The consumption of electricity for electric vehicles (EVs) has seen a substantial surge, with usage increasing over threefold from 4.56 million units in the previous year’s September to reach 14.44 million units in July 2023, as reported by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL).
This state-run entity, also known as Mahavitaran, is responsible for establishing charging stations for EVs and facilitating private sector involvement in related infrastructure, while also contributing to policy development in the sector, according to an official statement.
MSEDCL CMD, Lokesh Chandra highlighted that power consumption for EVs in Maharashtra was 4.56 million units in September 2022, which then climbed to 6.10 million units in March and further escalated to 14.44 million units by July of the current year.
The sale of electricity for EVs occurred across 3,214 public and private charging stations throughout the state. The statement indicated that the sale of EVs in Maharashtra surged from 4,643 in 2018 to 189,698 in 2022 and a subsequent increase to 298,838 by March 31 of this year.
Notably, two-wheelers constitute the majority of EVs at over 250,000, as per the MSEDCL announcement. The release from the state-run power utility revealed that the count of electric buses sold increased remarkably, from just four in 2018 to 336 in 2022 and further rising to 1,399 by the conclusion of March 2023.
Devendra Fadnavis, State Deputy Chief Minister, who also oversees the energy portfolio in the Eknath Shinde government, has advocated for the promotion of EVs to protect the environment.
The release also presented a comparison of operational costs, highlighting that a conventional petrol-powered two-wheeler has an operational cost of Rs 2.12 per kilometer, whereas this cost reduces to 54 paise per kilometer for an electric two-wheeler.
Similarly, a petrol-driven four-wheeler’s operating cost stands at Rs 7.57 per kilometer, contrasting with the lower Rs 1.51 per kilometer for an electric four-wheeler.
For three-wheelers, the operational cost of a conventional version is Rs 3.20 per kilometer, while this drops to 59 paise per kilometer for an electric three-wheeler, as per the release’s information.
