The Delhi government recently announced a campaign to install 5,000 kerbside charging stations by 2025, which will have 24/7 access for both electric two- and three-wheelers. The Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission will oversee this project, which aims to have electric vehicle charging stations on all major public roads. It remains to be seen whether this policy will be extended to four-wheelers, given parking constraints in the metro city.

• Pilot to establish 100 charging stations 

• Only 1,742 charging stations currently present in India

What is kerbside charging?

Kerbside charging is a widely used global method to charge vehicles at roadside kerbs using wired connections through streetlamp posts or dedicated charging stations. In India, kerbside charging will make use of streetlamp posts as well as substation spaces which have or are close to sites of street parking. This concept is used in London and San Francisco where nearly 50 percent of users charge their vehicles overnight at kerbside charging stations.

The pilot will kick off with 100 charging stations after which it will expand throughout the 1,400km-strong road network of the nation’s capital. The road network in Delhi, while amongst the largest in the world, also has nearly one lakh streetlamp posts through which kerbside charging can potentially be initiated. Currently, there are over 30 electric vehicle equipment manufacturers that build charging stations in India, chief among which is Tata Power, with over 300 EV charging stations currently operational.

Would widespread access to charging stations prompt you to buy an EV? Let us know in the comments section below.