One fundamental concern that many Indians have before purchasing an electric vehicle is the ability to charge their EVs. Consumers in India face major bottlenecks due to a lack of extensive charging infrastructure in cities and a lack of knowledge about the charging ecosystem.

Estimates suggest that 80% of the EV charging currently occurs in personal spaces like homes and then, at the workplace. Lack of public charging spots leads to range anxiety. There is no surety that a driver can top-up in case the charge is running low. Many top tier OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and startups have invested in setting up charging infrastructure in various cities.

Tata Motors, for example, has set up charging stations across Delhi-NCR in places like Dwarka, Noida Sector 5, Greater Noida, Gurugram and Dilshad Garden in New Delhi. For consumers of their Nexon EV, they have developed an app that can assist users in finding the nearest charging station, besides offering updates on how much energy is left in the vehicle’s batteries. Kazam EV Tech has set up 1000+ chargers in more than 12 cities including Bangalore (where the company is based), Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, etc. Consumers can locate their nearest Kazam charging station at Locate Nearest EV Charging Location.

In India, as in most countries that have adopted EVs, charging is a big factor that determines how well the EV tech has been received. Places, where customers can charge their EVs, are discussed below:

1. Homes:

It is ideal if a consumer has a dedicated parking space at home. There are startups like Kazam EV Tech which are providing charging solutions for EV users across major cities. Home chargers are mostly AC chargers where users can plug their vehicle for overnight charging. Home charging is an efficient way to supply electricity to your EV’s daily battery requirements. However, you cannot always turn back home every time you wish to recharge your EV batteries.

2. Workplace:

After homes, workplace or office charging is the second most sought after charging choice for users. Employees can charge their EVs while working. Corporates are also making an effort to become eco-friendly employers. To encourage corporates in Delhi in promoting EVs, the Delhi Government is going to launch a guide to install workplace charging facilities. Workplace charging will become a necessity in future and employees will expect charging solutions.

3. Malls:

The convenience of being able to use an EV charger while shopping is expected to boost the adoption of EVs in India. Charging space at malls gives the shoppers a satisfying experience where they can shop carefree while their EV is safe in the parking and being charged. Users can browse malls with EV charging facilities before stepping out. This is beneficial for malls as well, as it boosts the number of visitors, and as EV charging takes some time, users spend more time exploring, shopping and spending. Kazam EV Tech has a charging point at GT Mall in Bangalore. Delhi’s extremely popular DLF Select Citywalk is setting up a charging station in partnership with Charge City.

4. Restaurants:

Users can charge their EVs while enjoying their food. These days restaurants are not just about the food. The overall experience is given importance. The presence of charging facilities at a restaurant adds to the customer experience. Fine dining establishments, whose clients have the financial ability to own premium electric cars, are readily installing charging stations. Users who usually fully charge their EVs at home and are not looking for a full charge can utilize these charging stations on the go. Garage Grill Restaurant in Pune hosts a Kazam charging point.

5. Housing Societies/Apartments:

Residents can utilize parking spaces and charge their EVs within their society. Most upcoming societies/apartments/townships are being readied with EV charging infrastructure. Existing ones are installing the necessary electrical connections, sockets, etc as demands from residents increase. Forward-thinking property managers are using EV amenities to stand out from the competition. This helps retain tenants, attract prospective buyers and provides avenues for extra revenue. So it is a win-win for the residents and the societies. For instance, Kazam EV Tech has installed charging points at Wing 39, 41, 43 & 45 in Sobha Dreams Residential Society in Bangalore.

6. Petrol Pumps:

The central govt is working towards setting up EV charging stations in 22000 of the total 70,000 petrol pumps across the country. For conventional vehicle owners, trips to petrol pumps for a petrol/diesel refuel is a very common occurrence. So it is a sensible option to have electric charging kiosks at these places. Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum, all 3 have big plans with respect to EV charging solutions. Hindustan Petroleum already has 84 EV charging installations and Indian Oil has 448 such stations.

Other Options:

Points 1 to 6 (above) mentions places most easily accessible for charging currently in India. However, there are other ways to charge EVs as well, namely Kirana shop installations, some showrooms (MG Motors India offers DC fast charging at showrooms in metro cities), commercial public charging stations (Tata Power, Okaya, Magenta), motels & food courts along national highways, community charging stations, etc.

Kazam EV Tech provides sharp solutions for EV charging at home and at residential societies, offices, malls, restaurants, shops & petrol pumps (via Kazam Mini & Kazam 3 .3).

Conclusion:

While there have been huge strides taken in India to drive the adoption of electric vehicles, all this will be wasted if something is not done to improve the support infrastructure needed. With infrastructure comes the confidence and aspiration to own and operate eco-friendly, advanced and most definitely, cool electric vehicles.