Chennai: In a major step towards promoting electric vehicles (EVs) and curbing air pollution, the Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Limited (TNGECL) has announced plans to install 500 EV charging stations across the state, reports The New Indian Express.
As part of the initiative, TNGECL recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) for technical support. The partnership aims to strengthen Tamil Nadu’s clean mobility infrastructure and reduce carbon emissions in the transport sector.
A joint team from TNGECL and ITDP visited New Delhi last week to study the capital’s EV ecosystem. The team reviewed Delhi’s policies, infrastructure, and implementation strategies that have helped the city make significant progress in e-mobility.
“Delhi had to act because of rising pollution caused by its growing population and urbanisation. They’ve made serious efforts to expand EV infrastructure,” a senior TNGECL official told The New Indian Express. He pointed out that Delhi currently operates around 2,500 electric buses and plans to scale that number up to 13,000 by 2030. Nearly half of the city’s bus depots already have EV charging stations, with work ongoing at the rest. The city has also launched battery swapping systems for two- and three-wheelers.
“Instead of waiting for their vehicles to charge, users can now simply swap their drained batteries for fully charged ones. In fact, vehicle users don’t own the batteries—they just use them and exchange as needed,” the official explained.
Dr. Aneesh Sekhar, Managing Director of TNGECL, said the corporation is planning to install 19 EV charging stations in Chennai, including 10 equipped with battery swapping facilities. “We’ve identified the locations, and we’re conducting a feasibility study with ITDP’s help,” he said.
He added that TNGECL’s broader goal aligns with the Ministry of Power’s guidelines, which recommend a charging station every 25 km along highways. “In the first phase, we’ll be setting up 20 charging stations along the Chennai-Coimbatore and Chennai-Kanniyakumari corridors,” he said.
These stations will be developed as full-scale EV hubs with several amenities. “We want these sites to be EV-friendly spaces where people can relax while their vehicles charge. Each station will include waiting halls, restaurants, drinking water, restrooms, and large parking areas,” said Dr. Sekhar.
He also provided an update on the current infrastructure: Tamil Nadu has about 1,300 EV charging stations. TNGECL is now working on a digital map to help EV users easily locate charging points across the state.
To support private sector involvement, TNGECL is developing an online platform to connect landowners with potential tenants interested in installing EV stations. “This website will help both parties register their interest and match locations, making it easier to expand the charging network,” Dr. Sekhar said.
Meanwhile, industry voices have raised concerns over high electricity tariffs for EV charging in the state. K.P. Karthikeyan, founder and CEO of Zeon Electric Private Ltd, urged the state government to review its pricing policy.
“In Delhi, electricity for EV charging stations costs ₹4.50 per unit for Low Tension (LT) and ₹4 for High Tension (HT) connections, with no fixed charges. Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal also have low rates. But in Tamil Nadu, we’re paying fixed charges of ₹165 per kW for LT and ₹304 per kW for HT, on top of ₹9.75 per unit. This makes it hard for charging operators to remain profitable,” he said.
The government is expected to address these concerns as it moves forward with its EV infrastructure expansion.
