Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (Bescom) is reportedly taking steps to enhance the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in Karnataka by setting up fast charging stations at various toll plazas along the NH-48 highway connecting Bengaluru and Pune.
According to a report by Moneycontrol, Bescom officials have submitted a proposal to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to install charging stations at 10 toll plazas, including Tumakuru, Chitradurga, Hiriyur, Belagavi, and Davanagere.
Bescom plans to equip each toll plaza with two charging stations that feature 120 kW CCS2 EV fast chargers, as stated by Sreenath K, Deputy General Manager (Electric Vehicles) of Bescom.
The initiative aims to facilitate convenient charging for EV owners during intercity and interstate travel while ensuring the availability of safe charging facilities.
Upon receiving approval from the NHAI, Bescom will proceed with the installation of the charging stations.
Bescom has been actively working towards streamlining the charging process for EVs in Bengaluru and across Karnataka for several years. The first public EV charging station in the state was established in 2018, and there have been discussions about setting up 1,000 EV charging stations throughout Karnataka under a private-public partnership (PPP) model.
As of March this year, Karnataka had 704 operational public EV charging stations, making it the second-highest in the country after Delhi.
In addition to Bescom’s efforts, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) recently launched six EV fast-charging corridors at 33 fuel stations in the state.
Bescom has also developed a dedicated mobile app called EV MITRA to help EV users locate and track the nearest charging stations.
However, while the development of EV charging infrastructure has been more rapid in Bengaluru, highways continue to face a shortage of charging stations, leading to concerns about range anxiety.
Sreenath mentioned that the Bengaluru-Mysuru section, which includes an expressway, might not require additional charging stations. However, since most electric cars have a range of approximately 250 km-300 km when fully charged, more charging stations are needed along highways.
Under Bescom, the tariff for AC charging is INR 7.62 per kWh, INR 8.31 for DC charging, and INR 8.07 for Combined Charging System (CCS).
The central government is also actively promoting the establishment of public charging stations across the country. Under the FAME-II scheme, the government has approved 2,877 EV charging stations for 68 cities across 25 states/UTs, along with 1,576 charging stations for nine expressways and 16 highways, with a total allocation of INR 1,000 crore.
Karnataka has been sanctioned 172 EV charging stations, including 100 stations on the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway, 14 stations on the Bengaluru-Mysore expressway, and 30 stations on the Bengaluru-Chennai expressway. However, as of March last year, none of the proposed charging stations had been installed, and updated data on the implementation status is currently unavailable.
