State-run power equipment maker Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has bid for setting up 2,000 electric vehicle chargers in the second phase of the electric vehicle programme as the Government takes first steps towards its target of all-electric vehicles by 2030.
The 2,000 chargers will be set up in government offices. BHEL is the only PSU among 11 companies which have participated in the bid. The other companies are Analogics Tech India, Delta Power Solution India, EVI Technologies, Exicom Telesystems, Imperial Engineering Company, Ornate Agencies, RRT Electro Power, SBO Green Energy and Infra, Siemens and VIN Semiconductors.
Of the 2,000 chargers, 1,800 will be AC that can power three cars simultaneously and 200 will be DC chargers. An AC charger costs about Rs 40,000, while the DC unit comes for Rs 1,50,000.
In September 2017, the state-run Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) had floated a global tender for 10,000 electric vehicles to replace the Government’s fleet in line with the vision to switch to 100 percent electric mobility by 2030.
The tender was divided into two parts — 500 EVs were to be procured in phase one and the rest in the second phase.
The Narendra Modi Government is pushing for an all-electric fleet of vehicles to ply on India’s roads by 2030 as a part of its commitment made under Paris Climate Accord to cut carbon emissions and to curb spending on oil imports which is estimated to shoot up to USD 300 billion by that year.
The Government is also reportedly formulating a new policy on charging infrastructure which will be ready by mid-May.