Buying an EV? Why basement charging could become a headache

Buying an electric vehicle may not seem a herculean task but charging it may turn out to be, especially if one is putting up in an apartment in one of India’s biggest metro cities.

Getting approval from the resident welfare association (RWA) of housing societies to set up an EV charger in the basement parking is becoming the biggest hurdle for EV buyers.

Rachit Katyal, an EV buyer in Uttar Pradesh’s Greater Noida recently moved the Supreme Court after his request for setting up an EV charger at the owner’s designated vehicle parking space was ignored by the RWA.

In his petition, Katyal said that the housing society’s two low-capacity common charging points of 7 kilowatt and 3 kW were not adequate for 56 electric vehicles.

Following Katyal’s plea, the Supreme Court bench issued a notice seeking responses from the Union of India, the state of Uttar Pradesh, Nirala Estate Housing society in Greater Noida and its property management agency.

The apathy towards EV buyers is not limited to just one city. At many places, an EV buyer has to secure a no objection certificate (NOC) from power utilities and fire services department.

Haryana amends building code to promote EVs

Meanwhile, the Haryana government has proposed amendments to Haryana Building Code 2017 to promote green mobility. The state government has proposed making electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure mandatory across residential and commercial buildings.

In a public notice issued by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning on April 27, the government invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders on the draft changes, giving a 30-day window for feedback.

Under the proposed norms, all new and renovated buildings will be required to be “EV-ready,” with electrical conduits in place to support charging infrastructure.

For commercial establishments such as malls, hotels and office complexes, the draft mandates at least one EV charging point for every three parking slots. Residential societies, including group housing projects and cooperative housing, will need to provide one charging point for every five parking spaces.

Significantly, the draft clarifies that EV charging points can be installed in basements and stilt parking areas, subject to adherence to fire safety norms.

To encourage adoption, the proposed rules also state that EV charging infrastructure will be exempt from floor area ratio (FAR) calculations, a move aimed at incentivising developers to incorporate charging facilities.

The draft amendments will be finalised after considering public feedback, with stakeholders allowed to submit suggestions until May 26.