Andhra Pradesh To Set Up 250 Charging Stations To Promote Electric Vehicles

Andhra Pradesh To Set Up 250 electric charging stations in the state this year and another 100 next year.

The New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Limited (NREDCAP) has facilitated the setting up of 250 electric charging stations in the state this year and another 100 next year, PTI reported.

Andhra Pradesh Energy Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy has inaugurated a charging station on the premises of the State Science and Technology Council and the Renewable Energy Resources Centre (RERC), established by NREDCAP and the AP State Council of Science and Technology (APCOST).

Appealing to the people of the state, the energy minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy advised them to go electric by adopting electric vehicles for economic benefits as well as environmental protection.

"Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has called for the promotion of electric vehicles. Based on that decision, there are 100 electric buses in Tirupati, and we plan to raise them to 1,000 across the state," said Ramachandra Reddy, as quoted by PTI.

Further, he said Vijayawada would be made into a model city for charging infrastructure by setting up 105 charging stations and that the success of converting three-wheelers into EVs in Tirupati would be replicated across the state.

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He said the government planned to develop charging infrastructure in grids of 3 km x 3 km in cities and at 25 km intervals on both sides of the national highways. He said a litre of gasoline will emit 2.30 kg of CO2 and 2.5 kg of particulate matter (PM), both of which are harmful to human health and the environment, and that switching from ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles to EVs would help in bringing down the harmful emissions to a great extent.

The state’s charging infrastructure plans align with the national goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2070.

Meanwhile, AP is formulating policies to encourage government employees to adopt EVs by distributing 1 lakh such vehicles on an EMI basis and offering road tax and registration fee exemptions.