The Government of India has set targets to decarbonise the transport sector with an aim to electrify 30% of cars, 70% of commercial vehicles, and 80% of 2 and 3-wheelers by 2030. This humongous change has to be fueled by an extensive network of EV charging stations all across India. To make this a reality, the Government has been rolling out many policies to promote widespread penetration of EV charging infrastructure.
Not only the Government but even private players are pledging to increase the EV charging footprint in India. Here are some significant initiatives:
- FAME-II program by the Government launched in 2019 had Rs. 10 billion set aside for developing the charging infrastructure
- National E-Mobility Programme
- Ola Electric had earlier announced about the installation of 1 Lakh EV charging stations spread across 400 cities
- Ather Energy announced the installation of 1000 charging stations across Karnataka
The Government efforts were even reflected in the results as 2.5 times more EV charging stations were installed between October 2021 to January 2022 in 9 cities compared to the same time last year.
Collectively Ola Electric and Ather Energy in the private sector are defining the start of the Domestic EV revolution in India. As we advance, the number of these charging stations and equipment will only increase. Manufacturing of EV charging stations will compete with the growing demand and adoption of EVs.
This phenomenon will also lead to a lot of new companies (EV charging stations company in India) and manufacturers of charging stations. This makes it worthwhile to understand these stations’ components.
How does an EV charging station work?
The charge point in a station is called an EVSE, or the Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment. This point further has connectors, one of which is activated at a time to provide energy supply to the EV.
There are 3 types of EV charging infrastructure out there:
- Level 1 charging stations: These are called home charging stations and use the basic 120-volt plug and the standard outlet. This setup requires no special equipment and can be used to charge your EV at home. These take the longest time to charge any EV compared to other levels.
- Level 2 charging stations: These are called the EVSE home charging stations and are typically installed by EV companies for domestic consumers. They use a 240-volt plug and can provide the power of up to 95+ km charge per hour.
- Level 3 charging stations: These are called DC fast chargers and can be found at commercial charging stations installed in cities. They can provide power of as much as 160 km in just 20 mins of charging. They are accessible using payment cards and other options.
The Electric Vehicle Charging Station (EVCS) includes the installation of EVSE, which is formed of multiple components:
- Power Conversion System
- Thermal Management (HVAC)
- Power Grid
- Connector
- Capacitors and Transformers
- Main Meter
- Network Controller
- Energy Controller
- Telecommunication Devices
The future ahead
EVSE stations are the future of petrol pumps, and different levels of stations will be installed in every city and state. Some large EV players are already doing amazing work like OLA electric mobility, Mahindra Electric Mobility Limited, Greaves Electric Mobility, Hop Electric Mobility, Ashok Leyland EV, and others.
Manufacturing EVSE for startups and companies is a big challenge because the industry is in a nascent stage. Karkhana.io has worked with a lot of EV startups and companies in helping them efficiently manufacture EVSE stations and other EV components. These include manufacturing of nozzles and conducting micro-channel weldment for Exponent Energy’s charging station, buymyEV (manufacturers of EVs) for manufacturing of E2W chassis, MAGNES motors for manufacturing of Electric Go-kart chassis, amongst others.
Karkhana.io’s platform has simplified the process of finding the right manufacturing partner and getting EV components made.
We provide 360-degree assistance to EV companies starting from quick design validation, manufacturability feedback via our expert in-house engineers, project management, transparent pricing, quality checks and logistics. The process also includes regular quality checks, audits of suppliers, order updates and more.
Want to experience our processes and barrier-free manufacturing? Start by registering on our digital platform.
