The business will be delivered under a build, own, and operate model valid for eight years, with charging stations installed across Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune and Surat, the company said in a statement.
Under this tender, charge point operators (CPOs) will be given a “right to use" the sites provided to them by CESL for setting up and operating the charging infrastructure in the area. Operators share in proceeds with CESL.
This business model is a shift from the earlier mode of business where CESL was responsible for investing, owning, and operating these stations.
To enable greater market participation, CESL has changed the business model to one of enabling - encouraging maximum participation of players to set up the much-needed charging infrastructure in the country, the company said.
As a government agency, CESL will ensure availability of land that is free of encumbrance at locations that have been assessed and made publicly available for players to bid for the implementation of various categories of EV charging and battery swapping stations, it added.
The tender witnessed participation from 11 companies, of which five have been selected. Successful operators will be responsible for designing, engineering, installation, testing, commissioning, and operation of these e-vehicle charging stations.
“Adequate charging infrastructure is a necessity for the scale-up of electric mobility. How to do this at scale and at the pace that is needed has been a challenge for us. I am very optimistic that this model of engaging with market players will give all of us the outcomes we want: widespread charging stations,“ said Mahua Acharya, MD and CEO, CESL.
Currently, CESL has under implementation 1,017 e-vehicle charging stations of which 427 are for public use. With this tender, 1,770 charging stations will be added to the count.
CESL is also in the process of developing a charge management system and mobile application to enable operators and e-mobility service providers to host charging stations on each other’s systems such that the consumer has maximum coverage and visibility.
