Centre Sanctions INR 800 Crore Under FAME II For Fast Charging Stations The EV charging stations from OMCs would be of the CCS-II type with a capacity of 50 KW and above, offering efficient and fast charging for EV owners, especially for those looking for on-the-go top-up charging

The Union minister for heavy industries, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, on Tuesday announced the sanction of INR 800 crore under FAME India Scheme Phase II to the state-owned oil marketing companies (OMC) - Indian Oil (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) - for setting up 7,432 public fast charging stations across the country.

"The move will give a boost to the electric vehicle ecosystem in India and encourage more people to switch to cleaner modes of transportation. The government is committed to promoting sustainable green mobility solutions and reducing the country's carbon emissions, working towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Net Zero mission. This move will create a robust charging infrastructure network in India that is more accessible to the public. It aligns with the government's goal of reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable transportation options, while also supporting the growth of the Indian automotive industry," said Pandey.

A committee headed by DG BEE recommended certain changes to improve the viability of the development of public charging infrastructure. It includes supporting the upstream infrastructure (such as distribution transformer, LT & HT cables, AC distribution boxes, circuit breakers/isolators, protection equipment, tubular or PCC mounting structures, fencing and civil work) which generally cost up to 60 per cent of overall cost for setting up a public EV charging station. The upstream infrastructure comprises of the money that is to be paid by charge point operators to the DISCOMs to obtain electricity connection. Based on the recommendation of committee, MHI approved financial assistance for setting up upstream infrastructure of up to 80 per cent upstream infrastructure making installation of charging stations easier by reducing the upfront cost. In addition, the earlier subsidy of 70 per cent on EV supply equipment would continue as before.

The EV charging stations from OMCs would be of the CCS-II type with a capacity of 50 KW and above, offering efficient and fast charging for EV owners, especially for those looking for on-the-go top-up charging.

The ministry of heavy industries has released 70 per cent of the sum, i.e., Rs. 560 crore, to OMC (BPCL, IOCL, and HPCL) as the 1^st installment of the total amount of Rs. 800 crore which has been sanctioned for the installation and commissioning of upstream infrastructure and charging equipment of EV public charging stations at respective retail outlets in the country.

The OMC wise proposed installation of charging stations including upstream infrastructure is as below:

The installation is expected to be completed by March 2024. At present, there are about 6,586 charging stations across the country. The addition of the new 7,432 public charging stations would act as a significant push to EV charging ecosystem. The above charging capacity shall be used for charging of electric two-wheelers, four-wheelers, light commercial vehicles, mini buses.

Additionally, committee recommended change in configuration of charging guns as below which are also approved.

The relaxation in the number of charging guns would help to increase the utilization of charging capacity and reduce the cost of setting up charging stations.

The fast-charging stations would be set up in all the metros, million-plus cities, smart cities notified by MoHUA, cities of hilly states across the country, highways and expressways across the country providing EV owners with a seamless and convenient charging experience that would greatly reduce the range anxiety of EV owners as well as charging time during their intra-city and inter-city, long distance travels. The wide network of conveniently located OMC retail outlets would be in the natural travel route of motorists offering a host of amenities, viz., safety, good illumination, extended working hours, washrooms, emergency assistance, etc., for customer comfort.

According to reports, IOCL had said that it would set up EV charging facilities at 10,000 fuel outlets over the next three years.