MoP releases new guidelines for battery swapping and charging stations

The Ministry of Power has released the ‘Guidelines for Installation and Operation of Battery Swapping and Battery Charging Stations’, aimed at enhancing India’s electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem. 

The guidelines promote battery swapping as a faster alternative to traditional charging, enabling users to replace discharged batteries with pre-charged ones, reducing downtime and improving convenience for EV owners.

The guidelines apply to all entities involved in battery swapping services, including operators of Battery Charging Stations (BCS) and Battery Swapping Stations (BSS). A key focus is the promotion of the ‘Battery as a Service’ (BaaS) model, where service providers lease or rent swappable batteries to EV owners and fleet operators.

Key provisions include support for ‘Battery-to-Grid’ (B2G) applications, allowing swappable batteries to store and supply energy back to the grid, aiding grid stability. Safety measures extend existing EV infrastructure regulations to battery swapping and charging stations. Operators can use existing electricity connections, with or without load enhancement, for charging purposes. The guidelines also encourage liquid-cooled swappable batteries to support larger EVs such as buses and trucks.