Electricity usage by EVs in Maha rises to 14.44 million units in just 10 months

State-run MSEDCL, also called Mahavitaran, is the nodal agency for providing charging stations for EVs. The sale of electricity coincides with the substantial increase in the number of EVs sold. Sources in the government said the number of EVs sold in Maharashtra is close to 3 lakh, which used to be around 4,700 in 2018

Mumbai: The power usage for electric vehicles (EVs) rose more than three-fold from 4.56 million units in September last year to 14.44 million units in July 2023, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited said on Monday.

Navi Mumbai, India - February 11, 2022: A motorist charges his electric car at a charging station at Vashi Fuel Centre, in Navi Mumbai, India, on Friday, February 11, 2022. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO) (HT PHOTO)

State-run MSEDCL, also called Mahavitaran, is the nodal agency for providing charging stations for EVs. The sale of electricity coincides with the substantial increase in the number of EVs sold. Sources in the government said the number of EVs sold in Maharashtra is close to 3 lakh, which used to be around 4,700 in 2018.

Lokesh Chandra, chairman and managing director of MSEDCL, said, “Over the months we have taken up various works; right from setting up charging stations for EVs through our infrastructure or setting up private charging stations, providing a mobile app for the convenience of motorists in charging of electric vehicles to helping the government in drafting policy decisions for EVs”.

The figures stated that sales of power for these electric vehicles in the state jumped from 4.56 million units in September 2022, to 6.10 million units in March and 14.44 million units in July this year.

“There are a total of 3,214 charging stations in the state that includes both public and private. The sale of electricity for vehicles through the charging points from these stations has increased rapidly,” said an MSEDCL official.

The number of electric vehicles in the state has increased rapidly. In 2018, 4,643 electric vehicles were sold in the state while in 2022, there was a sale of 1,89,698 EVs. As of March 2023, the total number of EVs sold and registered with different RTOs in Maharashtra was 2,98,838. According to RTO officers, the number of electric two-wheelers is close to 2.5 lakh out of the total.

Moreover, public bus transport undertakings are also adopting electric buses in their fleet. Only four electric buses were registered in 2018 which became 1399 e-buses in the state by March this year. The BEST itself has more than 400 e-buses in its fleet.

The transport experts said in the long run, EVs will have an impact in achieving net zero and benefit the environment. A conventional two-wheeler running on petrol costs around ₹2.12 per kilometre while an electric two-wheeler costs around 54 paise per kilometre. A petroleum-powered four-wheeler costs about ₹7.57 per kilometre while an electric four-wheeler costs ₹1.51 per kilometre. Even the cost per kilometre of an auto rickshaw is around ₹3.20 for petroleum and 59 paise for electricity.