Government Plans Subsidies for Battery Swapping Stations to Boost Long-Distance EV Travel
Government Plans Subsidies for Battery Swapping Stations to Boost Long-Distance EV Travel
In a significant push toward cleaner mobility, the Indian government is set to introduce subsidies for battery swapping stations across the country. The initiative aims to reduce charging downtime for electric vehicles (EVs), especially those used for long-distance and commercial purposes.
The proposed subsidy scheme is part of a broader strategy to accelerate EV adoption in India. By promoting battery swapping infrastructure, the government intends to offer EV users—particularly operators of electric buses, trucks, two-wheelers, and three-wheelers—quick battery exchange options instead of time-consuming charging sessions.
A senior official said the policy will initially target commercial EVs and long-haul routes, with electric cars included later once common technical standards are finalized. “Our goal is to create a robust battery swapping network that improves operational efficiency and minimizes downtime for EVs,” the official noted.
The plan was discussed at a high-level meeting involving officials from the Prime Minister’s Office and key ministries. The timing aligns with India’s growing EV market—EVs accounted for 7.3% of all registered vehicles in 2024–25, up sharply from just 0.01% in 2014–15. Over 5.68 million EVs have been registered to date, with numbers expected to rise as more supportive policies roll out.
This new initiative complements the government’s existing project to install public EV chargers along 61 national highway corridors covering approximately 25,600 km. Charging stations are planned every 100 km for heavy vehicles and every 20 km for cars.
Officials suggest that battery swapping stations could either be integrated with existing charging infrastructure or set up as standalone units. Specific details on subsidy amounts and eligibility criteria are still under discussion.
Priority corridors for deploying battery swapping stations include Delhi-Chandigarh, Delhi-Jaipur, Bengaluru-Mumbai, Coimbatore-Bengaluru, Goa-Pune, Chennai-Bengaluru, Kanyakumari, Kochi-Prayagraj-Patna, Guwahati-Jorhat, and Kharagpur-Visakhapatnam.
Once standards for electric cars are in place, the government plans to extend this infrastructure to private EVs as well, reinforcing India’s long-term vision of sustainable, efficient transport.
