With a calculated expansion in electric vehicle perforation from 30% to 50% in two-wheelers and from 5% to 20% in four-wheelers by 2040, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has put aims to boost its EV framework. NMC designs to extend the number of public charging points from 150 to 300 by 2027.
By 2025, NMC also hopes to have at least 100 battery switching locations in the city that are either semi-public or public. The Nagpur City EV Readiness Plan, which municipal commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari introduced at NMC headquarters on Tuesday, contained these goals.
Over 70 stakeholders provided suggestions, which were used to construct the plan. The electrification of public transportation, end-to-end connectivity, and infrastructure for charging and battery swapping are the three main areas of emphasis for the EV Readiness Plan, according to Chaudhari.
The EV ecosystem in Nagpur has grown significantly; in 2024, EVs will account for 22% of new car registrations, up from 1% in 2020. 83 public charging stations are located around the city, mostly on major thoroughfares and metro lines. In order to encourage the use of electric vehicles, city agencies have established the Nagpur City EV Cell, electrifying 20% of the fleet of public buses, and installing public charging stations.
By 2027, the strategy aims to achieve specified EV penetration rates of 50% for two-wheelers, 100% for e-rickshaws, 70% for passenger three-wheelers, 20% for private four-wheelers, and 40% for commercial four-wheelers. By 2027, the charging infrastructure aims to have at least 300 public or semi-public charging stations as well as 100 battery-swapping stations.
The strategy suggests three thematically-focused methods to meet these goals: citizen awareness campaigns, electrified first- and last-mile connectivity modes, and simplified EV finance. It seeks to create 100 public/semi-public battery-swapping locations by 2025 and raise the number of public charging stations to 150 by 2025 and 300 by 2027. The strategy also highlights the necessity of updating upstream electrical infrastructure, a long-term policy commitment, and a single-window clearance process.
The electrification of public transportation is a major priority, with a goal of 50% electrified public buses by 2026.
Execution and way forward include initiating an infrastructure to trace EV readiness, collaborating with private companies for co-investment in EV framework, establishing pilot projects, and executing regulatory policies to foster EV utilization and assist public transport electrification.
