AP to set up 100 more charging stations to promote electric vehicles

VIJAYAWADA: Energy minister Peddireddi Ramchandra Reddy said on Thursday that the state government would set up 100 more battery charging stations in a year’s time.

The state aspires to become a model for e-mobility and a knowledge hub for renewable energy, the minister said while inaugurating an electric charging station in the premises of the State Science and Technology Council and the Renewable Energy Resources Center (RERC). It was set up by NREDCAP in collaboration with the state council of science and technology (APCOST).

The minister later inaugurated the Science Exhibition organised by Solar Systems at the Regional Science Center in Bhavanipuram area.

The minister said charging stations would be set up in all the towns. He said NREDCAP facilitated the establishment of 250 electric charging stations. “This is a most-promising way to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality so as to increase energy security,” he said.

He said the government was formulating a policy to encourage the use of electric vehicles by distributing one lakh electric vehicles on EMI basis to government employees, giving incentives like road tax and registration fee exemption.

The AP government aims to phase out petrol vehicles by 2030 with an aim to build a strong fueling network of charging stations that will facilitate the adoption of e-mobility. As part of this, the government plans to develop infrastructure within the 3km x 3km grid within the city limits.

The minister noted that Tirupati has been selected by the central government as a Net Zero Emissions Tourist Place. “The provision of battery swapping facility to convert autos into electric vehicles in Tirupati has benefited the people a lot. So far, about 100 electric buses are running in Tirupati town. Some 40,000 electric vehicles have been registered across the state.

MLAs Vellampalli Srinivas, Malladi Vishnu, Mayor Bhagyalakshmi, APCPDCL CMD PJ Reddy and energy conservation mission CEO Chandrasekhar participated in the event.