New Guidelines for Installing EV Charging Stations

The central government has released new guidelines for installing charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs).

As per the new guidelines, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) will be the Central nodal agency facilitating the installation of charging infrastructure for EVs across the country.
A provision to set up state nodal agency nominated by the State Governments has also been included in the new guidelines.
These guidelines will supersede the earlier guidelines issued by the Ministry of Power on December 14, 2018.

The guidelines envisage a phase-wise installation of charging stations to form a network of charging stations across the country.
There should be at least one charging station in a grid area of 3 X 3 Km in the cities and at least one station for every 25 km on both sides of roads/highways.

Under Phase I, in one to three years, all megacities with population of over 4 million as per the 2011 census will be covered.
Also, all expressways, highways and major roads connected to these cities will be covered in this phase.
Under Phase II, three to five years from now, all big cities such as state capitals and Union Territory headquarters along with highways that connect to these cities may be covered.
Also, the new guidelines envisage setting up of fast-charging stations along the highway for every 100 km.
These will ease inter-city travel and also fulfil the charging needs of heavy-duty EVs like buses or trucks.
There will a charging station on each side of the road/highway preferably close to the Public Charging Station (PCS).
The Ministry of Power has noted that the PCS will be a de-licensed activity that is any entity or individual is free to set up PCS.
The new guidelines also allow different standards of chargers to be installed in the PCS. They are CCS, CHAdeMO, Type-2 AC, Bharat AC 001.
The owners of the PCS will have the freedom to choose chargers as per the market requirements.