There is a need to establish electric vehicle charging stations in large numbers across the State to power the e-mobility initiative, Minister for Transport Antony Raju said on Wednesday.
The Minister was speaking after inaugurating 145 new charging stations established by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) in Thiruvananthapuram district. E-vehicles have limitations in covering large distances on a single round of charging. This being the case, there is a need to set up more EV charging stations, he said, lauding the efforts taken by the KSEB in this direction.
Of the 145 new stations, four are fast-charging facilities while 141 are small units mounted on electric poles. The fast-charging stations are at Paruthippara, Vydyuthi Bhavan at Pattom, Neyyatinkara and Avanavanchery.
Across the State, the KSEB is setting up a network of 56 fast-charging stations and 1,165 pole-mounted units. V. K. Prasanth, MLA, presided. G. Stephen, MLA, delivered the keynote address.
KSEB Director (Renewable Energy and Energy Savings (REES) R. Suku presented a report on the charging stations. Thiruvananthapuram Corporation works standing committee chairman D. R. Anil and KSEB directors V. R. Hari, Radhakrishnan G., Siji Jose, and S.R. Anand were present.