To celebrate the 75th anniversary of India's independence, Park+, in partnership with Ease of Doing Business, announced the plan to set up 10,000 EV zones across India within 2024.
The partnership saw the unveiling of the 75th EV zone in Delhi in the presence of Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Amit Lakhotia, Founder & CEO, Park+, Sudhendu J Sinha, Advisor-NITI Aayog & Co-Chair- NHEV Knowledge Group, Abhijeet Sinha, National Programme Director - EoDB, Project Director - NHEV, President - CPOs India. The event was held at the Gandhi Charkha Museum, Delhi.
Speaking to Mobility Outlook on the sidelines of the event, Lakhotia said thatthe EV zone set up in Connaught Place, New Delhi is a smaller version of what the company has planned. Park+ aims to install 30 EV zones in CP within the next eight months, each having four EV chargers.
He added that Park+ aims to add more chargers to these EV zones with time. Initially, Lakhotia predicts a utilisation rate of less than 20%. However, the aim is to reach 30% utilisation by March 2023, he added. Park+ also plans to add battery swapping stations in these EV zones.
Besides the CP EV zones, the company plans to add bigger EV zones in malls, corporate and residential areas as a part of the target of 10,000 EV zones. Besides having chargers, these EV zones will also provide restrooms and food corners, among other facilities.
He noted that the key missing piece in the Indian EV jigsaw is the weak EV charge network, which magnifies the inherent range anxiety among EV car owners.
Additionally, a weak EV charger network also works as a major impediment when it comes to EV adoption among potential car owners.
Sinha noted that India has taken a big leap in EV infrastructure in the last couple of years. He added that India is committed to reducing emissions by one billion tonne by 2030.
However, for a country with a population of 139 crore, it is not an easy target to achieve unless 'we involve every stakeholder sincerely to do their bit,' he said.
Ashwini Kumar Choubey said, 'Such partnerships from the private sector reflect that the Government's mission to expedite EV adoption rate is on the right track.'
Interestingly, Park+ has claimed to have acquired more than 600 properties to set up EV zones in partnership with like-minded EV players.
More than 1000 EV zones have been deployed in the last five months, with an average run rate of three EV zones activated every day.