration with Edelman Global Advisory (EGA), constitutes the second publication within the series of CII reports outlining the ‘Roadmap for Future Mobility 2030’.

Vipin Sondhi, who served as the Chairperson of the CII National Committee on Future Mobility during the 2022-23 period, and formerly held positions as the Managing Director and CEO of Ashok Leyland and JCB, remarked, “The Indian government has initiated a proactive drive toward expediting the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), with the goal of achieving sales penetrations of 30% for private automobiles, 70% for commercial vehicles, and 80% for two- and three-wheelers by 2030. The establishment of a robust charging infrastructure will form the cornerstone of this endeavor.”

Sondhi asserted that this situation presents a substantial opportunity for both India and its industrial sector. He emphasized the necessity for a conducive policy environment at both the central and state levels, to facilitate the rapid deployment of EV charging infrastructure across the nation by Indian startups, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), as well as large corporations. Given the extensive scale of the charging infrastructure required in India, the resulting economies of scale could potentially transform the country into a worldwide manufacturing hub for charging stations. This evolution could subsequently generate employment opportunities and bolster exports.

A few recommendations from the report: –

• Charging networks should be integrated into town planning for greenfield and also brownfield development.

• There must be a single window mechanism to approve the building of public charging infrastructure along with proper electricity connections and a trustworthy supply by DISCOMS to make sure that the density of charging infrastructure and the quality of service is up to mark.

• Use of 100% renewable sources of energy, because if the EVs are powered using electricity from non-renewable sources then it defeats the purpose of “sustainable transportation”.

• As part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the government might contemplate offering incentives like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to encourage the production of components used in electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. This strategy aims not only to decrease India’s reliance on imports but also to capitalize on the potential to emerge as a global source hub for electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE).

In conclusion, A widespread and efficient Charging Infrastructure can speed up the transition significantly, very soon there will be millions of charging stations opening all over the world to cater to the needs of current and future EV owners. With this, the world will continue to race towards a greener, cleaner and more sustainable future.

Bibliography

1. https://www.cii.in/PressreleasesDetail.aspx?enc=NMXXx6PGwsrQ3iOnq5kx3+kx0PBqq/WHZnMgtpMSJV4=#:~:text=To%20achieve%20a%20ratio%20of,Roadmap%20for%20Future%20Mobility%202030%27.

2. https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/global-semiconductor-giants-line-up-to-make-in-india-116115