EV adoption led by creation of charging infra should be “a people’s movement”: Shri Goyal

Shri Goyal envisions battery swapping, charging infra at every petrol pump, CNG station

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal today emphasized the need for battery swapping facilities to coexist with charging infrastructure to accelerate the adoption of EVs (electric vehicles) in India. He said adoption of EVs led by creation of charging infrastructure should be “a people’s movement”.

The Minister was speaking at the Consultation Meeting on the “Development of Battery Charging and Swapping Infrastructure” co-organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). It was attended by the leading industry representatives from automobile, battery, battery charging and battery swapping companies.

The interaction was also attended by Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Steel, Shri Bhupathi Raju Srinivasa Varma, Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary, DPIIT and Senior officials from the Ministry of Power, Environment, Road Transport and Highways and Heavy Industry. Senior representatives from Amara Raja Advanced Cell Technologies, SUN Mobility, TVS Motor Company, Gorogo, Ather Energy, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, Hero MotoCorp and Bajaj Auto among others were present during the meeting.

Industry stakeholders highlighted that the battery swapping sector is projected to grow to USD 20 billion by 2030. It also emphasized the need for a level playing field with fixed-battery EV manufacturers when it comes to subsidies and incentives. It was noted that the industry has made technological advancements, such as using robotics to replace batteries in as little as 135 seconds.

While safety remains a concern, stakeholders emphasized the need for accountability and the establishment of well-defined standards by relevant authorities, such as the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

The Union Minister envisioned that all petrol pumps, CNG stations, and similar facilities should be equipped with battery swapping and charging infrastructure. This, he noted, would not only address the issue of vandalism currently affecting the sector but also ensure widespread availability of facilities without undue concentration in specific areas.

Various ministries, including Heavy Industry, Power, Petroleum & Natural Gas, and Housing & Urban Affairs, along with industry representatives should collaborate closely to ensure the effective implementation of battery swap stations, he said.

Battery swapping and charging coexistence urged to accelerate EV adoption, requiring standards, accountability and inter-ministerial coordination. Advocacy for coexistence of battery swapping and charging infrastructure to accelerate EV adoption, with deployment at petrol pumps and CNG stations to improve accessibility and reduce concentration. Calls for regulatory parity between fixed-battery and swap providers on subsidies, adoption of safety and operational standards by relevant standard-setting bodies, accountability mechanisms, and coordinated implementation through inter-ministerial and industry collaboration.