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					</table><p>The Ministry of Heavy Industries (<a href="https://heavyindustries.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MHI</a>) has amended the testing parameters for enhancing the human safety of electric vehicles (EVs), incentivized under the production-linked incentive (PLI) program for automobiles and auto components and the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles (FAME) II program.</p>
<p>The new safety measures will be made mandatory from October 1, 2023, for claiming incentives under the PLI and FAME II programs.</p>
<p><strong>Requirements for Electric Power Train Vehicles  </strong></p>
<p>The rechargeable electric energy storage system (REESS) with 100% state of charge (SOC) will be tested for ingress protection IP X7 as per IEC 60529. There should be no fire or explosion during the IP X7 testing of REESS. Alternatively, immersion into water test can be performed per ISO 6469-1:2019 for medium (M) and heavy (N) category vehicles.</p>
<p><strong>Battery Management System for REESS </strong></p>
<p>The battery management system should be a microprocessor or microcontroller-based circuit.</p>
<p>It should comply with the electromagnetic compatibility requirements per AIS 004 Part 3 or AIS 004 Part 3 Rev 1 as applicable.</p>
<p>The battery management system should be verified for the following safety features during REESS testing:</p>
<ul>
<li>Over-charge protection</li>
<li>Over-discharge protection</li>
<li>Over-temperature protection</li>
<li>Overcurrent protection</li>
<li>Short circuit protection</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Thermal Propagation Test</strong></p>
<p>A thermal propagation test has been introduced to assess the REESS&#8217; capacity to endure thermal propagation, which may occur due to an internal short circuit causing a single-cell thermal runaway, and this process should not lead to the ignition or explosion of the REESS.</p>
<p>The manufacturer of the REESS is required to provide a risk reduction analysis using recognized industry-standard methods. This analysis should outline the potential hazards to vehicle users and bystanders stemming from thermal propagation triggered by an internal short circuit resulting in a single-cell thermal runaway. It should also detail how the identified risk mitigation measures or features contribute to reducing these risks.</p>
<p>The manufacturer of the REESS is required to provide a comprehensive system diagram encompassing all pertinent physical systems and components. These relevant systems and components play a role in safeguarding vehicle users and bystanders against potential risks arising from thermal propagation triggered by a single-cell thermal runaway.</p>
<p><strong>Acceptance Criteria</strong></p>
<p>During the thermal propagation test of REESS, there should be no evidence of fire and explosion triggered by a single-cell thermal runaway.</p>
<p>The REESS should have an audio-visual warning for early detection of thermal events or gases in case of thermal runaway of cells. This warning should be activated at least five minutes before thermal propagation, such as fire and explosion.</p>
<p><strong>Test Procedures </strong></p>
<p>The thermal propagation test should encompass the entire REESS or the relevant REESS subsystems, which include the cells and their electrical connections. If manufacturers opt to conduct the test on the related subsystem, they must demonstrate that the test outcomes reasonably reflect the safety performance of the complete REESS under identical conditions. If the electronic management unit for the REESS is not physically integrated within the cell enclosure, it must remain functional during the test.</p>
<p><strong>Test Conditions</strong></p>
<p>The test should take place under controlled conditions, specifically at a temperature of 25 ± 2°C. At the start of the test, the SOC should be set to a minimum of 95%.</p>
<p>The test can be carried out using a modified testing apparatus designed to minimize the impact of any modifications made. The manufacturer must furnish a list detailing the modifications applied. Additionally, the test should be conducted within an indoor testing facility or shelter to eliminate the potential influence of wind.</p>
<p><strong>Initiation Method </strong></p>
<p>The test necessitates the utilization of a block heater, film heater, or an alternative heating device to initiate thermal runaway. If employing a block heater of the same size as the component cell, one of the component cells must be substituted with the heater. In the case of a block heater smaller than a component cell, it can be positioned within the module in direct contact with the surface of the initiation cell. If opting for a film heater, it must be affixed to the surface of the initiation cell.</p>
<p>The heating process should adhere to the following conditions:</p>
<ul>
<li>A plate or rod heater should be employed, encompassed by ceramics, metal, or insulating material. The heating area of the heater that makes contact with the cell should, whenever possible, not exceed the surface area of the cell.</li>
<li>Upon installation, the heater should be gradually heated to its maximum power. The initiation process should be terminated when thermal runaway is detected or when the measured temperature exceeds 300°C. The cessation of initiation through heating should be achieved within a 30-minute timeframe.</li>
<li>The heater&#8217;s heating area should be in direct contact with the cell surface, and the heater should efficiently transmit its heat to the initiation cell.</li>
<li>The selection of the initiation cell should consider accessibility through the chosen triggering method and prioritize cells where heat generated by thermal runaway can most readily propagate to adjacent cells.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Measurement of Voltage and Temperature</strong></p>
<p>When measuring voltage, it is essential to ensure that the original electrical circuit remains unaltered. The temperature sensor&#8217;s accuracy should fall within the range of ± 2°C, with a sampling interval of less than one second.</p>
<p>The battery cells used in constructing the REESS must display a visible manufacturing date, including the month and year of production. The REESS manufacturer should also imprint the manufacturing date on the battery pack.</p>
<p>The cells employed in the REESS assembly should hold certification per IS 16893-Part 2 and Part 3, issued by either a NABL-accredited laboratory or a testing agency authorized under CMV Rule 126.</p>
<p>To monitor cell temperatures, the battery pack within the REESS should be equipped with a minimum of four temperature sensors. These sensors must be strategically positioned to provide accurate temperature readings. If the temperature exceeds 60°C, an audio-visual alarm should activate as a warning. If the vehicle is in operation, the battery management system should gradually cut off the power supply to the motor.</p>
<p>The REESS should incorporate active paralleling circuits to facilitate the parallel connection of strings, thereby eliminating the occurrence of circulating currents. These power semiconductor devices, employed for interconnecting strings, also serve as protective safety switches capable of identifying and isolating faulty strings.</p>
<p>Maintaining an adequate spacing distance between individual cells is also crucial to ensure efficient heat dissipation and isolate cells in the event of thermal runaway within the REESS. The intercell gap should be determined based on the specific cell geometry (cylindrical, prismatic, or pouch) in use and the cell capacity.</p>
<p>Each manufactured REESS must be accompanied by a traceability document that contains comprehensive information about the cells, battery management system, charger specifications, serial/batch numbers, charge-discharge data values, and other relevant details.</p>
<p><strong>Technical Requirements for Electric Power Train Vehicles</strong></p>
<p>The cells used in the assembly of the REESS should undergo at least one cycle of charge and discharge, conducted at a rate of C/3 current. The data from this cycling process must be diligently recorded and maintained by the REESS pack manufacturer.</p>
<p>The REESS must be equipped with a pressure release vent to prevent the accumulation of internal pressure and the release of gases in the event of an internal single-cell short circuit.</p>
<p>For REESS units with a SOC of 100%, it is mandatory to undergo testing for water ingress protection, following the IP X7 standard as defined in IEC 60529. Alternatively, an immersion test in accordance with ISO 6469-1:2019 can be conducted.</p>
<p><strong>Onboard Portable Charger</strong></p>
<p>The charger should have a charge voltage cut-off to avoid overcharging of REESS.</p>
<p>The charger should have a soft start function every time REESS is connected for charging, and it should have a pre-charge function to detect the deep discharge condition of the battery.</p>
<p>It should have input supply variation (230 VAC +/- 10%) protection, output voltage, and current regulation.</p>
<p>For every REESS produced, there must be a traceability document containing comprehensive information about the cells, battery management system, charger specifications, serial or batch numbers, charge-discharge data values, and more.</p>
<p>In addition, the battery management system should record crucial parameters of the battery pack, and the most recent data should be retained for at least one month. Alternatively, this up-to-date data can be stored on a remote cloud server for at least one month.</p>
<p>After a series of EV fires last year, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/government-warns-of-heavy-penalties-and-mass-recall-of-ev-following-battery-fires" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> that any EV company found to be negligent in its manufacturing process would face heavy penalties and a recall of all defective vehicles ordered.</p>
<p>Last month, a parliamentary committee <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/parliament-panel-extension-fame-program-2027" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recommended</a> that the government should extend Phase II of the FAME program for at least three years beyond March 31, 2024, to make EVs a norm in the Indian automobile market. The standing committee on Industry made this recommendation in a report relating to the MHI and presented it to Parliament.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/rakesh-ranjan-parashar/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Rakesh Ranjan</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
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<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Rakesh Ranjan,</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/rakesh-ranjan-parashar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Rakesh Ranjan.</a></p>
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<p><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Rakesh-Headshot-crop-2.jpg" width="77" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/rakesh-ranjan-parashar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong style="color: #00b451">Rakesh Ranjan</strong></a> is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Prior to joining Mercom, he worked in many roles as a business correspondent, assistant editor, senior content writer, and sub-editor with bcfocus.com, CIOReview/Silicon India, Verbinden Communication, and Bangalore Bias. Rakesh holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). <a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/rakesh-ranjan-parashar/" rel="noopener noreferrer">More articles from Rakesh Ranjan.</a>
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Ministry Amends Safety Compliance Parameters for EVs Under PLI, FAME II Programs


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					</table><p>The <a href="https://heavyindustries.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of Heavy Industries</a> has appointed <a href="https://engineersindia.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Engineers India</a>, a public sector engineering consultancy company, to oversee the progress of selected beneficiaries under the Production Linked Incentives (PLI) program for Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) for energy storage.</p>
<p>Engineers India will act as independent engineers for all three beneficiaries who are in the concluding stages of developing advanced chemistry cells.</p>
<p>With the prototype testing almost done, commercial production is expected to begin gradually in FY 2024.</p>
<p>Ola Cell Technologies is setting up its manufacturing facility in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu, whereas ACC Energy Storage is setting up its facility in Dharwad, Karnataka. Reliance New Energy Battery Storage is setting up a facility in Jamnagar, Gujarat, and has acquired three overseas companies in the ACC manufacturing business.</p>
<p>Advanced chemistry cells can store electrochemical or chemical energy and convert it back to electric energy when required.</p>
<p>The total investment by these beneficiary organizations has reached ₹20.9 billion (~$252.8 million).</p>
<p>The initial bidding for the ACC Energy Storage PLI Program <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/reliance-ola-hyundai-rajesh-exports-win-bid-50-gwh-acc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concluded</a> in March 2022, with Ola Electric Mobility, Hyundai Global Motors, Reliance New Energy, and Rajesh Exports securing bids to set up 50 GWh capacity. However, Hyundai Global Motors withdrew from bidding, leaving behind an unallocated capacity of 20 GWh.</p>
<p>The Ministry is currently in the <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/ministry-retender-20-gwh-battery-pli" target="_blank" rel="noopener">process</a> of re-issuing the tender for the unallocated 20 GWh capacity.</p>
<p>In June 2021, the Department of Heavy Industry issued a notification for the PLI program &#8216;National Program on ACC battery storage&#8217; to implement ACC manufacturing facilities for EVs. The department allocated a total of ₹181 billion (~$2.18 billion) as the program&#8217;s total incentive pay-out for five years.</p>
<p>The program aims to strengthen the country&#8217;s electric mobility and battery storage ecosystem, contributing to the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.</p>
<p>According to NITI Aayog, the PLI program would boost the sector as India&#8217;s annual battery market could <a href="https://mercomindia.com/india-annual-battery-market-could-surpass/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surpass</a> $15 billion by 2030.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Arjun Joshi</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
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<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Arjun Joshi,</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Arjun Joshi.</a></p>
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<p><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Arjun-Joshi-1.png" width="86" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong style="color: #00b451">Arjun Joshi</strong> </a>is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Before joining Mercom, he worked as a technical writer for enterprise resource software companies based in India and abroad. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Psychology, and Optional English from Garden City University, Bangalore. <a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Arjun Joshi.</a></p>
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Engineers India Appointed as Independent Engineer for PLI ACC Program


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					</table><p>The Ministry of Heavy Industries (<a href="https://heavyindustries.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MHI</a>) has announced that it would re-issue the tender for manufacturing the unallocated 20 GWh Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) for energy storage under the Performance Linked Incentives (PLI) program.</p>
<p>The initial bidding for the ACC Energy Storage PLI Program <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/reliance-ola-hyundai-rajesh-exports-win-bid-50-gwh-acc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concluded</a> in March 2022, with Ola Electric Mobility, Hyundai Global Motors, Reliance New Energy, and Rajesh Exports securing bids to set up 50 GWh capacity. However, Hyundai Global Motors opted to withdraw from bidding, leaving behind an unallocated capacity of 20 GWh.</p>
<p>The other winners <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/reliance-ola-rajesh-exports-sign-agreement-battery-storage-pli" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> the project agreement in August last year.</p>
<p>Before allotting the remaining capacity, MHI has announced a stakeholders&#8217; consultation on July 24, 2023, at Jacaranda Hall, New Delhi.</p>
<p>The forthcoming consultation, chaired by the Ministry of Heavy Industries Secretary, will seek valuable insights and feedback from key stakeholders and prospective bidders to ensure an all-inclusive and comprehensive re-bidding process.</p>
<p>The stakeholders are invited to provide written comments and feedback by July 20, 2023. Organizations must RSVP by July 21 to confirm their attendance at the stakeholders&#8217; consultation.</p>
<p>Some of the key themes that will be discussed during the consultation include:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Optimal Capacity and Battery Technology</strong>: Stakeholders can provide insights on the optimal capacity for an ACC manufacturing facility to achieve financial viability and discuss the battery technology that will hold prominence in the ACC industry.</li>
<li><strong>Eligibility and Product Eligibility</strong>: Participants can offer specific inputs on the eligibility requirements and the ACC matrix criteria for subsidy disbursement to enhance the quality of participation. They can also share their intentions to set up ACC manufacturing plants for the mobility or storage sectors.</li>
<li><strong>Investment and Gestation Period</strong>: Stakeholders can provide their opinions on including brownfield manufacturing in ACC PLI and discuss the estimated capital costs for different GWh capacity ACC facilities in India and the impact of scale on the per kWh cost.</li>
<li><strong>Domestic Value Addition and Testing</strong>: Concerns and suggestions related to the methodology for calculating domestic value addition and testing standards in previous ACC PLI bidding will be discussed.</li>
<li><strong>Component Ecosystem</strong>: Stakeholders can share the percentage of capital and operational components sourced from India and discuss major producers/suppliers of battery components and input materials in India. Additionally, any discussions with global component players interested in setting up their facilities in India will be explored.</li>
</ul>
<p>The government expects the active participation of all relevant stakeholders to ensure the accelerated implementation of the unallocated capacity.</p>
<p>According to NITI Aayog, the PLI program would boost the sector as India&#8217;s annual battery market could <a href="https://mercomindia.com/india-annual-battery-market-could-surpass/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surpass</a> $15 billion by 2030.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Arjun Joshi</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Arjun-Joshi-1.png" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Arjun Joshi,</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Arjun Joshi.</a></p>
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<p><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Arjun-Joshi-1.png" width="86" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong style="color: #00b451">Arjun Joshi</strong> </a>is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Before joining Mercom, he worked as a technical writer for enterprise resource software companies based in India and abroad. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Psychology, and Optional English from Garden City University, Bangalore. <a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Arjun Joshi.</a></p>
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Ministry to Retender 20 GWh Battery Cell Manufacturing Capacity Under PLI Program


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					</table><p>A parliamentary committee has recommended extending the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid &amp; Electric Vehicles (FAME-II) program by two years beyond its current March 31, 2024, deadline. The panel added that it would allow more time to evaluate its effectiveness and make necessary adjustments to promote electric vehicles (EVs).</p>
<p>The committee found that removing government support for EVs would significantly increase their prices. Many startups involved in the EV industry may also have to shut down once the FAME-II program ends.</p>
<p>The suggestions were part of the Twenty-sixth Report of the Committee regarding the assessment of the EV policy in relation to the Ministry of Heavy Industries (<a href="https://heavyindustries.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MHI</a>), which was submitted to the Lok Sabha last week.</p>
<p>The committee has also recommended that the government create a comprehensive national EV policy, including successful state models and international best practices on charging infrastructure, battery swapping, battery waste management/recycling, and public awareness.</p>
<p>The policy should also provide demand and supply-side incentives such as reduced GST, waived road tax and registration fees, and discounted hire-purchase program with lower interest rates for purchasing EVs by financial institutions.</p>
<p>The committee further recommended introducing a comprehensive FAME-III program once the extended period of FAME-II is over to continue promoting EVs until they can compete with internal combustion engine vehicles without requiring incentives in terms of upfront costs.</p>
<p>The committee believes that the government should promote not only EVs and hybrid vehicles, but also other technologies, such as flex-fuel vehicles, hydrogen internal combustion engines, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, with a greater emphasis on mobility transition.</p>
<p>It said that a roadmap for establishing solar charging stations should be developed in a time-bound manner to reduce reliance on coal-generated electricity.</p>
<p>The Production Linked Incentive program for automobile and auto components offers incentives to overcome disabilities in manufacturing advanced automotive technology. The program has a budgetary outlay of ₹259.38 billion (~$3.1 billion) spread over five years from 2022-2023 to 2026-2027.</p>
<p>The committee suggested that it should be mandatory for beneficiaries to continue their production until at least 2030.</p>
<p>As the number of EVs being used in the country continues to rise, there is a need to address the safe disposal and/or reuse of batteries, along with the requirement for skilled manpower. The committee suggested that the e-waste management rules should be modified and elaborated further to facilitate the disposal and/or re-use of EV batteries.</p>
<p>The panel noted that the number of EV charging stations sanctioned under FAME is very low, considering that India has the world&#8217;s second-largest road network.</p>
<p>As the number of EVs increases, the committee suggested that frequently placed smart charging stations would make long-distance travel smoother and faster for EVs. The MHI should collaborate with other ministries and charging infrastructure operators to develop a comprehensive plan for the rollout of a nationwide public charging network.</p>
<p>The committee also recommended considering implementing purchase subsidies and cash-incentive schemes for scrapping/exchanging petrol/diesel vehicles for EVs. This would lead to faster adoption of EVs and have a significant impact on controlling CO2 emissions.</p>
<p>Recently, a new BloombergNEF study <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/electric-vehicle-chargers-hit-200-billion-2026-bnef" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> total investment in EV chargers is set to cross $100 billion in 2023, and the next $100 billion of spending is expected to be achieved within the next three years.</p>
<p>Electric vehicle sales in India <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/ev-sales-clocked-record-one-million-units-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reached</a> a record one million units in 2022, a jump of over 300% against the 322,877 units sold in 2021.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Gautamee Hazarika</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
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<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Gautamee,</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Gautamee.</a></p>
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<div class="authorboxn"><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Picture1.jpg" width="102" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" rel="noopener">Gautamee</a> is a reporter at Mercom India. Prior to Mercom, Gautamee was working as a multimedia news journalist at ThePrint in New Delhi. She has received her Bachelors in English Honors and Masters in English Literature from St.Stephen&#8217;s College, University of Delhi.<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" rel="noopener">More articles from Gautamee</a></div>
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Parliamentary Panel Suggests Extending FAME Program for EVs by Two Years

<p>Convergence Energy Services Limited (<a href="https://www.convergence.co.in/">CESL</a>) has issued a request for proposal (RfP) from Charge Point Operators for the installation and maintenance of 810 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations for four-wheelers on 16 highways and expressways across India. The installations are on a build, own, and operate (BOO) model for eight years, which can be extended up to ten years.</p>
<p>CESL, a subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services (EESL), has been awarded financial support to deploy these EV charging stations under Phase II of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME-II) program of the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI).</p>
<p>The selected bidder must install and commission all the EV chargers for the allocated lot within five months from the date of the letter of award (LoA).</p>
<p>The last date to submit the bids is May 3, 2022. Bids will be opened on the same day.</p>
<p>Bidders must submit a document fee of ₹25,000 (~$325.95). They must also submit an earnest money deposit (EMD) amount depending on the lot or the highway/expressways they are bidding for. If bidders participate in more than one lot, they would have to submit an EMD amount equivalent to a cumulative sum of the EMDs of the respective lots.</p>
<p>The successful bidder must pay a contract performance guarantee within 28 days of receiving the LoA, equal to 100% of the eligible financial support of the respective lots minus CESL&#8217;s PMC charges, which is 14%. The contract performance guarantee must be submitted lot-wise.</p>
<p>Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) will be exempted from paying the bid document fee and EMD. Non-local suppliers will not be eligible to bid in this tender.</p>
<p>The combination of chargers to be used by the selected operators must be a minimum of 50 kW and a maximum of 60 kW at every 25 kilometers on both sides of the highway and a minimum of 100 kW and a maximum of 120 kW after every three charging stations on the highway.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-34419" src="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tender-for-810-Charging-stations-across-highways.png" alt="Tender for 810 Charging stations across highways" width="902" height="567" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tender-for-810-Charging-stations-across-highways.png 902w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tender-for-810-Charging-stations-across-highways-300x189.png 300w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tender-for-810-Charging-stations-across-highways-768x483.png 768w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tender-for-810-Charging-stations-across-highways-650x409.png 650w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tender-for-810-Charging-stations-across-highways-624x392.png 624w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tender-for-810-Charging-stations-across-highways-600x377.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 902px) 100vw, 902px" /></p>
<p>Twenty-five percent of the total quantity is earmarked for registered MSMEs for the tendered item. Out of the 25% target of annual procurement from micro and small enterprises, 4% and 3% will be earmarked for procurement from micro and small enterprises owned by Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) entrepreneurs and Women entrepreneurs, respectively</p>
<p>The charging operators must ensure that the number of EVs equivalent to the number of charging guns can be charged simultaneously at each charging station. They should also ensure that all the EV chargers carry at least three years of a comprehensive warranty.</p>
<p>After completion of the contracted period from the date of commissioning, the operators must remove the existing charging systems and associated infrastructure at their cost and return the site to the landowner.</p>
<p>According to the benchmark price of the EV chargers set by the Ministry of Heavy Industries, the maximum financial support per EV charger available with CESL is calculated capacity-wise. For chargers with a capacity of 50 kW, the benchmark price is ₹725,000 (~$9,452), and for the chargers, with a minimum of 100 kW, the benchmark price is ₹1.169 million (~$15,241). The maximum financial support for one 50 kW charger is calculated at 55% of the benchmark cost, amounting to ₹398,750 (~$5,199), and for one 100 kW charger is calculated at 50% of the benchmark cost, amounting to ₹584,325 (~$7,619).</p>
<p>Bidders must have implemented or installed and be operating a minimum of 50% of the EV chargers for the respective lot they are bidding for, across two states. If bidders are bidding for multiple lots, they must meet the requirement for each lot.</p>
<p>Bidders must have an average annual turnover in the last three financial years ranging from ₹2 million (~$26,076) to ₹32 million (~$417,225). If a bidder is bidding for multiple lots, the bidder must meet the requirement cumulatively for the lots for which bids are placed.</p>
<p>In the immediate past financial year, i.e., 2020-21, the bidders&#8217; net worth should not be less than 100% of paid-up share capital.</p>
<p>Suppose there is a delay in commissioning the EV charging stations in the awarded lot beyond five months from the date of issue of LoA. In that case, the operator will have to repay 0.25% of the eligible financial support per week of delay, up to a maximum of 5% of the eligible financial support.</p>
<p>Minister of State for Heavy Industries Krishan Pal Gurjar recently <a href="https://mercomindia.com/2877-ev-charging-stations-approved-under-fame-ii/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the approval of 2,877 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in 68 cities across 25 states and union territories under the second phase of the FAME-II program.</p>
<p>Earlier this year, the Ministry of Power (MoP) <a href="https://mercomindia.com/ministry-of-power-guidelines-ev-charging-infrastructure/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> the revised &#8216;Charging Infrastructure for Electric Vehicles (EVs) Guidelines&#8217; to accelerate the e-mobility transition in the country.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/satish-shetty/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Satish Shetty</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Satish-pic-1.jpg" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Satish Shetty,</strong> Associate Editor at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/satish-shetty/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Satish Shetty.</a></p>
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<div class="authorboxn"><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Satish-pic-1.jpg" width="102" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/satish-shetty/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong style="color: #00b451">Satish Shetty</strong></a> is an Associate Editor with Mercom India. Prior to Mercom, Satish was a multimedia news producer at Reuters, where he gained experience in digital news media. Satish has his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Broadcast Journalism from Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Malaysia.<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/satish-shetty/" rel="noopener noreferrer">More articles from Satish Shetty.</a></div>
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Tender Floated for Setting Up 810 EV Charging Stations Along Highways

<p>The Ministry of Heavy Industries (<a href="https://heavyindustries.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MHI</a>) has approved 2877 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in 68 cities across 25 states and union territories under the second phase of faster adoption and manufacturing of hybrid and electric vehicles (FAME-II) program. The information was revealed by the Minister of State for Heavy Industries Krishan Pal Gurjar in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.</p>
<p>FAME-II was initially intended for three years ending March 31, 2022. However, it was <a href="https://mercomindia.com/fame-program-electric-vehicles-extended/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extended</a> earlier this year by 24 months until March 31, 2024.</p>
<p>Maharashtra has 317 charging stations, the most permitted under FAME-II, out of which Mumbai alone has 229 charging stations.</p>
<p>Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, with 281, 278, 266, and 235 charging stations approved, respectively, were the other top states.</p>
<p>The notification further states that the Delhi – Kolkata highway has a total of 160 charging stations approved for Energy Efficiency Services Limited, and the Mumbai &#8211; Delhi highway has 124 charging stations approved for Bharat Electronics.</p>
<p>Of the total, 1,576 EV charging stations are approved across 16 highways and nine expressways. As per the Ministry of Power <a href="https://mercomindia.com/government-ev-charging-25-km-road/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">guidelines</a>, there should be at least one charging station every 25 km on both sides of highways. There should also be at least one charging station for long-range heavy-duty EVs every 100 km on both sides of highways. In cities, at least one charging station needs to be set up in a three-kilometre square grid.</p>
<p>Under the FAME-I program, MHI had authorized about 520 charging stations at the cost of ₹430 million (~$5.65 million).</p>
<p>Recently, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency <a href="https://mercomindia.com/bee-consultancy-tender-for-energy-benchmarking-evs-and-chargers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> bids to hire agencies to develop energy benchmarking for EVs and EV chargers to estimate the impact of EV chargers on the grid.</p>
<p>As per a recent <a href="https://mercomindia.com/priority-sector-lending-can-help-unlock-ev-financing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a>, ‘Banking on Electric Vehicles in India’ by NITI Aayog, the inclusion of EVs in Reserve Bank of India’s priority sector lending guidelines could help unlock EV financing of up to ₹3.7 trillion (~$49.27 billion) by 2030.</p>
<p>In September, The Union Government had <a href="https://mercomindia.com/pli-ev-manufacturing-approved/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">notified</a> the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) program for automobile and auto components. It is estimated that the PLI program will lead to investments of over ₹425 billion (~$5.72 billion) in five years and incremental production of over ₹2.3 trillion (~$ 31 billion). The program is expected to create over 750,000 jobs.</p>
<p>Several states, including <a href="https://mercomindia.com/assam-electric-vehicle-policy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Assam</a>, <a href="https://mercomindia.com/maharashtras-draft-ev-policy-25-e-public-transport-2025/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maharashtra</a>, <a href="https://mercomindia.com/delhi-new-ev-incentives-policy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Delhi</a>, and <a href="https://mercomindia.com/gujarat-unveils-electric-vehicle-policy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gujarat</a>, have launched state-specific EV policies to bolster EV vehicle and infrastructure production in their respective states.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Arjun Joshi</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Arjun-Joshi-1.png" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Arjun Joshi,</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Arjun Joshi.</a></p>
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<p><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Arjun-Joshi-1.png" width="86" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong style="color: #00b451">Arjun Joshi</strong> </a>is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Before joining Mercom, he worked as a technical writer for enterprise resource software companies based in India and abroad. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Psychology, and Optional English from Garden City University, Bangalore. <a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Arjun Joshi.</a></p>
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