Electric vehicles charging stations: No separate licence required

Giving a boost to the electric vehicle drive, the setting up of charging stations for them does not need a separate licence under the Electricity Act 2003, the government has said, reveals Economic Times. Power ministry in a recent statement said, "The charging of battery essentially involves utilisation of electrical energy for its conversion to chemical energy, which gets stored in the battery. Thus, charging of the battery of an electric vehicle by a charging station involves a service requiring consumption of electricity by the charging station and earning revenue for this purpose from the owner of the vehicle.” 

The industry has welcomed the clarification, saying it would create a level playing field for different stakeholders in the sector. “Now, PSUs, private players, discoms, original equipment manufacturers, etc can join hands in developing a robust and appropriate charging infra for wider adoption of EVs in India,” Awadhesh Kumar Jha, vice president & Drive and Sustainability at Fortum India tod ET.

The ministry also said that the no person can indulge in the sale of electricity to any other person as the electricity within the premise is owned by the charging station.