Govt to allow e-payments for charging electric vehicles

The government will allow electric car users to pay for charging of their electric vehicles through digital means, including BHIM app and Bharat QR code.

The government has accepted suggestions of a panel -- Committee for Standardisation of the Protocol for Charging Infrastructure -- in this regard.

In its report, the committee also mooted uniform standards for EV charging stations in India, which will enable electric vehicles of all models by different manufacturers to be charged at any station.

"The customers need to be billed for the charging and payment needs to be made. There are multiple options, including debiting the user's account based on VIN (vehicle identification number).

"Direct debiting the funds to user's equipment based on VIN will be adopted. Alternately, a mobile application to be defined, which allows a user to charge using BHIM or Bharat QR code or other digital payment schemes specified by Indian Government, to be used both for AC (alternating current) as well as DC (direct current) chargers," the panel suggested in the report.

The panel has recommended that metering be done as per units consumed for charging each vehicle, along with a grid responsive billing.

Once the charging stops, the connector will be released only after successful payment receipt or acknowledgement is received, suggested the panel.

The expert panel also made a case for setting up massive charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs), as the government eyes aggressive adoption of EVs in India as an alternate clean energy mode of transport to check pollution.

The government has considered the recommendations made by the committee and has adopted the report on Bharat Public EV Charger Specifications submitted.

The Committee, which had sought comments from various stakeholders, received comments that open protocol be allowed with private partnership/investments. It, however, said that open protocol is not desirable as standardisation of charging infrastructure is necessary.