The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) has seen a significant increase in power consumption for EVs.
The MSEDCL has sold 144.4 lakh units of electricity in July for charging electric vehicles at various charging stations. The sale of electricity has tripled in the last 10 months. Power sales stood at 61 lakh units in March 2023 and 45.6 lakh units in September 2022.
There are 3,214 charging stations in the state and the power distribution company is the nodal agency for providing EV charging facilities. The MSEDCL is also involved in setting up charging stations through its distribution system and enabling setting up of private charging stations.
The electric vehicle (EV) charging service providers expect more charging stations to come up, coinciding with the rise in sale of EVs in the state.
“Currently, I operate one EV charging station using regular power connection and I can charge only one car at a time. I have come to realise that there are subsidised power rates for EV charging station. That is why I have applied for a special connection with a lower tariff so that 25 cars can be charged at once,” said Prashant Godambe, who also operates a car washing centre at Talegaon.
Parminder Singh Vohra, who has commercial EV dealerships in the city, has installed two charging stations at his Tata Ace EV outlet on Pune-Satara Road. Vohra also operates dealerships in Pimpri Chinchwad, Sarasbaug and Hadapsar. “Although awareness about electric commercial vehicles is minimal. We expect the number of users to increase as sales increases in this segment,” he added.
“As customers come to know that several petrol pumps are operating EV charging stations, their footfall will definitely increase,” All India Petrol-Diesel Association spokesperson Ali Daruwala said.
“However, the number of charging stations is sufficient as of now, but further expansion is in the pipeline,” he added.
Even though the number of EVs has increased, people are still opting for charging their vehicles at their residence, a petrol dealer said. Ashok Jawale, who resides in Nanded City, said, “Although I bought an electric two-wheeler six months ago, I am charging it at home or in my building complex.”
The sale of electricity for vehicles through the charging stations has rapidly increased, Lokesh Chandra, the chairman-cum-managing director of MSEDCL, said.
Altogether 4,640 EVs were sold in the state in 2018. This figure increased to 1.4 lakh in 2022, as per the data on Vahan website operated by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Over 3 lakh EVs are plying in the state as of July 2023. The EV sales are set to rise further with increase in awareness and lower battery prices, industry experts said.
