Union Minister Nitin Gadkari urged the industry to make use of the first mover advantage in the electric vehicles segment in the country.

Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, who inaugurated the electric vehicles charging station at the NITI Aayog premises here, said electric vehicles can substitute imports (of crude oil) and are cost effective as well as pollution-free.

Also speaking at the event, Chief Executive Officer at NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant said, “Encouraging electric mobility has been a consistent stand of NITI and setting up of these charging stations is the first step in this direction. India, along the world, is moving towards a shared, connected and zero emission base economy.” The NITI Aayog is the co-ordinating agency for electric mobility in the country.

The fast charging station has been installed by ABB. A company statement said that the installed 50kW fast charging station can provide a full charge to an electric vehicle in just 30 minutes.

The charger converts alternating current (AC) from the grid to the direct current (DC) used by EV batteries. But it can also work with EVs that use AC charging.

A NITI Aayog statement said that the charging stations are a response to growing concerns over climate change and the transport sector’s dependence on fossil fuels.

For India, the electric mobility revolution is a disruption that will alter the projected scenario dramatically. But the impetus to drive this revolution will come from the adequate availability of charging infrastructure, the NITI Aayog statement added.

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