Getting Closer To A Well Developed EV Charging Infrastructure
The EV industry heralds a new era where the global transportation sector can be revamped completely towards less polluting forms of mobility. By reducing carbon emissions significantly, EVs aim to bring major changes for a cleaner and greener future. While there are several policies and initiatives which are enabling this transition, there is still a need for more robust development of EV charging infrastructure that ensures ready accessibility for EV owners wherever they go. This article focuses on the ‘How’s’ and ‘Why’s’ of setting up and running such a smooth EV infrastructure.
EV charging industry – Fueling upwards
With the rise in the number of EVs on road the demand for well-evolved EV charging infrastructure will rise in importance, and the upcoming decade is expected to witness a tremendous jump in demand creation worth 100 million+ EVs. As a result, the EV charging industry will witness a booming demand in all spheres (private charging, public charging, fleet charging). Because of this, the charging providers are seeking entrance to different public places to increase accessibility; for instance, retailers, libraries, municipal parking garages and so on. The key objective is to enhance the accessibility of EV charging stations to both personal and commercial EV users.
Initiatives that Government and private institutions can take to make a reliable EV infrastructure :
A lot of measures can be taken in the right direction to ensure that the EV infrastructure grows smoothly. Some of the key ones are listed below-
Government initiatives - at the national level to encourage setting up of charging infrastructure in public spaces and highways. While initiatives are being pursued, there needs to be greater co-ordination and investment in these two areas where Government is best placed to roll out infrastructure. At the state and local government level, policies for quick approvals and rebates on electricity infrastructure charges for creation of dedicated EV stations.
Fossil Fuel transition plan – for commercial fleets such as buses, cabs and even trucks to transition from fossil fuels like diesel to clean energy solutions where electric can play a major role. This could include a combination of tax benefits on adoption of EVs as well as higher taxes for older fleets running on fossil fuels
Standards setting and certifications – EV ecosystem players and the Government should work hand in hand on setting standards for batteries and chargers, especially for two and three-wheelers which will have significant volumes in India and where India is also the leading EV market in the world. Co-ordination on common standards for fast charging apart from regular charging will help push EV adoption and ecosystem forward
Data sharing and power load management – While not a problem today, as EV fleets grow and electricity consumption rises, there will be a need for data sharing between electric utility players and the EV ecosystem on the availability of electricity at different times and prices in different regions depending on overall usage patterns. This would allow for better load management and reliable access to electricity for EVs, especially in cities where EV density will rise rapidly
Wrapping up!
The rapid growth of the EV ecosystem has brought in intense competition with several players pushing aggressively to build out EVs and infrastructure. For a well-developed EV ecosystem, it is important to address the gaps in EV infrastructure in public spaces and ensure that players can align to well defined standards and certify themselves. Industry players need to ensure that they meet the rigours of product quality aligned to Indian conditions and focus ensuring a reliable and safe consumer experience. Co-ordination between government, both at the central and local levels with industry for a staggered transition plan away from fossil fuels and also for managing electricity needs will bring greater depth and reliability to EV and charging infrastructure.
