World EV Day: Need For EV Charging Network Expansion In Tier 2 and 3 Cities

India is at the cusp of a green revolution in the automotive sector. While electric vehicles are gaining significant momentum in the big cities in terms of manufacturing and charging management, Tier 2 and 3 cities should also be taken into consideration. It becomes crucial to bring electric vehicles in the areas which are untouched by this revolution.

Introducing the electric vehicles and charging infrastructure in these cities is key to widespread accessibility to reduce the carbon emission in the nation.

Introducing electric vehicle charging infrastructure in tier 2 and 3 cities will help reduce the traffic congestion and pollution hence achieving the government's broader vision of access to electric vehicles to everyone in the country.

Need for EV charging infrastructure in Tier 2 and 3 cities:

Increasing Urbanisation: As the technology is advancing day by day, the tier 2 and 3 cities are witnessing rapid urbanisation leading to vehicular traffic and pollution. As these cities will continue to grow in the times to come, the need for a sustainable solution to transportation arises. It becomes necessary to bring these changes in these cities to reduce the emission and air pollution.

Promoting EV Adoption: In order to increase the electric vehicle adoption and encourage people to switch their traditional vehicles to e-vehicles, the industry and government need to focus on developing charging infrastructure to boost confidence in people of the availability of charging points in the remote areas.

Reducing Dependency of Fossil Fuel: Expanding EV charging networks in the small towns will fulfil the aim of the central government of reducing the dependency on fossil fuel hence reducing the air pollution. Reducing the dependency on fossil fuel in these towns will contribute significantly to reduction of carbon emission in the country.

Challenges In Tier 2 and 3 Cities

Lack of Awareness:  The lack of awareness is a huge challenge in tier 2 and 3 cities. The population is less aware about the electric vehicle and its capability. There is a need to run various awareness campaigns to encourage residents of these areas to purchase the vehicle and start contributing to green development of the nation.

Infrastructure Investment: limited investment in tier 2 and 3 cities is one of the hurdles in expanding the charging infrastructure. We need to find more and suitable funding options for these cities to set up as many as charging

Range Anxiety: Though industry is working towards strengthening the solution for it, concerns about the availability of charging stations and range anxiety in the electric vehicles are deterring potential buyers in the tier 2 and 3 cities. Expanding the charging network can alleviate this range anxiety.

The Indian Government has taken various Initiatives to boost the electric vehicles industry as well as encouraging people to switch to e-vehicles to reduce the air pollution.

FAME-II

The FAME scheme was started on April 1, 2015 to cut the use of gasoline and diesel vehicles. This project was a critical component of India’s electric mobility. The programme intends to encourage using all types of automobiles.

PLI Scheme And Related Initiatives For Electric Vehicles

PLIs are financial initiatives for electric vehicles to enhance productivity to make it easy to sell EVs at a lesser price to clients. This proposal will have a significant influence on the electronics sector, as well as helping the country progress in this field. This scheme provides several benefits to EV makers, including a direct subsidy to EV buyers.

Battery Swapping Policy

This initiative for electric vehicles would unify the battery specifications used in EVs across India. The law will aid in the promotion of EVs in time-sensitive service sectors such as delivery and intercity transportation because exchanging a depleted battery for a fully charged one is a more feasible choice than on-the-spot recharging, which may take hours.

Conclusion: The expansion of EV charging infrastructure in tier 2 and 3 cities of India is a pivotal step towards achieving a sustainable and cleaner future for the country. It addresses urbanisation challenges, reduces carbon emission and aligns with the government’s ambitious goals for electrification of transportation.