Bescom to open first charging station for electric vehicles in Bengaluru

The Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) is all set to launch its first much-awaited charging station for Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the city by mid-February. The station will be opened in the Bescom office, near Bengaluru’s K.R. Circle.

The Bescom has claimed to install 11 charging stations at different locations across the city in the next six months.

The EVs' users will be charged at commercial rates. However, the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) is yet to take a final call on the charging rates for EV users, reports ET.

According to the city transport department, there are over 6000 electric vehicles registered in the city.

The Bescom will start the electric vehicle drive from the home turf, as the company officials (in the rank of executive engineer) will be provided EVs for official purposes. Around 100 vehicles of the company will be replaced with the latest technology. Out of 100 vehicles, 10 will be replaced in the first phase.

Bescom's decision to set up charging stations is termed as the right step as the Indian auto industry is also ready to launch electric cars.

Also Read: Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma sees huge opportunity in Electric Vehicles

Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, whose company is backed by global investment giants like Alibaba and SoftBank, has asserted that India can become a global reference for electric mobility.

Sharma had told in an earlier interview that if he has to start from scratch again then he would prefer to venture into the electric vehicle segment.

The Indian government is aggressively pushing towards becoming electric vehicle market to create job opportunities and help economy rise.

Niti Aayog, which has drafted a policy for electric vehicles, has suggested that EVs could have green number plates. It is also planning to offer free parking for EVs and remove toll charges on them.

The Indian government has set a deadline of 2030 to turn the country into electric vehicle market.

However, the shift from fuel-based vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) is not going to be easy for India, because the first crisis will be huge job losses in the auto industry. As many as 1.5 million people will be rendered unemployed in case of a sudden shift towards EVs, according to Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA).