Bescom to install 100 EV charging stations by August end

BENGALURU: The Banglore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) in a bid to push electric vehicle use in the state has proposed to set up 650 electric vehicle charging stations across the state, 100 of them are going to be installed in Bengaluru.

The plan comes under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicle (FAME). BESCOM has officially said that their main focus is Bengaluru and the project will be implemented in the city at first.

These 100 stations are expected to be operation by August this year in addition to the 112 charging stations planned earlier. There are 8,980 electric vehicles that ply on Bengaluru roads and the records show that there was a 40 per cent hike in the number of electric vehicles registered within the state between 2018 and 2019.

C K Sreenath, Deputy General Manager for smart grid and electric vehicle, Bescom, said, “Due to space constraints, most of the proposed EV charging stations will come up in government offices and complexes. After Bengaluru, stations will be set up in Mysuru, Hubbali-Dharwad and Davangere and later in Shivamogga and Belagavi.”

The company plans to place the charging station every 20-25 km for a distance of 50 km on either side of the Bengaluru-Tumakuru highway and for a 100km distance on either side of Bengaluru-Mysuru highway.