Bescom ‘motivated’ by spike in demand for EV charging stations

Increasing awareness and improving infrastructure are making Bengaluru gradually shift to electric vehicles (EVs).

The demand for Bescom’s public charging infrastructure has exploded with the number of sessions (per month) increasing from just 302 in June 2020 to over 15,000 in June 2022.

“In 2020, owing to the pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns, the response was lukewarm. Though the numbers increased gradually, the last six months have seen a big jump. We have moved from 5,000 sessions a month in January to over 15,000 sessions in June,” a senior Bescom official told DH.

Senior Bescom officials said two- and three-wheeled vehicles are contributing to the rising demand at the charging station.

“Although four-wheelers make up the lion’s share of the demand in the last few months, we have seen a spurt in the number of two- and three-wheeled vehicles,” a Bescom official working in the EV project said.

Increased awareness

Bescom Managing Director Rajendra Cholan attributed the rise in demand to increased awareness among people.

“Increase in demand is a collective response to the increased awareness and easy availability. It is also a clear indication that more people are moving towards EVs,” he said.

Cholan said the response motivated Bescom to set up more charging stations. “As a nodal agency, we have signed MoUs with many manufacturers and will increase the number of charging stations available for EV users. Also, we are working closely with all the stakeholders to increase awareness,” he said.

“Over the next two years, we aim to put up one public charging station every 500 metres,” he added. “Mandating the setting up of EV charging stations at new constructions over the area of 5,000 sqm is also on the cards,” a Bescom official said.