New Delhi: NITI Aayog, a premiere policy think tank of Government of India, has announced the development of the world’s first national standards for Electric Vehicles (EVs) charging points.
India’s Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the National Standard Body of India, has successfully developed the AC and DC charging points to be installed across the country. Earlier this year, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of India, chaired by Nitin Gadkari, had highlighted the issue of EV charging points to be vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
In an announcement made on NITI Aayog’s official social media accounts, the government body shared the news with the public that new set up of charging points will be facilitated for both, AC and DC charging from the same service point.
Part of the Department of Science and Technology, “ARAI, EV makers, and the Bureau of Indian Standards have come together to develop the world’s first national standard for electric vehicle charging.”
The implementation of a national standard for EVs indicates a creation of open ecosystem and driving faster EV adoption across the country. The government announced that the new development is intended to “allow OEMs to move away from relying solely on international standards and protocols and instead implement a charging system that will propel Indian innovation ahead.”
Currently, as per the data provided by the Union Minister and sourced from the government’s Vahan website, an estimate of over 2.8 million vehicles are registered as EVs in the country. This complements the rise in consumer awareness, and the consciousness around the rising fuel costs as well as the long-term costs of Electric Vehicle.
A McKinsey and Company report on the shift in consumerism with the incoming of EVs suggests “a total of 70% tier-one Indian car consumers state that they are willing to consider an electric car as their next vehicle, as compared to the record high global average of 52%.”
The transition from fossil fuel powered, ICE vehicles to Electric vehicles in recent years in India is an allusion to a shift in global climate policies; central and state governments have introduced initiatives such as the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme to speed up the adoption of Electric Vehicles. Moreover, around “75 % of Indians are starting to change (or have already changed) their behaviour and consumption patterns based on sustainability considerations.”
The transition has been noted to be a step towards reducing air pollution and improve traffic conditions in the country- a growing civic sensibility to promote sustainability. According to a report by Reuters, “new Delhi again topped a real-time list of the world’s most polluted cities compiled by Swiss group IQAir, which put the Indian capital’s AQI at 640 in the “hazardous” category on Friday, followed by 335 in the Pakistani city of Lahore.”
NITI Aayog-inspired, Tata Motors-supplied, and JKSRTC-operated e-buses have been inducted and operationalised in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, to strengthen public transport in the city. The induction of these buses is a significant step towards reducing traffic congestion and air… pic.twitter.com/BxmWWp0bZT
— NITI Aayog (@NITIAayog) November 3, 2023
Continuing the momentum from the G20 New Delhi Leader’s Declaration, NITI Aayog is spearheading a series of high-level thematic workshops from 1st to 9th November 2023. These will forge the path to turn goals into action and strategize for impactful implementation.
Stay tuned… pic.twitter.com/sdPFxF5l2a
— NITI Aayog (@NITIAayog) November 2, 2023
Additionally, the facilitation of a national standards for both AC and DC motor operated EVs by the government of India is a prompt reaction to the growing concern over availability of charging points. Studies on Automobile consumers suggest more than 75% feel India lacks a robust set up in terms of charging points.
The development of national standards for EV charging by NITI Aayog and BIS marks a pivotal step towards accelerating the sustainable rise of Electric Vehicles in India. This initiative fosters innovation, consumer adoption, and environmental responsibility, reflecting India’s commitment to shaping a cleaner and greener future for its citizens.