TN working on improving EV charging infrastructure: Industries Minister

Chennai: Tamil Nadu is engaged in improving the electric vehicle charging infrastructure aimed at accelerating the adoption of EVs in the state, Minister for Industries T R B Rajaa has said.

To boost EV consumption, the government also amended a policy thereby allowing battery-operated e-autorickshaws, e-taxis and e-buses to be issued permits by the transport department without a permit fee.

Earlier, permits were not being issued to battery-operated passenger vehicles and those vehicles that run on methanol or ethanol fuel.

In 2018, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had issued a notification that battery-operated passenger vehicles and passenger vehicles driven on methanol or ethanol fuel were exempted from obtaining a permit.

The latest move by the Tamil Nadu government comes in the backdrop of a meeting on June 16 held in the city with the Minister for Industries Rajaa, who was apprised by the members of the electric vehicle industry about this issue.

Accordingly, the government has amended the policy allowing registration of e-auto-rickshaws, e-taxis and private EV buses or passenger vehicles that are driven on methanol or ethanol fuel 'shall be issued permits by the transport department without a permit fee.' Registration of EVs plying as passenger transport like e-auto-rickshaws, e-taxis and EV buses will now commence in Tamil Nadu, an official release said.

"This is an example of how receptive this government is to the needs of the industry. We are able to execute policy changes quickly due to the effective leadership of Chief Minister M K Stalin...," Rajaa said.

This amendment would enable the government to implement its Electric Vehicle Policy 2023 by accelerating adoption of EVs.

"Based on feedback from the industry, we are also working on improving EV charging infrastructure across Tamil Nadu. All these steps are sure to significantly drive up the demand for EVs in the state," he said.

On June 28, transport department principal secretary P Amudha issued an order stating all transport vehicles which are battery-operated or are driven on methanol or ethanol fuel (except goods vehicles whose gross vehicle weight is below 3,000 kg) shall be issued a permit without a permit fee.

"This (development) has plugged an important policy gap and will facilitate the expansion of EV fleets in Tamil Nadu," the release said.