Govt mulls building EV charging kiosks in the country at about 69,000 petrol pumps

The government is mulling setting up at least one electric vehicle (EV) charging kiosk each at nearly 69,000 petrol pumps across the country.

NEW DELHI: The government is mulling setting up at least one electric vehicle (EV) charging kiosk each at nearly 69,000 petrol pumps across the country to induce people to go for electric mobility.

Besides, the government is also thinking of making it compulsory to install EV charging kiosks at all Company-Owned, Company-Operated (COCO) petrol pumps of state refiners.

According to the industry estimates, there are around 69,000 petrol pumps in the country. The EV charging facility at all petrol pumps could boost e-mobility in a big way as a lack of such infrastructure discourages people from buying EVs.

The power ministry has also chalked out a plan to focus on Delhi National Capital Region, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Vadodara, and Bhopal for creating EV charging infrastructure in cities as well as on highways to encourage people to switch over to electric mobility.

The power minister directed officials in the meeting that no chargers shall be imported from prior reference countries as specified by the Ministry of Power, the source added.

Earlier, the power ministry had also made testing mandatory for power equipment imported from prior reference nations to check for any kind of embedded malware or trojans or cyber threat and for adherence to Indian standards.