The Indian Railways has made a decision to replace the entirety of its fleet of owned, rented, and leased internal combustion engine (ICE) cars with electric vehicles in a significant move toward the decarbonization of the transportation industry by December 2025.
The Indian Railways has made a decision to replace the entirety of its fleet of owned, rented, and leased internal combustion engine (ICE) cars with electric vehicles in a significant move toward the decarbonization of the transportation industry by December 2025.
The decision comes in support of the government’s visionary goal of having only electric vehicles on the road in India by the year 2030
A massive charging infrastructure, office buildings, and parking lots are a few of the significant changes that the railroads will witness as a result of this approach.
This will be a government organization’s largest transition from fuel-based to electric vehicles, and there will be enough convenient and accessible charging infrastructure to support it.
The railways are executing a number of programmes, including 100% electrification of broad gauge tracks; sourcing green and renewable energy; reducing energy usage; etc., with the goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030. The railways stated in its EV policy, which was released on October 7, that it aimed to foster the growth of EV charging facilities as well as the widespread usage of EVs on its network.
The railways are executing a number of programmes, including 100% electrification of broad gauge tracks; sourcing green and renewable energy; reducing energy usage; etc., with the goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030. The railways stated in its EV policy, which was released on October 7, that it aimed to foster the growth of EV charging facilities as well as the widespread usage of EVs on its network.
Based on the timetable the railways provided for the zones, the goal is to establish EV charging stations and phase out 20% of its fleet by December 2023, 60% by 2024, and 100% by 2025.
A total of 46,000 EV charging stations has to be set up by 2030 to match the global benchmark.
The railways stated that all ICE vehicles in the Railway Board, production units, zonal offices, and workshops in the next three years will be replaced with EVs for the initial phase.
The railways stated that all ICE vehicles in the Railway Board, production units, zonal offices, and workshops in the next three years will be replaced with EVs for the initial phase.
However, since officials would need the vehicles for frequent trips to distant, isolated places where suitable charging infrastructure might not be available, replacement of inspection vehicles in divisional offices and related units would not be mandatory during this initial phase.
The railways will further establish an affordable and accessible charging infrastructure for its users, which will include passengers, the general public, and visitors to its premises.
General Managers of Zonal Railways have been entrusted with advising their officers on identifying and demarcating parking spaces in office buildings and station premises for the construction of EV charging facilities.
General Managers of Zonal Railways have been entrusted with advising their officers on identifying and demarcating parking spaces in office buildings and station premises for the construction of EV charging facilities.
These locations would have EV charging stations installed by Charging Point Operators (CPOs). The parking fee set by the railways will be applicable when using the charging infrastructure.
All compatible EV owners would have access to CPOs, which would also include a smartphone application that EV customers could use to find and book chargers and make digital payments for the services. The chargers would be installed in line with the safety guidelines published by the Central Electricity Authority or any competent department or agency of the Government of India.
