Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), will be setting up 810 electric vehicle charging stations (EVCSs) across 16 Expressways and National Highways covering 10,275 kilometres across the country.
Seen as an industry first, CESL uses a service procurement model to set up these charging stations. In this public-private partnership model, CESL will partner with companies whose job will be to invest in and operate these charging stations across the expressways and highways.
The organisation is working to enable the participation of private enterprises and markets in building India’s electric mobility ecosystem, noted Mahua Acharya, Managing Director and CEO, CESL. She said, 'The use of Government subsidies such as in FAME II allows such leverage to be achieved. I hope we will be able to see all our roads with charging stations soon.'
The chargers with 50kW capacity will be available every 25 kilometres, and the 100kW chargers every 100 kilometres. A mobile app will provide information about nearby charging points, their availability, charger type, ability to schedule reservations/charge without reservations, charging tariff, and other types of information.
Putting up charging infrastructure on highways is part of the FAME-II scheme administered by the Ministry of Heavy Industries to promote and establish a network of e-highways across the country. “We want to act as catalysts in India’s energy transition journey and green mobility,” Acharya added.