Madurai to adopt electric vehicles with new cell and charging plans

Madurai: Electric vehicle (EV) owners and prospective shoppers are calling for infrastructure upgrades in Madurai city to support their purchases, with more charging stations and service centres. Madurai corporation has appointed a nine-member EV cell to study and suggest ways to promote the purchase of EVs, as well as enhance the EV ecosystem in the city.

Many residents expressed interest in purchasing electric vehicles, citing petrol price, as well as affordable two-wheeler options. G Ram, who owns an electric two-wheeler, said that while he was happy with his purchase, he was also plagued by range anxiety. "The only place to charge the vehicle is at home, so I always have to keep an eye and calculate whether I will be able to make it back with enough battery," he said. "If there was a way to charge these vehicles on the go, like a petrol bunk, more people will start buying them," he added.

In Madurai, an EV cell was appointed to bring the idea of using EVs to the public and implement the Tamil Nadu EV Policy (2023). Corporation commissioner, Chitra Vijayan, was joined by a member from the smart city development group, the district transport officer, the Tamil Nadu tourism board, the electricity board, the pollution control board, a traffic police officer, as well as a member from the department of environment and climate change, and the urban development department.

The cell aims to transform Madurai into an "EV city" by launching several schemes to support the EV ecosystem, as well as provide incentives for electric vehicles. Some of these schemes include providing incentives for battery recycling firms to sustainably recycle or dispose of EV batteries, as well as road tax exemptions and purchase incentives for EVs.

The cell also aims to develop public charging stations with at least three chargers at each station, as well as battery swapping stations where smaller vehicles such as two and three-wheelers will be able to quickly swap their batteries with fresh ones and continue on their way.

A senior corporation official added that incentives will be provided for manufacturers of EVs for projects with investments above a target amount.