Even though state and federal governments push for the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) through regulatory measures and incentives, EV demand is yet to see the surge since charging sites in Gujarat remain insufficient.
Gujarat has just 27 public charging stations, according to statistics given to Parliament by the Union Ministry of Power. Presently, the state has around 13,270 operational electric automobiles.
The availability of charging stations is a precondition for EV adoption, and the number of charging stations available for the public in Gujarat is far fewer than in other states, such as Delhi (322), Uttar Pradesh (108), Maharashtra (88), and Tamil Nadu (94).
According to dealers, one of the greatest challenges in selling EVs, particularly cars, is the low quantity of public charging stations across the state.
The Gujarat Electric Vehicle Policy 2021 offers subsidies of up to Rs 20,000 for two-wheeler EVs, Rs 50,000 for three-wheelers, and Rs 1.5 lakh for four-wheelers. Additionally, the Federal government has also inflated incentives under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME)-II programme.
Remarkably, according to the Federation of Automobile Dealers’ Association’s (FADA) data, EV sales in Gujarat increased by at least ten times in November, with 1,755 vehicles sold this year compared to 149 sold last year.
Furthermore, the FADA data shows an increase of 846% in EV sales, accumulating to 2,741 EVs, during the recently ended Navratri-Diwali festival season over the sale of 247 EVs during the previous festive season.
Due to the fundamental cause of insufficient charging infrastructure, the majority of these vehicles are two-wheelers, while electric car sales are still at the backdrop, said Pranav Shah, chairman of FADA’s Gujarat area
He also expressed that EVs are preferred over traditional fuel cars due to obvious subsidies and lower costs of ownership. However, due to insufficient charging stations, customers are hesitant.
To boost EV sales, industry stakeholders underlined the importance of improving charging infrastructure and establishing more public charging stations.
