Hyderabad: EV owners struggle on highways amid charging hurdles

HYDERABAD: Long-distance travel in electric vehicles (EVs) continues to test the patience of motorists, with public charging infrastructure still inadequate across major highways.

A Bengaluru-based EV user, who started from the city at 2.30pm, said he reached Hyderabad only by 5.30am the next day — a 15-hour journey that would take just seven hours in a petrol or diesel car. Several charging stations along the route lacked backup power and required separate mobile apps for each company. “By the time I reached, my phone was full of charging apps,” he said, voicing frustration shared by many other drivers.

Charging gaps on highways

While an EV can run up to 300 km per full charge, range drops faster with air-conditioning or speeds above 80 kmph. For those driving long distances, anxiety builds up if the next charging station is far away.

Telangana Renewable Energy Development Corporation (TREDCO) has approved 1,185 charging stations, of which about 650 are confined to Greater Hyderabad. Despite central government guidelines mandating one station every 20 km on national highways, most states have been slow to act.

Apps and payment hassles

Private firms operate most charging stations, forcing users to download individual apps, enter personal details, make online payments and then plug in for charging. “By the time we finish app installation, payment and charging, hours are lost,” motorists said.

PM E-Drive scheme to add 3,000 stations

The Centre has now launched the ₹10,900-crore Pradhan Mantri Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-Drive) scheme to set up more public charging stations (PCS) across cities, towns, highways and state roads. States have been asked to send proposals immediately.

TREDCO is preparing a plan to install 3,000 new PCS across Telangana. The Centre will bear 100% of infrastructure costs for stations on government premises and 80% on private land. Setting up a PCS with a maximum load of 150 kilowatts costs around ₹24 lakh.

Complaints and lack of grievance system

Motorists also face issues where payments go through but charging fails due to technical glitches. With no staff on site, users are unsure where to report such problems.

TREDCO managing director Anil told Eenadu that a complaint option would soon be available on the agency’s portal. “We will take up complaints against companies and fix technical issues in older stations,” he said.