Community Charging Stations
Here is the guide to Community Charging Stations
The challenge of meeting the demand for charging when the country switches to electric vehicles EV is huge: the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders estimates that the country will need to install new public chargers every day to meet demand.
While the country already has an some public chargers available in over different locations, this is because of home chargers which are growing by every day. Additionally, these chargers are located in residential areas, idle 90% of the time, have their own parking space, and are already paid for – exactly the factors needed to meet the three criteria of affordability, convenience, and reliability.
Businesses and the state government can only do limited things by installing charging stations. The beauty of an electric vehicle is that any home / business / hotel can install an electric vehicle EV charging station.
The idea is that companies / resorts / vacation homes etc which are 40 to 70 km away from cities, install normal 15 amp or Smart Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE) charging stations for next generation electric cars and bikes.
Community Charging Stations
Setup process.
You own a business / resort / vacation home or know someone who does. Contact them and ask them to install a properly grounded 15 amp outlet or ask them to purchase an Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE) that offers additional safety testing.
As soon as the plug is installed, take your electric car or electric bike with a 15 amp load and make sure that it works.
Download and print the electric vehicle (EV) Charging Vehicle License Plate Graphic from PluginIndia.com and install the license plate near the charging point.
You could print your own board and hang it in different location to help people know about the charging station. Use the RE: CHARGE India mobile app to add the station by filling up the form in the app. Congratulations! You just set up a community charging station! Spread the word about the new point and try adding many more!
ChargeMOD
Aiming to charge electric vehicles anywhere and anytime of day, the Kozhikode-based chargeMOD startup comapnywill install 250 new charging stations in different parts of Kerala by the end of 2021.
With the chargeMOD pilot project in Kozhikode, the startup has established eight charging stations in Kozhikode, one in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Angamaly. In the course of the expansion, the charging stations will be installed in shops, restaurants, cafes and wherever possible so that one can charge their vehicle while they stop at shop, have tea or eat and increase the operation of businesses.
ChargeMOD is currently developing machines with a power of 3.3kW22kW. The transition from powering a car with an internal combustion engine to charging an electric vehicle is no different. ChargeMOD try to make each electric vehicle charging session a special moment, without the acrid smell of gasoline or the impact on nature. 550 electric car rickshaws in Kozhikode show that if we introduce more charging stations, people will adopt electric vehicles. The facility across the state will encourage people to buy and cut back on gasoline and diesel.
The project has the effective support of the “chargeMOD” application, which allows each client to locate and access all electric vehicle charging stations. The availability of a charging station is even displayed so the consumer can plan accordingly.
Rs 355, 855 and 1,255 packages are available in the app so that the consumer can choose their plan based on vehicle usage and all transactions are processed through the app itself. For example, if you choose a Rs.855 plan, you can recharge up to 91 units. And customers can use additional refills if the main package for the customer runs out within the deadline.
In Kozhikode alone, around 550 electric rickshaws are used. With the increase in the number of charging stations, people are confident that they will buy electric vehicles. The development of our hardware has helped reduce manufacturing costs by approximately 33 percent compared to previous costs. ChargeMOD provides the charging station and support systems.
ChargeMOD is one of the few companies and the only startup in India that has tested its electric vehicle chargers and is certified by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI). The four teenagers who left Government Engineering College Kozhikode in 2018 began developing ecosystem and control software for electric vehicle charging stations. However, they realized that the state lacks sufficient charging stations and decided to continue with the project.
Community charging is not a panacea, but it is the only means fast and affordable enough to ensure that EV ownership is profitable for all drivers at the pace driven by consumer demand and legislation. By leveraging existing resources, you have the potential to bring the transition to EV years ahead of charging at home, at work, and only at the destination.
To deliver this big push for sustainable automotive, community charging only needs to become part of the narrative, planning and support of the charging infrastructure. Local and central governments, auto retailers, utilities and charging equipment manufacturers must promote community charging to create millions of new electric vehicle users for the benefit of all.
