Overview of the EV charging infrastructure in Delhi
According to the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy launched in August 2020, Delhi is increasing the number of electric vehicles (EVs) as the country is moving towards clean vehicles, especially electric cars, at an exponential rate. To boost the transition from traditional to electric vehicles (EVs), the Delhi Transport Authority said it would develop a regional plan to improve and develop the electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Delhi. As per the authority, the step also aims to accelerate the growth of the adoption of electric vehicles in regions where demand for electric vehicles is still low.
Delhi's EV infrastructure
Under the Delhi Infrastructure Transformation/Battery Swapping Action Plan 2022-2025, the Ministry of Transport will deploy 18,000 charging points for public electric vehicles in Delhi in 2024. As per the authority's statement, EV Battery plans to recognize and select spots across the city where public charging stations can be installed will depend on the Delhi transportation authority, charging stations or charging point delivery companies, fleet operators, or partnerships between the government and different EV manufacturers or companies. As per the 2022-25 action plan, Delhi will deploy one public charging point for every 15 electric vehicles by 2024, evenly distributed across Delhi, with access every 3 kilometers on the roads.
Infrastructure development is being considered in Delhi's 11 districts as charging stations are unevenly distributed due to different regional needs.
It is very evident in the fact that there are more than 30 in the northeast and Shahadara region in Delhi whereas 890 charging stations in the southwest. Other regions with more public charging stations are 334 in the southeast region of the city, 317 in the west including Rohini and Rajouri Garden, 275 in the northwest region which has Ghaziabad, 248 in the central part of New Delhi, and 246 in the east Delhi including preet vihar and Sakarpur. East Delhi is one of the smallest regions, but the high population density and a large number of E2W and E3W have increased the demand for the development of electric vehicle infrastructure in the region.
There are 146 public charging stations in North Delhi which has Purani Dilli, 114 in Central Delhi which has one of the most crowded places of Delhi Connaught Place, 92 in South Delhi having OKhla under its geography, 39 in North East Delhi, and 36 in Shahdara. Transport authorities are working to develop charging infrastructure in the region, which could lead to an increase in electric vehicles. As per the reports, two- and three-wheelers have been identified as major vehicle categories as they account for more than 40% of vehicular pollution in Delhi. The Delhi government said that 25% of the vehicles registered in Delhi will be turned into electric vehicles and according to the March analysis Delhi has achieved 15% of the total 25% aim.
Types of EV charging stations available in Delhi
Alternating current (AC) charging stations, commonly referred to as Level 2 charging stations, offer power to charge electric vehicles. These charging stations give charging power typically ranging from 3.3 kW to 7 kW and use a normal AC socket, such as Type 2 or Type 3 connectors. Residential locations, commercial complexes, parking lots, and public places frequently have AC charging stations. You can find this type of charging station at many public places in Delhi.
Direct current power is delivered at faster-charging rates through DC fast charging stations, also referred to as Level 3 charging stations. CHAdeMO, CCS (Combined Charging System), or Tesla Supercharger connectors are just a few examples of the specialized DC connectors used by these charging stations. Depending on the charger's capacity, DC fast chargers can deliver charging power ranging from 15 kW to 350 kW or more. These stations are typically found along roads, at petrol stations, and in other heavily populated areas. DC chargers present in Delhi at various locations: EESL - Electric Vehicle Charging Station (NITI Ayog, Sansad Marg, Rafi Marg Ministry Of Power Shram Shakti Bhawan), NDMC - Electric Vehicle Charging Station (NDMC Parking, Press Club Of India, Opposite 33KV Electric Sub Station, Raisina Road, New Delhi), plug n go Charging Station (Patparganj Near Swati Apartments), and so on.
An alternate strategy for building a charging infrastructure is to use battery swapping stations. These charging stations allow for the fast replacement of depleted batteries with fully charged ones rather than charging the EV's battery. This avoids the requirement for prolonged charging times and is better suited for EVs fitted with interchangeable battery packs. In contrast to AC and DC charging stations, battery-changing facilities are less prevalent in Delhi.
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