Delhi¡¯s sustainability roadmap drafted earlier mentioned a total of 150 charging stations to be put across the capital by BSES. The power discom has now started the installation of these, with the first charging station inaugurated at South Extension Part II by Delhi power minister Satyendar Jain on Tuesday.
The initiation will further see a total of 50 charging points setup across Delhi within this fiscal year. Consumers can use it to charge their electric vehicles after booking a slot and paying for it online. ¡°This charging station, the first of 50 in 2019-2020 with over 150 planned with multiple partnerships, will bolster decentralised energy management and battery storage which are key governance components of Delhi¡¯s sustainability roadmap,¡± said Jain.
Powering the electric vehicles, the charging station is aimed at supporting a greener mode of transport in the capital region. With the planned network of 150 of such charging stations, Delhi government plans to increase the adoption of electric vehicles, eliminating the inconvenience caused by the absence of such an infrastructure.
BSES Charging Station at South Ex-II (Image: BCCL)
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Apart from being better for the environment, electric vehicle owners will also be able to garner savings on their commute. As per the government, the approximate cost of charging, including the cost of electricity (as per DERC tariff) and overheads (parking charges, recovery of equipment cost etc) will be Rs 160 to Rs 200 for a full charge. With an average range of 200 km, an EV owner will be spending just 1 Re per km travelled.
EV owners who seek to charge their vehicle at the new charging station will have to book their charging time in advance and pay for the same through mobile app ¡®ElectreeFi¡¯. The app lets users locate the nearest charging stations and reserve a charging slot on them in advance.
The charging station forms a part of the Delhi government¡¯s all out effort to bring in the EV culture in the capital. The government recently announced a fleet of electric two-wheelers to be deployed at the metro stations for zero emission last mile connectivity of metro commuters. In addition, it is also planning to encourage the delivery players operating in the capital to shift to electric vehicles through an incentive-based scheme.