In a significant stride towards promoting electric mobility, the Indian government is contemplating the construction of 6,000 kilometers of electric vehicle (EV)-ready highways on the Golden Quadrilateral. This ambitious initiative, set to unfold over the next seven years, aims to curb fuel consumption and vehicular emissions by electrifying intercity public transport.
The Golden Quadrilateral, connecting major industrial, agricultural, and cultural centers in Delhi (north), Kolkata (east), Mumbai (west), and Chennai (south), will serve as the canvas for this transformative project. Envisaged under the proposed Vision 2030: PM Public Transport Sewa, the development of EV-ready highways seeks to invigorate the adoption of e-mobility, particularly the deployment of electric buses.
The planned electrification of highways aligns with broader national goals, including the replacement of 800,000 diesel buses with electric ones by 2030. The government’s vision includes deploying 2,00,000 electric buses for state transport undertakings (STUs), 5,50,000 for private operators, and 50,000 for schools and employee transportation. This strategic move dovetails with the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid and) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME) incentive program.
The development of e-highways is expected to foster the growth of charging infrastructure, providing a conducive environment for the widespread use of electric cars in daily commuting. This initiative builds on ongoing efforts, including the National Highway for Electric Vehicles (NHEV), which initiated a technical trial run for electric vehicles on the Delhi-Jaipur Expressway in September 2022.
As part of the ease of doing business project, a one-month technological trial run was inaugurated by Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change in India. The trial aims to assess the economic feasibility of electric vehicle infrastructure along the 270-kilometer stretch between Delhi and Jaipur.
In a related development, a recent notification dated December 21, 2022, highlighted the absence of a specific policy for EV swapping stations on the Golden Quadrilateral Highway. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has already awarded 144 electric charging stations as part of Wayside Amenities (WSAs).
The move towards electrification of major national highways comes at a time when electric vehicle sales in India have surged by 49.25% year-on-year to 15,29,947 units in 2023, as reported by the Federation of Automobile Dealers’ Association (FADA). Indian electric vehicle startups, such as Ather Energy, Altigreen, BluSmart, and Exponent Energy, are contributing to the country’s dynamic and evolving EV landscape. Notably, Ola Electric, poised for an IPO, recently became the first Indian electric two-wheeler company eligible for the government’s production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme.
