With a view to accelerate the adoption and use of electric vehicles in the State, West Bengal Government is organizing 3-day Electric Vehicle Technology Expo ‘16th EVEXPO 2022’ starting December 9. The State Government in association with EV Expo is also organising an EV Rally on December 10 to promote awareness about electric vehicles, clear doubts in people’s minds about their range, and encourage citizens to adopt and use electric vehicles in the State.
The 3-day event would showcase the latest and technologically advanced pollution-free 2, 3 and 4-wheeled e-vehicles, parts and accessories, charging solutions, and technology from around 100 exhibitors, said a press statement. These events are part of the West Bengal Government’s e-mobility week being observed from December 7-11, 2022.
The EV rally aims to create two Limca Book of records in the category of EVs, which include the maximum number of electrical vehicles running together in India and the maximum number of people travelling together by electric vehicle in the country.
The EV rally would witness the participation of 720 EV drivers and over 3300 EV passengers with around 20 electric buses with 800 passengers, 300 e-rickshaw with around 2000 passengers, around 100 electric cars with 400 passengers and around 100 electric two-wheelers with 100 pillion riders, the release said.
The State Government plans to set up 849 EV charging stations with one station every 25 km on the 4-lane highways and one charging station within a 3 Sq km area to remove doubts and anxiety regarding EVs. It hopes to set up 1000 charging stations in the next two years.
“People are not able to buy EVs because of high cost and lack of charging infrastructure. To change the mindset and remove confusion in minds of people about EVs, we have partnered with a private agency to bring EV Expo to Kolkata. Various Government departments like power, transport, environment, KMC, technical education and training & ICE have come to work together to improve the situation regarding EVs in the State. Oil companies have been given the mandate to set up the charging front-ends and the Government shall handle the backend like power, etc,” S Suresh Kumar, Addl. Chief Secy, Power & NRES, said in the statement.